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Physics 222 - Test 2 - Spring 2009

1. The test covers six physics problems related to electromagnetism, waves, circuits, and particle scattering. Students are allowed one page of notes and must show all work. 2. One problem involves Gauss' law and showing the net charge inside a cavity in a conductor is zero. Another calculates electric and magnetic fields from scalar and vector potentials of an electromagnetic wave. 3. Additional problems include determining the current and location of current in a long cylindrical conductor based on the magnetic field, computing energy densities in an electromagnetic wave, analyzing a circuit with multiple resistors, and exploring momentum changes in electron-proton scattering.

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29 views2 pages

Physics 222 - Test 2 - Spring 2009

1. The test covers six physics problems related to electromagnetism, waves, circuits, and particle scattering. Students are allowed one page of notes and must show all work. 2. One problem involves Gauss' law and showing the net charge inside a cavity in a conductor is zero. Another calculates electric and magnetic fields from scalar and vector potentials of an electromagnetic wave. 3. Additional problems include determining the current and location of current in a long cylindrical conductor based on the magnetic field, computing energy densities in an electromagnetic wave, analyzing a circuit with multiple resistors, and exploring momentum changes in electron-proton scattering.

Uploaded by

eltytan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics 222 – Test 2 – Spring 2009

One-page reminder sheet allowed. Show all work – no credit given if work not shown!

1. Imagine a hollow cavity inside a conducting block. Show that the net charge inside
the cavity, including charge on the cavity wall, is zero. Hint: Apply Gauss’s law to a
Gaussian surface containing the cavity but completely embedded in the conductor.

+ −
+
− + −
− − −

2. The scalar and vector potential for an electromagnetic wave in a vacuum are assumed
to be φ = 0 and A = (A, 0, 0) sin(kz − ωt) where A is a constant.

(a) Verify that the scalar and vector potentials together satisfy the Lorentz condition.
(b) What do you know about the ratio ω/k?
(c) Compute the electric and magnetic field vectors and show that these fields are
perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation and to each other.
(d) Show that the ratio of the magnitudes of the electric and magnetic fields equals
the speed of light in this case.

3. Imagine a long, cylindrical conductor of radius R oriented perpendicular to the page as


shown below. The magnitude of the magnetic field outside the conductor as a function
of distance r from the axis of the conductor is B = C/r where C is a constant. The
magnetic field lines circulate around the conductor as indicated by the circles. Inside
the conductor the magnetic field is zero.

(a) Determine the current flowing in the conductor.


(b) Given the zero magnetic field inside the conductor, determine where in the con-
ductor the current is located.

r B

1
4. Compute the ratio of the electric and magnetic energy densities in an electromagnetic
wave propagating in a vacuum. (Hint: You may find the results of problem 2d to be
useful.)

5. Consider the circuit below where Va = 15 V, R1 = 5 ohms, R2 = 15 ohms, and


R3 = 30 ohms.

(a) Compute the current ia . (Hint: R2 and R3 are in parallel; R1 and the combined
R2 , R3 are in series.)
(b) Compute the voltage Vb .
(c) Compute the currents ib and ic .
V = Va ia
R1
+

battery V = Vb

R2 ib R3
− ic
V=0

6. An electron with momentum of magnitude p scatters off a proton by exchanging a


virtual photon with momentum of magnitude q and zero energy as illustrated below.

(a) Does the photon emission change the energy of the electron? Explain.
(b) What is the magnitude of the electron’s momentum after the scattering event?
(c) What is the virtual mass of the photon?
(d) Estimate how close the electron had to come to the proton to make this scattering
event possible. (Hint: Recall that the real mass of the photon is zero.)

photon

electron proton

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