Physics Enhancement Programme Phase 1

Selection Test 2 (Total 100 points)

15 December 2018
1. (20 points) A dipole consists of two point charges +𝑄 and – 𝑄 separated by a distance 𝑑. Its center
(midpoint of the line joining the two charges) is at a distance 𝑅, where 𝑅 ≫ 𝑑, from the surface of a
semi-infinite grounded conductor as shown in the figure.

(a) Find the electric force acting on the dipole a function of 𝑅.

(b) Find the charge density at the point 𝑃 on the conductor surface induced by the dipole in terms of
𝑄, 𝑑, 𝑅 and 𝑟, where 𝑟, 𝑅 ≫ 𝑑.

The following identity may be useful:

𝑛(𝑛 − 1) "
(1 + 𝑥)! ≈ 1 + 𝑛𝑥 + 𝑥 + ⋯ if |𝑥| ≪ 1
2

+J

−J
A

M
& ×
Conductor

Solution:
(a) The problem can be solved easily using the image method.
+J

−J
A

+J
A
D

−J
The image dipole will enforce the boundary condition where the electric field on the conducting
surface is perpendicular to the surface.
Hence the electric force on the dipole is equal to the electric force between two dipoles. Taking
upward as positive, we have
𝑄" 2 1 1 𝑄" 𝑑 $" 𝑑 $"
𝐹= A − − B≈ D2 − A1 + B − A1 − B E
4𝜋𝜖# (2𝑅)" (2𝑅 + 𝑑)" (2𝑅 − 𝑑)" 16𝜋𝜖# 𝑅" 2𝑅 2𝑅
" " " " "
𝑄 6 𝑑 6 𝑑 3𝑄 𝑑
⇒𝐹= "
D− "
− "
E=−
16𝜋𝜖# 𝑅 2 4𝑅 2 4𝑅 32𝜋𝜖# 𝑅%
which is attracted to the conductor

(b) The (vertical) electric field right above the point 𝑃 is

𝑑 𝑑
𝑄 2 2 𝑄 𝑅−2 𝑅+2
𝐸= D cos 𝜃$ − " cos 𝜃& E = M ' − ' N
4𝜋𝜖# 𝑟$" 𝑟& 2𝜋𝜖# 𝑟$ 𝑟&
𝑄𝑅 1 1 𝑄𝑑 1 1
= D ' − ' E − D ' + 'E
2𝜋𝜖# 𝑟$ 𝑟& 4𝜋𝜖# 𝑟$ 𝑟&
where
" "
$# $#
1 #
𝑑 # #
𝑑# 3 𝑑𝑅
= $𝑟 + &𝑅 ± +, = -𝑅 + 𝑟 ± 𝑑𝑅 + / ≈ (𝑅 # + 𝑟 # )$"/# &1 ∓ +
𝑟±" 2 4 2 𝑅# + 𝑟 #

The electric field at point 𝑃 becomes

𝑄𝑅 3𝑑𝑅 𝑄𝑑 2 𝑄𝑑 1
𝐸= M ( N− O ' P= (
(3𝑅" − 𝑅" − 𝑟 " )
2𝜋𝜖# 4𝜋𝜖 # (𝑅 " + 𝑟 " )" 2𝜋𝜖 # (𝑅 " + 𝑟 " )"
(𝑅" + 𝑟 " )"
𝑄𝑑 2𝑅" − 𝑟 "
⇒𝐸=
2𝜋𝜖# (𝑅" + 𝑟 " )(/"

By Gauss’s law, the surface charge density induced on the surface is

𝑄𝑑 2𝑅" − 𝑟 "
𝜎 = 𝜖# 𝐸 =
2𝜋 (𝑅" + 𝑟 " )(/"

2. (20 points) A positive point charge 𝑞 of mass 𝑚 is initially at rest in the x-y plane. It is located at a
distance 𝑥# from a fixed long straight wire along the y-axis carrying current 𝐼. The point charge is
projected normally away from the wire with speed 𝑣.
(a) Sketch the current-carrying wire and the trajectory of the point charge after it is projected.
* *, *
(b) Find the maximum separation between the wire and the point charge. (Hint: Note that *+ = *+ *, )
(c) Find the minimum separation between the wire and the point charge.
 #

!"

!
$

Solution:
(a)

(b) First, we notice that the magnetic force doesn’t do work on the point charge and its speed doesn’t
change. At the moment when the point charge at the point (𝑥, 𝑦) with velocity 𝑣⃗ = 𝑣, 𝚤̂ + 𝑣- 𝚥̂, we
have
𝜇 𝐼 𝜇 𝑞𝐼
]⃗ = 𝑞^𝑣, 𝚤̂ + 𝑣- 𝚥̂_ × # ^−𝑘b _ = # (𝑣, 𝚥̂ − 𝑣- 𝚤̂)
𝐹⃗ = 𝑞𝑣⃗ × 𝐵
2𝜋𝑥 2𝜋𝑥
𝜇# 𝑞𝐼 𝜇# 𝑞𝐼 𝑑𝑣, 𝑑𝑣,
⇒ 𝐹, = − 𝑣- = − c𝑣 " − 𝑣," = 𝑚 = 𝑚𝑣,
2𝜋𝑥 2𝜋𝑥 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑥
𝑣, 𝑑𝑣, 𝜇# 𝑞𝐼 1
⇒ =− 𝑑𝑥
c𝑣 " − 𝑣," 2𝜋𝑚 𝑥
𝜇# 𝑞𝐼 𝑥
⇒ −c𝑣 " − 𝑣," (𝑡) + c𝑣 " − 𝑣," (0) = − ln A B
2𝜋𝑚 𝑥#
Since 𝑣, (0) = 𝑣 and 𝑣, (𝑡) = 0 at the turning point where the separation is maximum,
𝜇# 𝑞𝐼 𝑥
𝑣= ln A B
2𝜋𝑚 𝑥#

2𝜋𝑚𝑣
⇒ 𝑥./, = 𝑥# exp A B
𝜇# 𝑞𝐼
(c) After half the cycle, the velocity of the point charge is – 𝑣𝚤̂ at the distance 𝑥# from the wire and
𝑣- is negative. Therefore,
𝑣, 𝑑𝑣, 𝜇# 𝑞𝐼 1
− =− 𝑑𝑥
c𝑣 " − 𝑣," 2𝜋𝑚 𝑥
𝜇# 𝑞𝐼 𝑥
⇒ c𝑣 " − 𝑣," (𝑡) = − ln A B
2𝜋𝑚 𝑥#
At the turning point where the separation is minimum, 𝑣, (𝑡) = 0 and

2𝜋𝑚𝑣
𝑥.0! = 𝑥# exp A− B
𝜇# 𝑞𝐼

3. (15 points) The circuit with all three elements 𝑅, 𝐿 and 𝐶 connected in parallel is fed to the ac
supply 𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉# cos 𝜔𝑡.
(a) Calculate the currents pass through the resistor, inductor and the capacitor respectively.
(b) Calculate the time-averaged power dissipation of the ac supply.

%(')

# $

Solution:
(a) We can solve the problem using the complex impedance:
𝑖
𝑋1 = 𝑅, 𝑋2 = 𝑖𝜔𝐿, 𝑋3 =
𝜔𝐶

The current passes through the inductor and resistor is:

𝑉# 𝑒 05+ 𝑉# 𝑉# 𝑅
𝐼4 = ⇒ 𝐼467-8 = 𝑅𝑒(𝐼4 ) = cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝛼) = " cos 𝜔𝑡
𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅 "
√𝑅 + 𝜔 𝐿 " " 𝑅 + 𝜔 " 𝐿"
52
where tan 𝛼 = 1 .

The current passes through the capacitor is

𝑉# 𝑒 05+ 𝜋
𝐼" = = −𝑖𝜔𝐶𝑉# 𝑒 05+ → 𝐼"67-809/: = 𝐶# 𝑉# 𝜔 cos u𝜔𝑡 − v
𝑋3 2
The ac current draw by the power supply is
1 1
𝐼(𝑡) = 𝐼4 + 𝐼" = A − 𝑖𝜔𝐶B 𝑉# 𝑒 05+ = 𝑉(𝑡)
𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅 𝑍
 𝑉#
𝐼(𝑡) = cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝛼)
𝑍#
where
$4
1 𝑅 + 𝑖𝜔𝐿 𝑅 + 𝑖𝜔𝐿
𝑍# = x − 𝑖𝜔𝐶x = x x=x x
𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅 1 − 𝑖𝜔𝐶(𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅) 𝑖1 + 𝜔 " 𝐶𝐿 − 𝑖𝜔𝐶𝑅
4/"
𝑅" + 𝜔" 𝐿"
=D E
(1 + 𝜔 " 𝐿𝐶)" + 𝜔 " 𝐶 " 𝑅"
𝜔𝐿 𝜔𝐶𝑅
𝛼 = arg 𝑍 = tan$4 + tan$4
𝑅 1 + 𝜔 " 𝐿𝐶

(b) The power dissipated by the ac supply is:

𝑉#"
𝑃 = 𝑉(𝐼4 + 𝐼" ) = cos 𝜔𝑡 cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝛼)
𝑍#

The time-averaged is
𝑉#" 1 𝑉#" 1 1
𝑃/;< = 〈cos 𝜔𝑡 cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝛼)〉/;< = cos 𝛼 = 𝑉#" 𝑅𝑒 A B
𝑍# 2 𝑍# 2 𝑍#
The average power can be computed easily using the complex current/voltage:
1 1 1
𝑃/;< = 𝑅𝑒(𝑉 ∗ 𝐼) = 𝑅𝑒 ^𝑉# 𝑒 $05+ _ DA − 𝑖𝜔𝐶B 𝑉# 𝑒 05+ E
2 2 𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅
1 𝑅 − 𝑖𝜔𝐿 1 𝑉#" 𝑅
𝑃/;< = 𝑉#" 𝑅𝑒 A " − 𝑖𝜔𝐶B =
2 𝑅 + 𝜔 " 𝐿" 2 𝑅" + 𝜔 " 𝐿"

Alternative solution:
By the loop rule, we have
𝑑𝑖4
𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉# 𝑒 05+ = 𝐿 + 𝑖4 𝑅
𝑑𝑡
The solution of 𝑖4 (𝑡) composed of the homogeneous and inhomogeneous solutions (refer to tutorial
4),
𝑖0 = 𝑖7 + 𝑖0.
where
𝑑𝑖7 1
𝐿 + 𝑖7 𝑅 = 0 ⇒ 𝑖7 (𝑡) = 𝑖7# 𝑒 $ 2 +
𝑑𝑡
and
𝑑𝑖0. 𝑉#
𝐿 + 𝑖4 𝑅 = 𝑉# 𝑒 05+ ⇒ 𝑖4 (𝑡) = 𝑒 05+
𝑑𝑡 𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅

Across the capacitor,

𝑄" 𝑑𝑄"
𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉# 𝑒 05+ = ⇒ 𝐼" = = 𝑖𝜔𝐶𝑉# 𝑒 05+
𝐶 𝑑𝑡
and the total current drawn by the power supply is
1 1 1
𝐼 = 𝐼4 + 𝐼" = 𝑖7# 𝑒 $ 2 + + A + 𝑖𝜔𝐶B 𝑉# 𝑒 05+ ⇒ A + 𝑖𝜔𝐶B 𝑉# 𝑒 05+
𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅 𝑖𝜔𝐿 + 𝑅
as 𝑡 → ∞.
4 (15 points) A long straight wire carries a current 𝐼. At distances 𝑎 and 𝑏 from it there are two other
wires, parallel to the former one which are interconnected by a resistance 𝑅. A connector slides
without friction along the wires with a constant velocity 𝑣. Assuming the resistance of the wires, the
connector, the sliding contacts and the self-inductance of the frame to be negligible.

(a) The magnitude and the direction of the current induced in the connector.
(b) The magnitude and the direction of the external force required to maintain the constant velocity
of the connector.

!
"
$

Solution:
(a) Magnetic field due to a straight current carrying wire is given by
𝜇# 𝐼
𝐵=
2𝜋𝑟

The voltage induced along a small segment of the connector is 𝑑𝑉 = 𝐵𝑣𝑑𝑟

The total voltage induced along the connector is
> >
𝜇# 𝐼𝑣 𝜇? 𝐼𝑣 𝑏
𝑉 = • 𝑑𝑉 = • 𝑑𝑟 = ln
/ / 2𝜋𝑟 2𝜋 𝑎

The induced current is

𝑉 𝜇? 𝐼𝑣 𝑏
𝑖= = ln
𝑅 2𝜋𝑅 𝑎

and the current is anticlockwise according to the Lenz law.

(b) External force required for constant velocity over a small segment is
𝑑𝐹 = 𝑖𝐵𝑑𝑟

The total external force (pointing upward) is

𝜇? 𝐼𝑣 𝑏 𝜇# 𝐼 𝜇# 𝐼 𝑏 " 𝑣
𝐹= ln × A• 𝑑𝑟B = A ln B
2𝜋𝑅 𝑎 2𝜋𝑟 2𝜋 𝑎 𝑅

Alternative, we understand that the work done by the external force is dissipated via the resistor,
 𝜇? 𝐼𝑣 𝑏 " 𝑅 𝜇# 𝐼 𝑏 " 𝑣
𝐹𝑣 = 𝐼 " 𝑅 ⇒ 𝐹 = A ln B =A ln B
2𝜋𝑅 𝑎 𝑣 2𝜋 𝑎 𝑅

5. (10 points) A circular disc of diameter 𝑑 lies inside a metallic hemispherical bowl of radius 𝑎. The
edge of the disc is just visible to an eye looking over the edge as shown in the figure. The bowl is
now filled with a liquid of refractive index 𝑛. Now the entire disc is just visible to the eye in the
same position. Calculate the diameter 𝑑 of the circular disc in terms of 𝑎 and 𝑛.

"

Solution:

! (
$ ' &
2#
)
#
% *

+
From the figure,
𝑖 + 𝑟 = 90∘

Let the angle ∠𝐵𝐶𝐸 = 𝑡 be the refracted angle which satisfies

sin 𝑖
𝑛 sin 𝑡 = sin 𝑖 ⇒ 𝑛 =
sin 𝑡
Consider the triangle 𝛥𝑂𝐵𝐶,
2𝑟 + 2(90∘ − 𝑡) = 180∘ ⇒ 𝑡 = 𝑟
cos 𝑟 1
⇒𝑛= ⇒ tan 𝑟 =
sin 𝑟 𝑛
and the diameter of the circular disc is
𝑑 = 2𝑎 sin 𝜃 = 2𝑎 sin(90∘ − 2𝑟) = 2𝑎 cos 2𝑟 = 2𝑎 (2 cos " 𝑟 − 1)
𝑛 " 𝑛" − 1
⇒ 𝑑 = 2𝑎 D2 A B − 1E = 2𝑎 D " E
√1 + 𝑛" 𝑛 +1

Note: Some students use the formula

 𝑛4 𝑛" 𝑛" − 𝑛4
+ =
𝑠4 𝑠" 𝑅
which is valid only for small angle refraction and yields the approximated result
𝑛−1
𝑑 = 2𝑎 A B
𝑛+1

6. (20 points) The Fermilab Tevatron, a circular accelerator located near Chicago, can accelerate a
proton p to an energy of 𝐸6 ≈ 1 TeV = 104" eV (as measured in the lab frame S). The energy of a
proton at rest is 𝑚6 𝑐 " ≈ 1 GeV = 10A eV.
(a) A fully accelerated proton in the Fermilab Tevatron is traveling at the speed 𝑣 (as measured in the
lab frame S) very close to the speed of light 𝑐. What is the numerical values of 𝑐 − 𝑣?

(b) What force (as measured in the lab frame S) must be applied by the magnet in the accelerator to
keep the protons at this speed traveling in a circle, with radius 𝑅 = 1 km?

(c) If a proton 𝑝 with energy 𝐸6 (as measured in the lab frame S) collides with a proton in a metal, at
rest in the lab frame S, to produce a never-before-seen particle X through the reaction 𝑝 + 𝑝 → 𝑋,
what is the maximum possible rest mass 𝑚B (in term of GeV/c " ) of this particle X?

(d) What is the velocity 𝑣B of the never-before-seen particle 𝑋 as observed in the rest frame S’ of the
accelerated proton 𝑝?

(e) If the lifetime of the particle 𝑋 is 𝜏 = 500 µs as measured in the lab frame S, what is its lifetime
in the frame when it is at rest?

Solution:
(a)
𝐸6 1
𝛾= "
= 1000 ⇒ 𝛽 = c1 − 𝛾 $" ≈ 1 − × 10$C
𝑚6 𝑐 2
𝑐 − 𝑣 = 𝑐(1 − 𝛽) ≈ 150 m/s

(b)
𝑑𝑝⃗ 𝛾𝑚6 𝑣 " 𝛾𝑚6 𝑐 "
⃗ |𝑎
’𝐹 ’ = “ “ = 𝛾𝑚6 ⃗| = ≈ ≈ 1.6 × 10$4# N
𝑑𝑡 𝑅 𝑅

(c) Conservation of energy gives:

𝐸6 + 𝑚6 𝑐 " = 𝐸B
Here
𝐸6" = 𝑝" 𝑐 " + 𝑚6" 𝑐 %
𝐸B" = 𝑝" 𝑐 " + 𝑚B" 𝑐 %
where the momentum of the 𝑋 particle is the same as the incident proton.
"
⇒ ^𝐸6 + 𝑚6 𝑐 " _ − 𝑚B" 𝑐 % = 𝐸6" − 𝑚6" 𝑐 %
⇒ 2𝐸6 𝑚6 𝑐 " + 2𝑚6" 𝑐 % = 𝑚B" 𝑐 %
4
"
𝐸6
⇒ 𝑚B = 𝑚6 O2 D1 + "
EP ≈ 45 GeV/c "
𝑚6 𝑐
(d) The velocity of X as observed in the lab frame S is
4
𝑝 𝑣 𝐸B" "
= 𝛾𝑚B = D % − 𝑚B" E
𝑐 𝑐 𝑐
"
𝛽
⇒ = 494
1 − 𝛽"
𝑣D
⇒𝛽= = 0.998989
𝑐
The velocity of X as observed in the moving frame S’ is
𝑣D − 𝑣
𝑣DE = F
𝑣D 𝑣 = −2.99 × 10 m/s
1− "
𝑐

(e)
𝑣D
𝛽= = 0.998989 ⇒ 𝛾 ≈ 22.244
𝑐
The lifetime of the particle 𝑋 in its rest frame is
𝜏
𝜏# = ≈ 22.48 µs
𝛾