Applications of logarithms

Honors pre-calculus
Physics
The Richter scale is commonly used to measure the intensity of an earthquake. If E,
measured in joules, is the energy released during an earthquake, then the magnitude of
the earthquake is given by,

E
2
M = log where Eo = 104.4 joules
3
Eo
1)

If 8 1014 joules of energy are released during an earthquake, what was the
magnitude of the earthquake?

2)

How much energy will be released in an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9?

Sound intensities, I, are often compared with the threshold of human hearing, I o , which
is about 10 12 watts per meter squared. The relative intensity, R, of a sound in decibels is
given by the equation

I
R = 10 log
Io
3)

The intensity of a whisper is about 300 times as loud as the threshold of human
hearing. Find the relative intensity, R, of a whisper in decibels.

4)

Suppose a burglar alarm has a rating of 120 decibels. Compare this intensity to
the threshold of human hearing.

Chemistry
The pH level of a solution describes its acidity: the lower the pH, the more acid a
solution. Apple juice for example, has a pH of about 3, while ammonia has a pH of about
11. The pH of a substance is defined by the equation

pH = log ( H + )
where H + is the hydrogen ion concentration in moles per liter.

1)

The pH of carbonated soda is 3. What is H + ?

2)

There are .003 moles of hydrogen ions in one liter of an unidentified solution.
Whats the solutions pH?

Finance
Most interest on investments is compounded continuously; that is, the money earned on
the principal is added instantaneously, rather than quarterly or monthly. The equation
that describes this is
A = Pe rt

where A is the resulting amount, P is the principal, e is the natural base, r is the
interest rate, and t is time (in years).

1)

Calculate the worth of an investment of $1,000 accruing 4% interest compounded

2)

How long would it take to double an investment of $5,000 in an account earning

Biology
The growth of a certain colony of bacteria is given by the equation,
Q = Qo e0.195t

where Q is the final amount of bacteria, Qo is the original amount of bacteria, and
t is time (in hours).

If there are initially 500 bacteria present, determine each of the following.

1)

How many bacteria are there after a half of a day?

2)

How long will it take before there are 10,000 bacteria in the colony?

Radioactive decay
Carbon 14 dating works by measuring the amount of carbon 14 (a radioactive element)
remaining in a fossil or artifact. Carbon 14 decays into nitrogen 14 at an exponential rate,
described by the formula:
N (t ) = N o e0.000124t

where t is in years, N o is the original amount of carbon 14 and N (t ) is the

A given organism contained 100 milligrams of carbon 14 at the time of its death.
How much carbon 14 remains after 100 years?

2)

What is the half-life of carbon 14? That is, how many years until an amount of
carbon 14 is reduced by half?

3)

Youre a collector of papyrus scrolls and learn that theres a set for sale on E-bay.
The seller says that 70% of the original carbon 14 in the scrolls still remains, so
he thinks its about 3,500 years old. Using the formula N (t ) = N o e0.000124t , whats
your estimate of the age of the scrolls?

Solutions
Physics
1)

There really isnt much to do here other than to plug values into the formula.

8 1014 2
2
2
M = log
= log ( 8 109.6 ) = (10.50309) = 7.002
4.4
3
3
10
3
So, it looks like well have a magnitude of about 7.

2)

In this case we will need to solve the following equation.

2
E
5.9 = log 4.4
3
10
First we need the logarithm on one side by itself with a coefficient of one. Once
we have it in that form we convert to exponential form and solve.
2
E
5.9 = log 4.4
3
10

Multiply each side by

E
8.85 = log 4.4
10

Convert to exponential form.

108.85 =

E
10 4.4

3
.
2

Solve for E.

E = 108.85 (104.4 ) = 1013.25

3)

Use the formula, substituting 300 I o for I.

I
R = 10 log
Io
300 I o
R = 10 log

Io

Note that the I o in the fraction cancel out.

R = 10 log 300

Use your calculator here.

R 25
So the relative intensity is about 25 decibels.

4)

Use the formula, substituting 120 for R.

I
R = 10 log
Io
I
120 = 10 log
Io

Divide each side by 10.

I
12 = log
Io

Convert to exponential form.

1012 =

I
Io

Multiply each side by I o .

1012 i I o = I
So the burglar alarm is about is about 1012 times as loud as the threshold of
human hearing.

Chemistry
1)

Use the formula, substituting 3 for pH.

Divide each side by -1.

3 = log ( H + )

Convert to exponential form.

103 = ( H + )
So there are about 103 moles of hydrogen ions per liter of carbonated soda with a
1
pH of 3. We can also say the concentration is
.
1000

2)

Use the formula, substituting .003 for H + .

pH = log (.003)

Use the natural log method.

ln .003
pH =

ln10

Use your calculator.

pH 2.52
So the pH of the unidentified solutions is about 2.52.

Finance
1)

Use the formula and solve for A.

Substitute in values for P, r and t.

A = 1000e(.04)(5)

Use your calculator.

A 1221.40
The investment is worth $1,221.40.

2)

Use the formula and solve for t.

Substitute in values for A, P, and r.

10, 000 = 5, 000e.05t

Divide each side by 5,000.

2 = e.05t

Take the natural log of each side.

ln 2 = ln e.05t

Note that ln e.05t = .05t

ln 2 = .05t

Divide each side by .05.

ln 2
=t
.05

Use your calculator.

t 13.86
It would take a little more than 13 years and ten months to double your
investment.

Biology
1)

In this case if we want the number of bacteria after half of a day we will need to
use
. Now, substitute in values for Qo and t.
Q = 500e0.195(12)
Q = 500(10.3812365627)

Use your calculator.

Q 5190.618
So, since a fractional population doesnt make much sense well say that after half
of a day there are 5190 of the bacteria present.

2)

In order to answer this part we will need to solve the following exponential
equation.
10, 000 = 500e0.195t

Divide each side by 500

10, 000
= e0.195t
500
20 = e0.195t

Take the natural log of each side.

ln 20 = ln e0.195t

Remember that ln e0.195t = 0.195t .

ln 20 = 0.195t

Divide each side by 0.195.

t=

ln 20
= 15.3627
0.195

So, it only takes approximately 15.4 hours to reach 10,000 bacteria.

Radioactive decay
1)

In this case all we need to do is set N o = 100 and t = 1000 in our equation.
N (t ) = N o e0.000124t
N (t ) = 100e 0.000124(1000)

Use your calculator.

N (t ) = 100(.88337984) = 88.338
There are 88.338 mg remaining in the sample after 100 years.

2)

In this case, we can set N o to an arbitrary amount and N (t ) to half of that number.
Ive chosen 100 and 50, respectively.
N (t ) = N o e0.000124t

Substitute values for N o and N(t).

50 = 100e 0.000124t

Divide each side by 100.

50
= e 0.000124t
100
0.5 = e 0.000124 t

Take the natural log of each side.

ln 0.5 = ln e0.000124 t

Remember that ln e0.000124t = .0.000124t

ln 0.5 = 0.000124t

Divide each side by -0.000124.

t = 5589.8966
According to our formula, the half-life of carbon 14 is about 5690 years.

3)

In this case, we can set N o to 1 and N (t ) to 70% of 1, or 0.7. Remember, if 70%

N (t ) = N o e0.000124t

Since N (t ) = 0.7 N o

0.7 N o = N o e0.000124t

Note that the N o cancels out.

0.7 = e0.000124 t

Take the natural log of each side.

ln 0.7 = ln e0.000124t

Remember that ln e0.000124 t = 0.000124t .

ln 0.7 = 0.000124t

Divide each side by -0.000124.

t = 2876.4108
According to our formula, the papyrus scrolls are about 2,876 years old.