Phys103 F14 Final exam solutions

You must fully show your work and explain steps to get credit.
See back for a list of possibly useful mathematical relations.

1. (10 points) A sand-spraying locomative sprays sand horizontally into a freight car as shown
in the sketch below. The locomotive and freight car are not attached, but the engineer in the
locomotive maintains his speed so that the distance to the freight car is constant. The sand leaves
the locomotive at a constant rate, m = b, and constant velocity, vs , relative to the locomotive.
The car starts from rest with an initial mass of m0 . Ignoring friction and air resistance, find the
cars speed as a function of time.

Determining the behavior here is similar to derivation of the rocket equation. We can apply
conservation of momentum to the transfer of a small, differential, packet of mass, dm between
the locomotive and the car. Since all the motion is in a single dimension, Ill use p and v to
mean the component of momentum and velocity along that direction.

pinitial = mv + dm(v + vs ) (1)

where mv is the momentum of the car and dm(v + vs ) is the momentum of the differential sand
packet it is moving away at speed vs from the locomotive, which is moving at the same speed
v as the car.
The momentum after the transfer is only from the cars increased mass and speed.

pfinal = (m + dm)(v + dv) (2)

Setting these equal, expanding and solving we get

mv + dm(v + vs ) = (m + dm)(v + dv) (3)

mv + vdm + vs dm = mv + vdm + mdv + dmdv (4)
vs dm = mdv (5)

The dmdv term vanishes as we take the limit of both dm and dv going to zero.
Integrating by separation of variables, and remembering that vs is a constant and not something
varying in the integral, we get
Z m Z v
dm0
vs 0
= dv 0 (6)
m0 m 0
m
v = vs ln (7)
m0
This gives us velocity as a function of mass, but we want velocity as a function of time. The
time dependence on the right hand side is in m, where the constant rate, m = b, means that
m(t) = m0 + bt. So,

m0 + bt
v(t) = vs ln
m0

Note, however, that this is valid only up until the freight car is filled.
2. (10 points) Derive the expression for the differential cross-section, d/d, for scattering a very
small metal sphere off a large metal sphere. Then determine the total scattering cross-section.
Explain all steps.

We can describe d/d as the ratio of the incoming area that maps to an outgoing solid angle.
This is illustrated in the diagram below left where the small sphere comes in parallel to the z
axis with an impact parameter of b and scatters out at an angle . Since the scattering in this
particular case is azimuthally symmetric, any value of azimuthal angle, , gives the same , so
we can treat a circle of radius b around the z axis as being the same. A small change in the
impact parameter, db, corresponds to an incoming area of d = 2bdb, and it maps to a change
d in the outgoing angle. The d of the outgoing solid angle is d = 2 sin d, where the 2
comes from integrating over the symmetric . So,

 
d 2bdb b  db 
= =
d 2 sin d sin  d 

The absolute value on db/d is required to deal with the fact that d/d is positive definite.

So, we need to find an expression for b as a function of that we can use above. In hard
scattering, like these metal ball bearings, the balls bounce off with equal angles, like the law of
reflection. (This is the dynamics in this simple problem; more generally, wed have to use the
potential energy to figure out the relationship between b and .) So, we can describe the path
with the angles shown in the diagram above right. They are symmetric about the radial vector
from the center of the sphere to any arbitrary contact point, and
b = R sin

The scattering angle relates to the angles through, = 2, so

b = R sin 2 = R cos
2
where the last step used the trig identity sin (/2 ) = cos . The derivative, db/d, needed
for d/d is
db R
= sin
d 2 2
and

b  db  R2 cos 2
 
d
= = sin
d sin d
  2 sin 2

Using the trig identity sin 2 = 2 sin cos on the sin 2 factor gives

d R2 cos 2 R2
= sin =
d 4 sin 2 cos 2 2 4

Next, to find the total cross-section, , we integrate this over solid angle.

R2 R2
Z Z
d
= d = d = 4 = R2
d 4 4

d
where the integral over solid angle is trivial because d
= R2 /4 is a constant.
3. (20 points) Two particles of mass ma and mb interact via a potential U = 12 kr2 , where r is
the distance between them. (a) Find the equilibrium orbital separation r0 , i.e., the distance at
which the two particles can circle each other with constant r. (b) Find the frequency of small
oscillations about that circular orbit if the separation of the particles is disturbed from r0 .

(a). As usual, we can describe these two particles in the center of mass system using the reduced
mass, = mmaa+m
mb
b
and the effective potential. The centrifugal potential is
`2
Ucf (r) = (8)
2r2
where ` is the (constant) angular momentum of the system. For a potential energy U = 12 kr2 ,
the effective potential energy is given by
Ueff (r) = U (r) + Ucf (r)
1 `2
= kr2 + (9)
2 2r2
A sketch of each of these is below.

If we set the particles initially with r = 0, i.e., in the stable orbit, then they will remain at a
constant radius as long as r = 0. This requires
dUeff
r = (10)
dr
Note that this is equivalent to requiring that the force is zero, since the derivative of U gives the
force. We can solve
`2

dUeff 
= kr 0 + =0
dr r=r0 r03

1/4
`2

r0 =
k

(b). For small oscillations, we can Taylor expand the effective potential about this equilibrium
point

0 1
Ueff (r) = Ueff (r0 ) + Ueff (r0 )(r r0 ) + U 00 eff (r0 )(r r0 )2 + O((r r0 )3 ) (11)
2
The first term is just a constant offset, which doesnt affect the dynamics. The second term
vanishes because we define r0 to be the point where the derivative of Ueff is zero. For small
oscillations, the O((r r0 )3 ) terms can be ignored. Therefore we can write
1
Ueff (r) U 00 eff (r0 )(r r0 )2 (12)
2
The first derivative of Ueff is

`2 `2
 
0 d 1 2
U eff = kr + = kr , (13)
dr 2 2r2 r3

and the second derivative is

`2
U 00 eff = k + 3 (14)
r4
Evaluating this at r = r0 and then plugging in the determined value of r0 , gives

`2 `2
U 00 eff (r0 ) = k + = k + 3 `2
= 4k (15)
3r04 k

So, the effective potential expanded around r = r0 is Ueff 21 U 00 eff (r0 )(r r0 )2 = 2k(r r0 )2 .
This has the normal U = 12 kx2 form of periodic oscillations with k replaced by 4k, and x
q q
k 4k
replaced by r r0 . So, the frequency that would normally be = m
is now =
.
Therefore we have
s
4k
=

4. (10 points) The neutral pion 0 is an unstable particle (mass m0 = 135 MeV/c2 ) that can decay
into two photons, 0 + . Suppose that the pion is traveling along the x axis before the
decay, and after the decay the photons are observed also traveling along the x axis, one forward
and one backward. If the first photon has three times the energy of the second, what was the
pions original speed v?

(a). In the rest frame of the pion, which Ill label as S, the four-momentum before the de-
cay is p0 = (~0, mc). By convservation of energy and momentum, the total four momen-
tum of the two photons afterward must equal that, so they each have half the energy and
equal |~p| but in opposite directions. I.e., p01 = (~p1 , 21 m0 c) and p02 = (~p2 , 12 m0 c). So,
E0 = 12 m0 c2 = 67.5 MeV.

(b). To figure out what happens when the pi-zero is moving, we need to use two frames. Since
I called the center of momentum frame S, Ill call the lab frame, in which we see the pi-zero is
moving by at a speed v, the S frame. (This matches the convention of S moving and S at rest.)
Then, we need to write out the four-vectors in both reference frames.
p
We can simplify things for the photons using |~p| = E/c, which comes from E = |~p|2 c2 + m2 c4
with m = 0. A further simplification is that we observe that both the photons move along the x
axis in the lab frame, so they must also move only along the x-axis in the center of momentum
frame. (If they had any y or z momentum, it would be unchanged by a boost along the x-axis
that transforms from the CM to the momentum frame.) So, the photon 4-momenta in the CM are

p01 = (E 0 /c, E 0 /c) and p02 = (E 0 /c, E 0 /c),

where E 0 = 67.5 MeV, as found in part (a).

In the lab frame, we again have |~p| = E/c for each photon, and we are given a relation between
their two energies; E1 = 3E2 , where I labeled photon 1 as the one going along the positive
x-axis. For simplicitly, well call E2 = E . So,

p1 = (3E /c, 3E /c) and p2 = (E /c, E /c).

Next we need to find a relationship between the four-vectors in the two frames. Recall that the
dot product of any two four-vectors is a Lorentz invariant (i.e., the same in all reference frames).
So, lets use the dot product of one 4-momentum with the other:

p1 p2 = p01 p02

(3E /c)(E /c) (3E /c)(E /c) = (E 0 /c)(E 0 /c) (E 0 /c)(E 0 /c)
 6E2 /c2 = 2E 02 /c2

r
1 0
E = E
3

What we wanted to find was the speed of the pi-zero. That is the speed of the boost between S
and S. We can find this by using the Lorentz transformation between p and p. In particular,
the transformation for energy comes from the fourth component:

x04 = (x4 x1 )
E 0 /c = (E /c p2 )
E 0 /c = (E /c + E /c)
E 0 = E (1 + )
r
0 1 0
E = E (1 + )
3

3 = (1 + )
1+
3= p
1 2
s
1+
3=
1
3(1 ) = 1 +
1
=
2

We can check our result by running the reaction backwards. A pi-zero with = 12 has an energy
q
of E0 = m0 c2 = 23 m0 c2 since = 1/ 1 14 = 2/ 3. By conservation of energy, the
sum of the energy of the two photons in the lab frame after the decay should be the same. So,
4E should equal the E0 we just calculated.

r r r
1 0 11 2 1
4E = 4 E =4 m0 c = 2 m0 c2
3 32 3

OK.
5. (10 points) A mass connected to a spring is immersed in a viscous fluid, and a motor pushes
on the mass with a periodic driving force of F~ (t) = f0 cos t x. Derive an expression for the
amplitude of oscillations that are present long after any initial transient effects have decayed
away. (You must show and explain your steps to receive credit.)

The resistance from a viscous fluid is in the linear regime, so the forces on the mass are
F = kx bv + f0 cos t
and this gives a differential equation for the motion of
mx + kx + bx = f0 cos t
p
Dividing by m and defining 0 k/m, b/2, we get
f0
x + 02 x + 2 x = cos t
m
This may not match what you remember from the text book, where there was no m on the right
hand side. That is because the f0 as the coefficient used in the textbook was defined with the
mass already divided out. (Beware just using equations; derive them with an understanding of
what they mean.)
Since we only need to determine the amplitude of oscillations long after initial transients have
decayed away, we can ignore the homogeneous solution and use only the particular solution.
We can postulate that the solution is a cosine with the same frequency as the driving frequency,
but a potentially different phase. I.e.,
x(t) = A cos (t )
Then we plug this into the differential equation and determine what A must be for our postulated
solution to satisfy it. Doing so, we get
f0
cos t = 2 A cos (t ) + 02 A cos (t ) 2A sin (t )
m
We need to deal with the different arguments for the trig functions, i.e., t vs t . We can
do that with two trig identities:
sin( ) = sin cos cos sin & cos( ) = cos cos sin sin
So,
sin(t ) = sin t cos cos t sin & cos(t ) = cos t cos + sin t sin
Plugging these in, we get
f0
cos t = 2 A(cos t cos + sin t sin )
m
+ 02 A(cos t cos + sin t sin )
2A(sin t cos cos t sin )
= 2 A cos t cos 2 A sin t sin
+ 02 A cos t cos + 02 A sin t sin
2A sin t cos + 2A cos t sin
Collecting the cos t and sin t terms,
 
f0
0 = + A(0 ) cos + 2A sin cos t + A (02 2 ) sin 2 cos sin t
2 2
 
m

Since this needs to be a valid solution for all times, both quantities in brackets must be zero.
This gives two equations for two unknowns (A and ). Ill start with the simpler sin t term.

(02 2 ) sin = 2 cos

2
tan = 2
0 2

2
= arctan
02 2

Setting the cos t coefficient to zero gives

f0
= A(02 2 ) cos + 2A sin
m
f0 /m
A= 2 2
(0 ) cos + 2 sin

We are almost done, but we need to plug in the s. Given that tan = 2
2 2 , we can view the
0
numerator and denominator of that equation as the sides of a right triangle, and the hypotenuse
can be calculated from their squares. So,
2
sin = p
(02 2 )2 + 4 2 2

and
2 2
cos = p 2 0
(0 2 )2 + 4 2 2

Plugging these in we get

p
(f0 /m) (02 2 )2 + 4 2 2
A=
(02 2 )2 + 4 2 2

and finally

f0 /m
A= p 2
(0 2 )2 + 4 2 2
6. (10 points) A roller coaster car rolls along an approximately frictionless track. The car starts
from rest at a height h above the ground. After an initial steep drop, it goes through a vertical
loop that is in the shape of a circle of radius R, so that the highest point the car reaches in the
loop is 2R above the ground. If you want to design the roller coaster so that riders feel pressed
into their seat with a force of mg when they reach the top of the loop, find h in terms of R?

This can be solved with conservation of energy. The energy at the start is only potential, and
the energy at the top of the loop is both kinetic and potential, so we can solve for the speed of
the car at the top of the loop.
1
mgh = mg(2R) + mv 2
p 2
v = 2g(h 2R)

The second requirement on the velocity comes from the design requirement that the rider is
pressed into their seat with a force of mg. That means that there is an equal and opposite,
normal force from the track, N = mg, pointed radially inward. Adding that to gravity gives a
centripetal force of 2mg. For motion along the circular shape of the loop, this centripetal force
must be N = mv 2 /R. That gives

2mg = mv 2 /R
p
v = 2gR

Putting these two v equations together,

p p
2g(h 2R) = 2gR
h 2R = R

So,

h = 3R
7. (10 points) For the force F~ = f (y 2 x+2x2 y), where f is some normalization constant, determine
the work done on an object of mass m when it moves clockwise around the perimeter of a square
with side L, where the bottom left corner of the square is placed at the origin. You must show
and explain your work.

We can solve this by integrating dW = F~ d~s along the four legs of the closed path. We get
I Z Z Z Z
~
W = F d~s = ~
F d~s + ~
F d~s + ~
F d~s + F~ d~s (16)
A B C D
where the four piece-wise integrals are over the four legs: A = (0, 0) (0, L), B = (0, L)
(L, L), C = (L, L) (L, 0), and D = (L, 0) (0, 0). For leg A, d~s = dy y; for leg B,
d~s = dx x; for leg C, d~s = dy y; for leg D, d~s = dx x. So the integral is
I Z L Z L Z L Z L
~
W = F d~s = 2
2f x dy + 2
f y dx 2
2f x dy f y 2 dx (17)
0 0 0 0

where Ive taken the dot product of F~ d~s for each leg. Note that the integrals limits are
from 0 to L, i.e., increasing, for each case; the minus signs come from the dot products and the
direction of d~s on each leg while flipping the limits would double count the negative. Next, we
can plug in the value of x or y along each leg to get
Z L Z L Z L Z L
2 2 2
W = 2f (0) dy + f L dx 2f L dy f (0)2 dx (18)
0 0 0 0
Both non-zero integrals are trivial since their integrands are constants. So,
W = f L3 2f L3 = f L3 (19)
Note that you can also use Stokes theorem relating the integral of a dot product around a closed
path to the integral of the curl over its enclosed area. I.e.,
I Z
~
W = F d~s = ~ F~ dA
~ (20)
Area

The curl of F~ is
     
~ F~ = x Fz Fy Fx Fz Fy Fx
+ y + z (21)
y z z x x y
= 0x + 0y + f (4x 2y)z (22)
The fact that this is non-zero indicates that the force is not conservative, so the work around the
closed path in question is not zero. Next, we can take the dot product with dA ~ easily by noting
that the area vector points perpendicular to the square in the right hand rule sense, i.e., along
the minus z-axis. So, dA ~ = dA z and
Z Z x=L Z y=L
W = ~ ~ ~
F dA = f (4x 2y)dA = 2f (2x y)dxdy (23)
Area x=0 y=0
x=L
Z y=L Z x=L
1 2  1
= 2f dx(2xy y ) = 2f (2xL L2 )dx (24)
x=0 2 y=0 x=0 2
x=L
1  1
= 2f (x2 L L2 x) = 2f (L3 L3 ) = f L3 (25)
2 x=0 2