A1.

(a) Write an expression for the Electric potential, V, at a point P which is a distance x
from a point charge, Q. Write a second equation which could be used to derive an
expression for the electric field strength, E, at the same point P, if V is known.

(b) Consider the charge distribution shown. It is referred to as a linear quadrupole.

i. Show that V at a point, P on the x-axis
where x > d is given by
2Q

+Q

.
ii. Show that when x >> d this reduces
to

+Q
P

d
x

3
iii. Calculate values of V for x = 3d where d = 2.00 mm and Q = 3.00 C, and
determine if this is a sufficiently far distance for using the approximation.

Either starting with the exact result from (i) or otherwise find the Electric field
strength, E, at point P when x = 3d, and as before d = 2.00 mm and Q = 3.00 C.
State where it is directed.

5+1

(c)

A2.

A long straight wire of steady current of I1 is near a rectangular loop (wire PQRS)
which has a current I2 as shown. Also as shown, a and b are respectively the
distances to PQ and SR and c is the length of sides
PQ and SR.
S
P
P
(a) By considering a small element of the wire, dx,
along PS which is located at a distance x from the
I1
long wire show that the force on wire PS is given
I2
by:

c 5

(b)
If I1 = 20 A, I2 = 5 A, a = 5 cm, b = 8 cm and c =
12 cm,

b
Determine the magnetic field strength, B at
PQ and SR due to the long wire.
ii. Determine the force on each arm of the rectangular loop. Also sketch the
diagram showing where each force is directed.
iii. Hence find the net force on the loop.
(c) Consider the case where there was no initial current in the rectangular loop. If I1 is
turned on (in the same direction as above) and allowed to vary such that it is
i.

3
8
2

increasing with time, a current I2 is observed to flow in the loop. In what direction
will it flow and why?

A3. (a) A conducting cylinder of radius a has a linear charge density of +. It is

surrounded by a conducting, coaxial, cylindrical shell of inner radius b and outer
radius c and linear charge density -2. Both are of length L, where L is long
compared to a, b, c.
a

i.

ii.
iii.

iv.

Sketch the Gaussian surface at a distance a r b.

Include in your sketch the direction of the E and dA
vectors on all parts of the Gaussian surface.
Show that at this distance E = 2k/r.
Show also that you get an identical expression at a
distance r c. If necessary, sketch again the
Gaussian surface at this distance.
If a = 5.00 cm, b = 7.00 cm, c = 8.00 cm and =
30.0 nC/m, determine values for E at distances of
6.00 cm and 10.0 cm.

3
4

4
3

(b)
If instead, the charge density on the outer cylinder was , the arrangement is now
that of a cylindrical capacitor.
i.
Use your answer for E at a r b to derive an expression for the
Capacitance, C of the capacitor.
ii. Determine a value for the cylinders capacitance per unit length using the
dimensions given in (a) (iv).

4
2

A4. (a) Write expressions for the force on an electron, e, due to (i) an electric field, E (ii) a
magnetic field, B, in which it is travelling with velocity v.
2
(b) An electron traveling at 3.00 x105
m/s enters midway between two
parallel charged plates having
separation, d = 20.0 mm and
potential difference, V = 160 V (see
diagram).

-------------+ + + + ++ + + +
++

i.

On a sketch show the direction of the Electric field, E and the motion of
2
the electron when it enters the field.
ii. Determine the time it would take for (a) the electron to reach one of the
4+5
plates, (b) the magnitude of the velocity when it hits the plate and (c) the
+2
horizontal distance travelled in the initial direction of the electron.
(c) A uniform magnetic field, B, is now applied to the space between the plates so that
the electron passes straight through undeflected.
i.
ii.

Sketch the arrangement and show the direction of the field.

Determine a value for B.

2
3

Consider the rotation of two different objects in a magnetic field.

A5.
(a) In the first instance a coil of N turns, area A and resistance R is rotating with angular
frequency about an axis perpendicular to a uniform

magnetic field of strength B (see diagram).

i. Starting with an expression for the magnetic flux in
terms of B and A, derive expressions for the induced
emf and hence show that the induced current, I, is

given by
.
ii. Let the coil have 500 turns, area 0.2 m2 and resistance 10 and let the magnetic 4
field be of strength B = 0.05 T. If the coil is rotated at a frequency of 50 Hz, find
the maximum induced emf and maximum induced current in the coil.
(b) Now consider a metallic rod of length, L, pivoted about one end rotating in a
magnetic field with angular frequency as shown.
i. Show that the potential difference across the ends
of the rod is given by = BL2.
ii. Sketch the diagram indicating the polarity of each
end of the rod if it is rotating as shown.
iii. What is the potential difference if B = 0.50 T, L =
1.5 m, and the frequency of rotation is 4 Hz?
iv. Using the same values as above, what is the
potential difference across the ends of the rod if it
were pivoted at distance L from the lower end?

x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x

x x x x x x x

i. Find the time constant .

ii. What are VC, I in the circuit,
and U the potential energy of
the capacitor at 2 time
constants.

x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x

2
4

x x x x x x x

A6. (a) A capacitor of capacitance C is charging in a circuit which has resistance, R, and a
source with emf, . Derive an equation for how the charge on the capacitor changes
with time t.
Hence or otherwise find an expression for how the voltage across the capacitor VC
changes with time when it is charging.
Consider the circuit shown. When
(b) S1 is closed but S2 remains open the
capacitor is charging

50 k

10.0 V

10.0 F

S2
S1

7
100 k

After time t, S1 is opened and S2 simultaneously closed. Show that at time T > t, the
(c) equation for VC is as below. (Note: the capacitor is not necessarily fully charged at
t).
4

B7 (a) State Einsteins two postulates of Special Relativity.

(b) i. Two identically constructed clocks are synchronized. One is put in
a space ship and sent into outer space. Use the concept of time dilation
to determine which clock will run slower.
ii. An atomic clock is placed in a space ship. The clock measures a time
interval of 3600 s when the ship moves with a speed of 2400 km/s.
How much longer or shorter a time interval does an identical clock
held by an observer on the ground measure?
(c) Show that the relative error in calculations when the classical law of
addition of velocities is used instead of the relativistic one is given by
uv .
c2
(d) A metre stick approaches a stationary observer with speed 24 c along the
25
length of the stick.
i. Determine the length of the stick in the observers frame.

Suppose now that the metre stick is oriented at an angle ' cos 1 5 in the
6
frame moving with the stick.
ii. Calculate the length of the stick in the frame of the observer.

B 8. Consider the Bohr model of the Hydrogen atom.

(a) What are the three lowest allowed energy levels (in electron volts) of the electron?

(b) There are two different paths that an electron can take from the second excited state to
the ground state.
i. List the energy transitions that can occur on those paths.

ii. What are all the different energies of photons that can be emitted when the electron
undergoes those transitions?
4
iii. Which of the preceding transitions results in the longest wavelength photon?

iv. What is that longest wavelength?

(c) When this longest wavelength light is incident on a certain metal, the photoelectric
effect occurs. The work function of the metal is 1.9 eV. What is the stopping potential, in
volts, for this case?
5
B9. (a) i. What is the maximum wavelength of incident light that can produce
the photoelectric effect in Silver ( = 4.7 eV)?

ii.What is the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electrons if the wavelength
is halved?
3
( b) The photoelectric work functions for particular samples of certain metals are as
follows: Cesium, 2.1 eV; Copper, 4.7 eV; Potassium, 2.3 eV; and Zinc, 4.3 eV.
i. Which of these metals could not emit photoelectrons when irradiated with visible
light (400-700nm)? Show working and explain your answer.
4
( c) In a Compton collision with an electron, a photon of light ( =
backscattered through an angle of 135.

50 nm) is

i. How much energy (in electron volts) is transferred to the electron in this
collision?

ii. Calculate the momentum of the electron.

iii. Consider the fractional change in wavelength of a photon ( =

of
an x-ray photon ( =
, which in separate experiments, are backscattered
through an angle of 135. Explain in three sentences or less, using the results
obtained, which type of photon is preferred for use in Compton scattering
5
experiments and why.
B10.(a) i. State De Broglies hypothesis.

ii. Use the hypothesis to obtain an expression for the allowed energy levels of the
quantum particle in a one-dimensional box with walls of infinite potential at
x = 0 and x = L
4
( b) i. What is the purpose of normalizing the wave function?
2
ii. Sketch the wave function and the probability density for the third stationary
state.
4
(c) A particle (mass = 3.6436 x 10-28 kg) is confined to moving in a one-dimensional
box of width 0.45 nm.
i. Find the lowest possible energy of the particle.
2

ii. What is the lowest excitation level that the particle must reach in order to have
similar energy to that of an electron, in its ground state, confined to the same
box?
5
iii. How do you account for the large difference in the ground state energies of the
two particles?
1