2004-2005 Physics Olympiad Preparation Program

– University of Toronto –

Problem Set 1: General

Due November 1, 2004

Since this is the first problem set, a few comments before starting:
• If you want to know what kind of physics you might need to solve these problems, look at
the Physics Olympiad syllabus at http://www.jyu.fi/ipho/syllabus.html. You do not need
to know the syllabus by heart to do the problems, but you do need to be able to
recognize what you need to know so you can look it up.
• Pay attention to words like “estimate” or “about”. They indicate that the expected answer
is not exact because either the input data is not precisely known or because
approximations or simplifying assumptions are necessary. Much of real physics is
learning how to turn insoluble exact problems into soluble approximations.
• “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”: Whether you finish a problem or not, please make
sure your reasoning and analysis are clear. If you write down nothing, it is easy for us to
mark – we just give you zero – but pretty boring. Your basic ideas may be right even if
you make a mistake or get stuck. You may be on the way to your own Great Discovery!
• Now, on with the show!

Problem 1
Two identical pieces of steel wire of equal length were used to manufacture two springs.
Diameter of the first spring coil was d, diameter of the second was 2d. Both springs were
then loaded with the equal masses. As a result, the first spring stretched out to the one tenth
of its initial length.
What was the percent elongation of the second spring?

Problem 2
A container is filled with unknown gas. To heat 1 kg of the gas by one degree under the
constant pressure one needs 907.8 J, while the same increase of temperature of the gas
when the volume is kept constant, needs 648.4 J.
Determine what gas is in the container.

Problem 3
There are four thin-wire coils with resistances 10 Ω ; 20 Ω ; 30 Ω ; and 40 Ω , that can
dissipate power of not more than 2 W each.
Propose a construction of a heater with the maximum power using these coils and the
source of direct current with emf of 20 V and internal resistance of 20 Ω .

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Problem 4
A neon discharge lamp consists of two electrodes in an evacuated glass bulb filled with
neon gas. Electrons from cathode are accelerated by voltage between electrodes. Electrons
impact ions of neon and excite them. After a short period, the excited ions return to the
state of equilibrium (ground state) simultaneously radiating photons, which result in the
bright red fluorescence of the lamp.
In our problem the electrodes are considered to be a pair of big plates separated by the
distance d = 3 mm. The ionization energy for neon atom is I = 21.5 eV. An average
distance traveled by an electron between two consecutive collisions with neon atoms is l =
0.4 mm.
What is the voltage of ignition of the neon lamp?

Problem 5
This problem can be solved theoretically and then proved experimentally.
You need a rectangular prism with its height at least several times greater than its length and
width. Put this prism vertically on the table or any other horizontal plane.
How to determine the coefficient of friction between the prism and the plane using only a
ruler as a measurement equipment? You can use any facilities for the goals other than
measurements.

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