(1) The heat equation describes how heat flows over time within a material. It was first studied by Fourier in the early 1800s. (2) The one-dimensional heat equation is derived assuming heat flows through a thin bar of homogeneous material with insulated sides. The temperature at any point depends only on position and time. (3) Using Fourier's law of heat conduction and assumptions about the bar, an expression can be derived that relates the rate of heat transfer to the second spatial derivative of temperature - leading to the heat equation α2uxx = ut, where α is the thermal diffusivity.

1. Heat Equation

2. Introduction
In the early 1800s, J. Fourier began a mathematical study of
heat. A deeper understanding of heat flow had significant
applications in science and within industry. A basic version of
Fourier's efforts is the problem
𝛼2𝑢𝑥𝑥 = 𝑢𝑡
BC
𝑢 0, 𝑡 = 0 = 𝑢 𝐿, 𝑡 ; 𝑢 𝑥, 0 = 𝑓 𝑥
where
𝑢 𝑥, 𝑡 is the temperature at position x at time t
𝛼2 a constant
f is a given function

3. Fourier's analysis resulted in the following solution form
𝑢 𝑥, 𝑡 = ෍
𝑛=1
∞
𝑏𝑛 𝑒−𝑡 Τ
(𝛼𝑛𝜋 𝐿)2
sin
𝑛𝜋𝑥
𝐿
Provided f could be written in the form
𝑓 𝑥 = ෍
𝑛=1
∞
𝑏𝑛 sin
𝑛𝜋𝑥
𝐿
This prompted Fourier to form a method for expressing
functions as infinite sums of sines (and/or cosines), called
Fourier series.

4. Derivation of Heat Equation in One
Dimension
Suppose we have a thin bar of length L wrapped around the x-
axis, so that x = 0 and x = L are the ends of the bar.
x = 0 x = L
B
A
C
At point A, B and C: Temperature u is function of only x and t
and remains same as
we have assumed that Bar is thin.

5. Assumptions
• bar is of homogeneous material, is straight and has uniform
cross-sections.
• sides of the bar are perfectly insulated so that no heat passes
through them.
• Since our bar is thin, the temperature u can be considered as
constant on any given cross-section and so depends on the
horizontal position along the x-axis. Hence u is a function
only of position x and time t.

6. Let’s derive heat equation as given below
𝛼2𝑢𝑥𝑥 = 𝑢𝑡 (1)
where 𝛼2 = k/ρc is called the thermal diffusivity (in (length)2/time). It
has the SI derived unit of m2/s.
k, ρ and c are positive constants that depend on the material of the bar.

7. Consider a section D of the bar, with ends at xo and x1.
x0 x1
D
**Thermal diffusivity is the thermal conductivity divided
by density and specific heat capacity at constant pressure. It
measures the rate of transfer of heat of a material from the hot
end to the cold end.

8. Now, the total amount of heat H = H(t) in D (may be in joules, calories)
is
𝐻 𝑡 = න
𝑥0
𝑥1
ρc 𝑢 𝑥, 𝑡 𝑑𝑥
Differentiating we obtain
𝑑𝐻 𝑡
𝑑𝑡
= ρc න
𝑥0
𝑥1
𝑢𝑡 𝑥, 𝑡 𝑑𝑥
Above, c is the specific heat of the material (it is the amount of heat that
must be added to one unit of mass of the substance in order to cause an
increase of one unit in temperature) and ρ is the density of the material.

9. Now, since the sides of the bar are insulated, the only way
heat can flow into or out of D is through the ends at xo and x1.
Fourier's law of heat flow states that heat flows from hotter
regions to colder regions and the flow rate is proportional to
ux.
Now, the net rate change of heat H in D is just the rate at
which heat enters D minus the rate at which heat leaves D. i.e.,
𝑑𝐻
𝑑𝑡
= −k𝑢𝑥(𝑥0, 𝑡) − (−k𝑢𝑥(𝑥1, 𝑡))

10. The minus sign appears in the above two terms since there will be a
positive flow of heat from left to right only if the temperature is greater
to the left of x = xo than to the right (in this case, 𝑢𝑥(𝑥0, 𝑡) will be
negative).
Now. simplifying the above and applying the fundamental theorem of
calculus we obtain
𝑑𝐻
𝑑𝑡
= k𝑢𝑥(𝑥1, 𝑡) − k𝑢𝑥(𝑥0, 𝑡)
𝑑𝐻 𝑡
𝑑𝑡
= k න
𝑥0
𝑥1
𝑢𝑥𝑥 𝑥, 𝑡 𝑑𝑥
The first fundamental theorem of calculus states that, if f is
continuous on the closed interval [a,b] and F is the indefinite
integral of f on [a,b], then
න
𝑎
𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝐹 𝑏 − 𝐹(𝑎)

11. Now, comparing our two expressions for dH/dt we form the
relationship
cρ න
𝑥0
𝑥1
𝑢𝑡 𝑥, 𝑡 𝑑𝑥 = k න
𝑥0
𝑥1
𝑢𝑥𝑥 𝑥, 𝑡 𝑑𝑥
Differentiating both sides with respect to xl we obtain
cρ𝑢𝑡 = 𝑘𝑢𝑥𝑥 (2)

12. Since the above arguments work for all intervals from xo to x1 and for all t > 0 it
follows that the above PDE is satisfied for our interval of interest: from x = 0 to x =
L (and all t > 0)
The PDE (2) essentially describes a fundamental physical balance: the rate at which
heat flows into any portion of the bar is equal to the rate at which heat is absorbed
into that portion of the bar.
Hence the two terms in (2) are sometimes referred to as:
"absorption term" (cρ𝑢𝑡); and the "flux term” (𝑘𝑢𝑥𝑥)
Interpretation of heat equation
What is 2D heat equation

17. The function will
satisfy the heat
equation and the
boundary condition of
zero temperature on
the ends of the bar.