PH 101: End Sem Solution : FALL 2015

Q. The kinetic energy of an electron is 6 times the rest energy me c2 . The momentum of the electron is,

E = me c2 + 6me c2 = 7me c2 . But c2 p2 = E 2 m2e c4 = 49(me c2 )2 (me c2 )2 = 48(me c2 )2 or p = 48me c2 /c =

3.54M eV /c so closest option is (B).
Q. In a Michelson interferometer, the vertical and horizontal path lengths are 20m and 15m in the S frame
respectively. If the velocity of the interferometer is 0.6c along the horizontal path length, then the difference between
the total travel time between the two path lengths is S frame is,
Let H1 be the event where the light beam exits the half-silvered
mirror and procceeds horizontally and H2 be the
0
event when this beam returns to the half silvered mirror. tH is the time taken for this in the rest frame of the
0
interferometer. xH = 0 is the horizontal change in position of this beam between these two events in the rest frame
of the interferometer. In the S frame the time taken is
0

tH

tH
= (tH + vxH /c ) = p
1 v 2 /c2
0

Let V1 be the event where the light beam exits the half-silvered mirror and proceeds vertically (in S) and V2 be
0
the event when this beam returns to the half silvered mirror. tV is the time taken for this in the rest frame of the
0
interferometer. xV = 0 is the horizontal change in position of this beam between these two events in the rest frame
of the interferometer. In the S frame the time taken is
0

tV = (tV + vxV /c ) = p

tV
1 v 2 /c2

Now,
0

tH =

0
2 15m
2 20m
; tV =
c
c

10m
10

tV H = p
=
= 4.166 108 s
8 1 0.36
2
2
3

10
c 1 v /c
Answer is (C)
Q. A particle of rest mass m0 and kinetic energy 5m0 c2 strikes and sticks to a stationary particle of rest mass 3m0 .
The rest mass M0 of the composite particle is,
A+B C
EA + EB = EC
pA + pB = pC
EA = m0 c2 + 5m0 c2 = 6m0 c2 , EB = 3m0 c2 . This means, EC = EA + EB = 9m0 c2 . But pB = 0, so that
2
2
2 2
2
2 2
2
2 2
pA = pC and (M0 c2 )2 = EC
(cpC )2 = (9m0 c2 )2 (cp
C ) = (9m0 c ) (cpA ) = (9m0 c ) [EA (m0 c ) ] =
2 2
2 2
2 2
2 2
(9m0 c ) [(6m0 c ) (m0 c ) ] = 46(m0 c ) . Or M0 = 46m0 . Correct option is (C)
Q. Two rods of proper length 10m move towards each other with velocity 0.9c along a common axis parallel to their
lengths. The length of one rod seen with respect to the other is,

urel =

l = l0

0.9c + 0.9c
= 0.994475c
1 + (0.9)2

1 u2rel /c2 = 10 0.104975 = 1.05m

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Answer is (A) [closest]
Q. Two trains, each measuring 300 m in their own rest frames, pass by each other traveling in opposite directions.
Clocks on train A determine that the front end of train B requires 5.00 105 sec to traverse the full length of A. A
clock in the front end of B reads exactly one oclock as it passes by the front end of A. How much time is elapsed as
it passes by the rear end of A?
Speed of B relative to A : v = 300/(5 105 s) = 6 106 m/s. Consider two events 1: Front end of B passes front
end of A. Event 2: Front end of B passes rear end of A. The time elapsed between these two events according to B is
1
= (1 v 2 /c2 ) 2 ,
0

t = (t vx/c2 ) =
But x = v t and x is the rest length of train A.
0

t = (x/v)(1 v 2 /c2 ) =

300m p
1 (0.02)2 = 4.999 105 sec
6 106 m/s

Closest answer is (D)

Q. For a particle of mass m in an infinite square well potential of V (x) = 0, 0 x a; V (x) = , otherwise,
the wave function at t = 0 is (x, 0) = A[1 (x) + 2 (x) + 3 (x) + 4 (x)]. A is a constant, i is the wave function
corresponding to the ith energy state and a is the dimension of the square well. The expectation value of H is
A=

1
2

is the normalization constant. The energy is,

< H >=

1 h2 2 2
15h2 2
1
(E1 + E2 + E3 + E4 ) =
(1 + 22 + 32 + 42 ) =
2
4
4 2ma
4ma2

Answer is (D)
Q. A sphere of radius R and mass M is supported by a rope attached to a wall as shown in the Fig. The rope
makes an angle with respect to the wall. The point where the rope is attached to the surface of ball is such that if
the line (dotted line in fig.) of the rope is extended it crosses the horizontal line through the centre of the ball at a
distance 3R/2 from the wall. The coefficient of friction between the wall and the ball is s . For the system to be in
static equilibrium at = 300 the minimum value of the coefficient of static friction s is
In the free body diagram

N et f orce = M g(j) + T

1
3
j T i + N i + s N j = 0
2
2

Net torque about the point x = 3R/2,

R
3R
N et torque = i M g(j)
i s N j = 0
2
2
This means s N =

Mg
3

so that,

N et f orce = M g(j) + T

1
Mg
3
j T i + N i +
j=0
2
2
3

Hence,

T
+N =0
2

and

M g + T
This means T =

4M
g
3 3

and N =

2M
g .
3 3

But s N =

Mg
3 ,

3 Mg
+
=0
2
3

hence,

s =

3
2

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Answer is (C).
Q. A merry-go-round (MGR) fixed on the ground is rotating at an angular velocity of 0.5 rad/sec. A man of weight
50 kg standing at a distance 4 m from the centre of the MGR is running in a circular path drawn on the MGR with
an angular velocity of 0.3 rad/sec relative to MGR and in the same direction of motion of the MGR.
Since the velocity vector, the radius vector and the angular velocity vector are mutually perpendicular,
Fcentripetal = m 2 r
But = M GR + rel = 0.8rad/sec. Hence Fcentripetal = 128N . The magnitude of the Coriolis force felt on the MGR
frame is FCoriolis = 2mvrel = 2 50kg (0.3 4m/s)0.5rad/sec = 60N . For centripetal force option (B) is right,
for the Coriolis force (C) is the correct option.
Q. A particle of mass m slides freely on a frictionless groove, fixed in a horizontal plane, described by r = r0 ea
where a is a positive constant. Initially at t = 0 the speed is v0 and = 0.

r = r0 ea r

v=

d
0 ea
r = r0 a ea r + r0 ea = (a r + )r
dt

|v| = r0 ea ||

v =
Cos() = r v =

||

a2 +1

p
a2 + 1

v
(a r + )

=
a2 + 1
|v|
||

Hence,
Cos() =

a
a2 + 1

Answer can be
1
1
= tan1 ( ) OR = sin1 (
)
a
a2 + 1
(B) and (C) are both right. As the particle moves freely in the groove, the forces are only normal to the direction of
motion which is v. This means the normal forces dont do any work so energy is conserved. In this case there is only
kinetic energy so this means speed is conserved. This means,
p

v0 = r0 ea ||
a2 + 1
where both and are time dependent and everything else is a constant. or,
=
||

r0 ea

v0

a2 + 1

Now,
0 ea = mr2 e2a k
L = r mv = r0 ea r m(a r + )r
0
or,
= ea mv0 r0
|L| = mr02 e2a ||
a2 + 1

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(A) is the right answer for angular momentum (it is NOT conserved as depends on time). The direction of the
normal force is perpendicular to v. The direction of normal force is,

(
r a )

2
a +1
Option (A) is the right answer.
a=

d
d
v0
0 ea = d (a r + )r
0 ea

v = (a r + )r
a
dt
dt
dt
r0 e
a2 + 1

d
v0
v0
v0
r) v0

(a r + )
= (a
=
(a r)
2
2
a
2
dt
a +1
a +1
r0 e
a +1
a2 + 1

The normal force is,

N = ma =

|N| =

mv02
(a r)
r0 ea (a2 + 1)

r0

mv 2
p 0
ea
(a2 + 1)

This does not correspond to any of the options so all students are being awarded 3 marks for this part.
Q. Three rods of mass m = 1kg and length 2L = 2m each are attached as shown. The center of mass C of the rigid
body is fixed and is the origin of the coordinate system. X, Y and Z are the time-dependent, body-fixed principal
directions that spin along with the rigid body. The unit vectors in these directions are, respectively.

d
2
d
2
d
2
e1 (t) = (
e3 (t) + e2 (t)) ;
e2 (t) = (
e1 (t) + e3 (t)) ;
e3 (t) = (
e2 (t) + e1 (t)) ;
dt
dt
dt
3
3
3

e1 (t) =

1
(
x + y + z + (2
x y z) cos(2t) + 3(
y z)sin(2t))
3

e2 (t) =

1
(
y + z + x
+ (2
y z x
) cos(2t) + 3(
zx
)sin(2t))
3

e3 (t) =

1
(
z+x
+ y + (2
zx
y) cos(2t) + 3(
x y)sin(2t))
3

This means,
e3 (t = 0.5) =

1
(2
x + 2
y z)
3

Option (A) is correct.

-

rA = (0, 1, 0) ; rB = (0, 1, 1)
FA = (FA , 0, 0) ; FB = (FB1 , FB2 , 0)

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~ = rA FA + rB FB
~ = (FA FB1 )k iFB2 + jFB1
Given in Hint:
(2)2

(5i + 2j 7k)
9

~ =

(FA FB1 ) = (2)2

FB1 = (2)2

7
9

2
9

FB2 = (2)2

FA = (2)2

5
9

5
9

Option (D) is correct.

-

d
ej (t) = 2 z ej (t)
dt
e2 (t) = z
e1 (t) = cos(2t) y sin(2t) x

e3 (t) = cos(2t) x
+ sin(2t) y
e1 (t = 0.5) =
y
Option (C) is correct.

Q. A stationary state of a quantum particle of mass m is described by a wave-function (x) = R/ x2 + a2 where

a, R > 0.

R=

pa

Correct option is (B).

R2
R2
=
=1
x2 + a 2
a

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V (x) = E +

V (x) = E

h2 00 (x)
(2m(x))

2 a2 2x2
h

2

2m (a2 + x2 )

The force acting is,

F (x) =

2h2 x x2 2a2

m (a2 + x2 )

The points of equilibrium are x = 0 and x = 2a and x = 2a. Of these only x = 0 is stable since it is a minimum.
V 00 (0) =

(4h2 )
>0
(a4 m)

8
h2
V 00 ( 2a) = V 00 ( 2a) =
<0
27a4 m
Correct option is (C)
Last part: Since the system evolves, answer is (D).