A marine biologist is investigating the metabolic activity of a specific phytoplankton colony in a controlled bioreactor. The rate of oxygen evolution, RRR, measured in micromoles per second (μmol s−1\mu\text{mol s}^{-1}μmol s−1), is modelled by the function
R=54I−4I32−120,I>0 R = 54I - 4I^{\frac{3}{2}} - 120, \quad I > 0 R=54I−4I23−120,I>0where III is the light intensity delivered to the colony in kilolux.
According to this model:
find, using calculus, the maximum possible rate of oxygen evolution.
Justify, also using calculus, that the rate you have found is a maximum.
Practise AQA A Level Maths 1.10 G: Differentiation with exam-style questions for A Level Maths. 321 questions covering 1.10.1 The derivative and second derivative, 1.10.2 Differentiating standard functions, 1.10.3 Applications of differentiation, 1.10.4 Product, quotient and chain rules (A-level only), 1.10.5 Implicit and parametric differentiation (A-level only), and 1.10.6 Constructing differential equations (A-level only), matched to the AQA A Level Maths (7357) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
