Mathematical Physics Sample Exam 1

Submit fully explained solutions to the following:

1. Give one example each of an elliptic, hyperbolic, and parabolic partial differential equation. [1 pt]
2. Completely work out the differential equations that result from an application of the method of
separation of variables to the Helmholtz equation in Circular-Cylindrical, and Spherical Coordinates.
[Arfken has an indication of what the results should be, you are expected to supply the details] [4 pts]

2 u
u 1 2 u
+
=
,t >0 ,L< x < L
2
t v2 x2
t

3. Solve the damped wave equation

with the boundary

conditions:

u (L , t ) =u ( L , t )=0, t 0 ,
x
u ( x , 0 )=sin
,L x L ,
L
u( x , t)
=1,L x L . [3 pts]
t
t=0

( )

d2 (
'
'
G x , x ) +G ( x , x )= (xx ' ) with the
2
dx
boundary conditions G ( L , x' ) =G ( L , x ' ) =0 using two methods:

4. Calculate the Greens function G(x,x). Note

A. Splitting the region [-L,L] into one region where x<x and another region x>x and imposing the
appropriate boundary conditions. [2 pts]
B. Using an orthogonal function expansion involving solutions of the eigenvalue problem

d2
n+ n n=0 (Figure out what the appropriate boundary conditions are) [2 pts]
d x2
5. Solve

d2 ( ) ( )
y x + y x =sin ( x) with the boundary conditions y (L ) = y ( L ) =0 . [3 pts]
d x2

6. Is the linear differential operator

d
d
2 x +2 n
2
dx
dx

self-adjoint? If it is not, what integrating

factor is needed to make it self-adjoint? [2 pts]

7. Use the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization scheme to generate the first three orthonormal functions
starting with the following:
Initial non-orthogonal basis: un ( x ) =x n , n=0,1,2,3
Weight function: w ( x )=1/ 1x 2
Interval: 1< x <1 [2 pts]
8. Use the least squares criterion to determine the best approximation to sin(x) as a linear function kx on
the interval 0< x < A where A is some positive number. [1 pts]

Mathematical Physics Sample Exam 2

u 2 u
=
, t>0 ,L< x< L
t x2
u (L , t ) =u ( L , t )=0, t 0 ,
x
u ( x , 0 )=sin
,L x L . [20 pts]
L

1. Solve the equation

with the boundary conditions:

( )

d2 (
d
'
'
G x , x ) + G ( x , x )= (xx ') with
2
dx
dx
'
'
the boundary conditions G ( L , x ) =G ( L , x ) =0 [10 pts]
d2 ( ) d ( )
y x + y x =L2x 2 with the boundary conditions y (L ) = y ( L ) =0 .
B) Solve
2
dx
dx
[10pts]

2. A) Calculate the Greens function G(x,x). Note

3. Use the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization scheme to generate the first three orthonormal
n
functions starting with the initial non-orthogonal basis: un ( x ) =x , n=0,1,2,3
Weight function: w ( x )=1 ; and Interval: 0 x<1 [20 pts]
4. A) Calculate the 3D Greens function G(r , r ')
G ( r , r ' ) approaches 0 at infinity. [10 pts]

where 2 G ( r , r ' ) = (r r ' ) and

1
,r R
N
2
r
where N >0 . [10 pts]
B) Solve for (r ) : ( r )=
1
,r R
RN

Mathematical Physics Sample Exam 3

Submit fully explained solutions to the following:

1. Evaluate

n=1

cos ( nx )
, x (0,2 ) . [2 pts]
n2

2. Represent f ( x )=x 2 ; 0 < x < 2, as: (a) a full-range Fourier series, (b) a halfrange sine series. (c) a half-range cosine series. [3 pts]
3. Calculate the Fourier transform of
4. Solve for

f ( t )=cos ( t ) exp (a t 2+ bt ) ; a , b , > 0 [2 pts]

u ( x , y ) ; 0< x< , 0< y < :

2 u
2 u
+
4
=0
2
2
x
y

u ( x , 0 )=u ( x , ) =0, 0< x<

u ( 0, y ) =u ( , y )=T ,0< y<
[3 pts]
5. Solve for y(x,t):

2 y 2 y y (
y(
= 2+
; y x , 0 )=f ( x ) ;
x , t=0 ) =g (x) . [3 pts]
2
t
t
x x

6. Determine the inverse Laplace transform of

1+ s+ s
3
s s

by using a) partial fractions and b)

Bromwich inversion. [3 pts]

7. Solve for x(t):

d3 x
+ x= ( t ) +sin ( t ) ; , > 0 . [4 pts]
d t3

Mathematical Physics Sample Exam 4

1. Evaluate

n=1

sin (nx)
, x ( 0,2 ) . [20 pts]
n2

2. Solve for y ( x ,t) :

2 y 2 y (
x y
( x , t=0 )=0 . [20 pts]
= 2 , y x ,t=0 )=e ,
2
t
t
x
2

3. A. Evaluate the inverse Laplace transform of

1
. [10 pts]
2
s s ( s +9)

t ''

t'

3 t ' '
2t '
t
B.Evaluate the Laplace transform of F ( x )= dt ' ' e dt ' e dt e
0

4. Solve for x 1(t) and

2

x 2(t)

[20 pts]:

d x1
d2 x2
m 2 =k ( x 2x 1 ) +F1 sin ( 1 t ) ; m 2 =k ( x 1x 2 )
dt
dt
0d x1
dx
( t=0 )=0 ; 2 ( t=0 )=0
where x 1 ( 0 ) =x2 ( 0 ) =
dt
dt

[10 pts]

Mathematical Physics Sample Exam 5

x

1. Solve for

( x ) :

( x )=x ( t x ) ( t ) dt . [20 pts]

0

(
)
2.Solve for ( x ) : x = e xt (t )dt . [20 pts]
2

Hints:

Hn ( x )
n=0

t
t +2tx
=e
, < x < ,
n!
2

ex H n (x )dx=2n n!

2
3.Solve for the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions: ( x )= ( 2 tx ) ( t ) dt [20 pts]
0

4.The probability density of momentum of a one dimensional gas consisting of

molecules with mass m is f P ( p )=N e ( p p ) where p0 are given positive
constants and N is a normalization constant that needs to be determined. Calculate the
following:
a) Normalization constant N [5 pts]
b) mean momentum [5 pts]
c) variance of the momentum [5 pts]
2

d) probability density of the kinetic energy

f K (K )

where

p
K=
2m

[10 pts]

5.A random walker starts from the origin and takes steps of length 1 either going to the
left ( x=1 )or going to the right left ( x=+1 ) . The probability of taking a step
to the right or left on the 1st step, 3rd step, 5th step, etc are and respectively. The
probability of taking steps to the right or left on the 2nd step , 4th step, 6th step, etc are
and respectively. Calculate the following:
a) Probability that the random walker is at the position x=0 after six steps. [5 pts]
b) Expectation value of the position of the walker after 2N steps. [5 pts]
c) Second moment of the position of the walker after 2N steps. [5 pts]
6.For a radioactive sample, 10 decays are counted on average in 100 seconds. Estimate
the probability of counting 5 decays in 10 seconds. [5 pts]