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2011 Physics Examination

Part II
Electricity and Magnetism with Optics
21 January 2011
In this three-hour examination you are required to answer all twenty multiple-ehoice
questions and to solve either Problem 1 or Problem 2, and either Problem 30r Problem 4.
It should take you about 1.25 hours for the multiple-choice questions and about 1.75
hours for the two problems. Use one answer booklet for the answers to the multiple-
choice questions, and one answer booklet for each problem. Make sure your name is on
all three of your answer booklets. Please frame or circle your final answers to the
problems. Do not submit solutions to more than two problems. If more than one
problem is solved in an answer booklet,only the first one will be accepted. You may not
submit more than three answer booklets.
Electricity and Magnetism
Multiple Choice Questions
Answer the following questions in a bluebook. Write the
number of the question with your answer next to it.
1. A parallel plate capacitor filled with a slab of linear homogeneous isotropic dielectric;
KS
o
, is first charged up by placing it across a battery V
o
then disconnecting from the
battery. The dielectric is then removed from the capacitor. Which-of the following
statements is false?
(a) The energy density of the ,electric. field decreases.
- (b) The capacitance decreases by a factor K.
. (c) A force is required to remove the slab.
(d) The voltage difference across the plates increases"
2. Consider an inductance L, a capacitor C, and a resistor R. Which of the following
stcrtements is false?
(a) A charged capacitor across a resistor falls to 37% of its original voltage in a time
, equal to RC.
(b) An LC circuit resonates at a frequency of(LC)-l.
(c) The impedance of LRC in series powered by an AC source of angular frequency
cuis [(XL -xci + R
2
]1/2 where XL = cuL and Xc = (CUC)-l.
(d) When a voltage V is impressed across Rand L in series, a: voltage of magnitude V
is also found initially across the inductance opposing the flow of current. -
3. A beam of singly ionized particles is passed through the filtering devices I, II, and III,
shown below, entering and leaving through beam defining slits. Which statement
below correctly describes all three devices.
;1.
I
Y
I
-1-
k.oL.E Ii points inward'
\ Capacitor plates .
\.. .
\

.
II., .v, E , B are mutually perpendicular
_ 1 _>
(' I
III.
,
l'
I
-1-
v .l.. B B points iiito the page
Magnetic pole face
I

J
, '
(a) I. velocity filter; II. energy filter; III. momentum filter.
(b) I. energy filter; II. momentum filter; III. velocity filter.
(c) 1. momentum filter; II. velocity filter; III. energy filter.
(d) none of the above.
4. Consider two round flat metal plates, one with twice the area of the other. Each is
placed at a potential Va relative to earth ground. The plates are then placed in contact
with their centers coincident on top of one another. The combined plates are now at a
potential
(a) 2/3 Va
(b) Va
(c) 3/2 Va
(d) 2 Va.5.
Thread
17";;; 4 m/s
..
Given a circular loop of copper wire suspended from a thread so it hangs freely, what
would you observe as a permanent magnet is moved toward the center ofthe wire
loop at a constant velocity as depicted above?
(a) The loop will swing away from the magnet.
(b) The loop will swing toward the magnet
(c) The loop will not move.
(d) There is insufficient information to predict the behavior of the loop.
6. To investigate the AC characteristics of a series RL circuit, a function generator
provides a time-dependent source potential of V = Va sin (2nft) and the potential drop
across an inductor is V
L
= L di/dt. The appropriate expression for the inductor's
reactance, XL, and the RL circuit's impedance, Z, is:
(a)Z=R+XL;
(b) Z= Sqrt (R
2
+Xl);
(c) Z = Sqrt(XLR);
(d) Z = R +XL cos (2rrft).
\.
7.. Capacitive pressure transducers are designed to sense the change of spacing between
a movable diaphragm and a fixed plate that form a capacitor. If the pressure sensor
has two plates that have an area of 4xl 0-
3
n? with an air gap separation of d = 1 mm
when the pressure is zero, what is the sensor's capacitance when, under an applied
pressure, the separation is reduced to 0.4 mm?
(a) 35 ~ L
(b) 90 pF
(c) 35 pF
(d) 90 ~
8. The AC characteristics of concentric inductors can be investigated using a
configuration similar to the figure below. A circular close-packed coil of N] turns
having a radius R] is coaxial with a smaller coil of N2 turns and radius R
2
in the same
plane as shown. Choose the appropriate expression for the mutual inductance M for
this arrangement of these two coils., assuming R] R
2
.
/
Taken from Fundamentals of Physics by Haliday, Resnick & Walker, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
9. Four point charges are located as follows: a charge +q at (x, y) = (a, 0), a charge -q at
(-a, 0), a charge +q at (0, a), and a charge -q at (O,-a). Far away from these charges,
what type of electric potential pattern will be dominant?
A monopole potential pattern will be dominant.
(b) A dipole potential pattern will be dominant.
(c) A quadrupole potential pattern will be dominant.
(d) An octupole potential pattern will be dominant.
10. A circular ring of charge with positive linear charge density +..1. and radius b is
centered on the origin and placed in the x-y plane. A solid, grounded, conducting
sphere of radius a is also centered on the origin, where a < b. If we were to apply the
method of images to solve for the electric potential everywhere external to the sphere,
what image charge distribution must we use?
(a) Use a negative point charge at the origin.
(b) Use a positive point charge at the origin. /
(c) Use a negative circular ring of inside the sphe!e, centered at the origin.
(d) Use a positive circular ring ofcharge inside the sphere, centered at the origin.
11. A square box has its left (at x = 0), right (at x = a), and bottom (at y = 0) edges all
held at an electric potential of zero. Its top edge (at y = a) is held at a potential of
Vsin(3nx/a). Ifwe were to solve for the electric potential at any point inside the box,
how would this solution depend on x?
(a) sin(3nx/a)
(b) sin(mnx/a) for m= 4,5,6...
(c) cos(31LX/a)
(d) cos(mnx/a)sin(m1LX/a) for m= 1,2,3',4...
12 A two-dimensional container is formed by the intersection of circles of radii r = 2 and
r = 4 with the positive x and y axes, as shown in the figure. The container contains no
charge, but its walls are held at certain potentials. How many boundary conditions do
we need to uniquely solve the two-dimensional Laplace equation for the electric
potential in the container, but not over-specify the problem?
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 3
(d) 4
13. An wave is propagating in free space. Which one of the following
statements about the wave is false?
(a) The electric field is in phase with the magnetic field.
(b) The electric energy density equals the magnetic energy density.
(c) The electric field is perpendicular to the magnetic field.
(d) The wave propagates in the direction of the electric field.
14. An electromagnetic wave is propagating in a good conducting material. Which one of
the following statements about the wave is false?
(a) The wave is attenuated as it propagates into the material.
(b) The magnetic 'energy density is greater than the electric energy density.
(c) The electric field vector is in phase with the magnetic field vector.
(d) The wave propagates in a direction perpendicular to both the electric and
magnetic field vectors. ' ,
15. An electromagnetic wave impinges upon a region of low pressure ionized gas. Which
one of the following statements is false?
(a) Ifthe frequency of the wave is less than the plasma frequency ofthe inonized gas
the wave propagates as an attenuated wave in the gas.
(b) If the frequency of the wave is greater than the plasma frequency of the ionized -
gas the wave propagates through the gas unattenuated.
(c) The conductivity of the ionized gas can be expressed mathematically as a purely
imaginary quantity (i. e. in the sense of complex mathematical quantities.)
(d) The displacement current density in the ionized gas is n radians out of phase with
the electric current density, so that the total current density (electron current
density plus displacement current density) is less than it would be ifthere were no
electrons present.
16. A plane electromagnetic wave propagating in a dielectric medium of index of
refraction nj impinges on the interface with another dielectric medium of index of
refraction n2 where nj > n2. At angles of incidence greater than the critical angle
which one of the following statements is false?
(a) There is an evanescent wave propagating perpendicular to the interface.
(b) The amplitude ofthe electric field of the evanescent wave decreases as the
distance perpendicular to the interface into medium 2 increases.
(c) The amplitude of the electric field of the reflected wave equals the amplitude of
the incident wave.
(d) The speedofthe evanescent wave is less than c, the speed of light in vacuum.
17.
/l1):= I.DO
A-,---,..lf-f-----
. B----f------
A thin film of index of refraction 1.50 is slowly evaporated onto a substrate with
index of refraction 1.30. (See figure above) Which of the following statements is
false? '
(a) If the thickness of the film is nearly zero, the two outgoing reflected rays do not
cancel one another.
(b) The transmitted ray at interface A does not change phase.
Jc) The reflection at interface B produces a phase shift of n.
(d) The transmitted ray at interface Bdoes not change phase.
18. Huygen's principle can be used to _
(a) derive the law of refraction but not the law of reflection;
(b) derive the law of refraction and law of reflection;
(c) show that light is a wave;
(d) show that light is a particle.
19. A wave of light is incident on the interface between a solid dielectric material and air,
and it experiences total internal reflection. If we could increase the dielectric constant
of the solid material until it became effectively infinite (but such that the wave could
still propagate), how would this effect the total internal reflection phenomenon?
(a) The wave would be totally internally reflected at all angles of incidence.
(b) The wave would not be totally internally reflected at any angles of incidence.
(c) The wave would be internally reflected for incidence angles greater than 45.
(d) The transmitted wave would flip to the other side of the normal.
20. Consider the following statement. "If I take a green banana into a dark room and
shine red light on it, it should appear yellow, that is ripe, because overlapping green
and red light produces yellow light." Which one of the following arguments either
refutes or supports this statement?
(a) The statement is correct because of the reason stated.
(b) The statement is incorrect because green bananas do not emit green light.
(c) The statement is incorrect because overlapping green and red light do not produce
yellow light.
(d) The statement is incorrect because green bananas will appear totally dark under
red light.
Electricity and Magnetism with Optics
Problems 1 and 2
(Submit one bluebook for one problem.)
Solve only one ofthe following two problems, either Problem 1 or Problem 2 but not
both.
1. Consider a spherical free charge distribution of radius R and total charge Q given by .
the following charge density functions:
p = A for r < R/3
p = (3/2)A (l - r/R) for RI3 < r < R
p = 0 for r> R
where A, Q, and R are constants and r is the radial distance from the center of the
charge distribution.
a) First determine the value ofA in terms of Q and R.
b) Obtain the electric field as a function of r in the two regions r < R/3 and
R/3 < r< R.
Athick spherical shell oflinear isotropic homogeneous dielectric (G = K GO) extending
from r = 2R to r = 3R surrounds this charge distribution. .
c) What are the bound charge densities on the inner and outer spherical surfaces of
the dielectric?
.d) Calculate th_e potential difference between r = Rand r = 3R. I
2. Evidence of magnetic inductance can be observed simply by dropping a cylindrical
rare-earth magnet having a mass m and magnetic field B through a vertically oriented
conducting tube and noticing the delayed manner in which the magnet falls. The
moving magnetic field of magnitude B gives rise to a circulating induced electric
current in the conducting tube of radius r, while the circulating electric current gives
rise to a magnetic field in opposition the moving magnetic field.
a) Draw a figure and clearly define the physical parameters.
b) Write down the electromagnetic properties and constraint equations.
c) Derive the equation of motion as a function of resistance and the defined
parameters.
d) Derive an expression for the constant terminal velocity v at which the magnet will
fall as a function of the resistance R encountered by the circulating electric
current.
Electricity and Magnetism with Optics
Problems 3 and 4
(Submit one bluebook for one problem.)
Solve only one of the following two problems, .either Problem 3 or Problem 4 but not
both.
3. A point charge +q is placed near the interior comer of a semi-infinite grounded
conducting object. The point charge is located at x = a, y = a, and the conducting
object is defined by the positive x and y axes, as shown in the figure. Note that we are
only interested in the plane containing the point charge and nOlIDal to the surfaces, so
that the problem is two-dimensional. For a point charge, cP = q/(47l:8or).
y
a) Using the method of i m g ~ s determine the electric potential everywhere in the
first quadrant in terms of Cartesian coordinates.
b) What does this reduce down to if we care only for points along the line x = y?
c) Very near the comer, x a, what value does the potential approach?
\,r.
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