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Physics Sample Test

This document contains sample questions from a physics graduate admission test. The questions cover topics like: 1) Analyzing the motion of a mass attached to a spring on an inclined plane that can rotate. This involves calculating forces and equilibrium positions. 2) Representing the operators for the angular momentum components of a spin-1 particle as matrices and using this to determine possible measurement outcomes and probabilities. 3) Calculating the electric field components produced by a uniformly charged ring and analyzing how the field varies with distance from the ring and the ring's radius.

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umaima rizwan
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75 views3 pages

Physics Sample Test

This document contains sample questions from a physics graduate admission test. The questions cover topics like: 1) Analyzing the motion of a mass attached to a spring on an inclined plane that can rotate. This involves calculating forces and equilibrium positions. 2) Representing the operators for the angular momentum components of a spin-1 particle as matrices and using this to determine possible measurement outcomes and probabilities. 3) Calculating the electric field components produced by a uniformly charged ring and analyzing how the field varies with distance from the ring and the ring's radius.

Uploaded by

umaima rizwan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sample Physics Graduate Admission Test

These are sample questions. Actual exam will be different than these problems, but the
style and level will be similar.

1. (30 points) Consider a mass m which can slide frictionlessly on the inclined plane. The
mass is attached to a vertical spring with spring constant k through an unstretchable
string passing over a frictionless pulley. The whole setup is fixed to a table which can
rotate frictionlessly about z-axis, as shown in the figure. We only focus on the motion
of the mass m.

(a) (2 points) Show that angle ϕ = θ.


(b) (8 points) First consider that the table is at rest. Due to the gravity, the spring is
stretched by amount d. The force Fs is the tension in the string due to the stretched
spring. What is the magnitude of Fs ? Find out the stretched length d of the spring
in equilibrium.
(c) (4 points) Let’s now consider that the table is rotating about z-axis with constant
angular velocity ω. The rotation will cause a reaction force Fr , opposite to the
centripetal force, to act on the mass. Find out the magnitude of Fr in terms of ω.
(d) (8 points) Due to the rotation, the stretched length of the spring will be readjusted.
′
Calculate the new stretched length d in the presence of Fr .
′
(e) (4 points) How d compares to d? Will the spring be stretched more or less?
(f) (4 points) How much angular velocity is required to bring the spring back to its
un-stretched length?

2. (30 points) If the angular momentum of a so-called spin-1 particle is measured in a


particular direction (conventionally referred to as the z direction), the measurement
results obtained are h̄, 0, and −h̄. The postulates of quantum mechanics then dictate
that Ŝz , the operator corresponding to the angular momentum in the z direction, satisfies
Ŝz | + h̄⟩ = +h̄| + h̄⟩, Ŝz |0h̄⟩ = 0h̄|0h̄⟩ and Ŝz | − h̄⟩ = −h̄| − h̄⟩, where | + h̄⟩, |0h̄⟩, and
| − h̄⟩ are the eigenstates of Ŝz corresponding to eigenvalues +h̄, 0h̄, and −h̄ respectively.
The states | + h̄⟩, |0h̄⟩, and | − h̄⟩ form an orthonormal basis (i-e. ⟨i|j⟩ = δi,j ). In terms
of the states | + h̄⟩, |0h̄⟩, and | − h̄⟩, the operator Ŝz can be written as

Ŝz = +h̄| + h̄⟩⟨+h̄| + 0h̄|0h̄⟩⟨0h̄| − h̄| − h̄⟩⟨−h̄| (1)


The corresponding operators for other two components of spin are given as
h̄
Ŝx = √ (| + h̄⟩⟨0h̄| + |0h̄⟩⟨+h̄| + |0h̄⟩⟨−h̄| + | − h̄⟩⟨0h̄|) (2)
2
h̄
Ŝy = √ (−i| + h̄⟩⟨0h̄| + i|0h̄⟩⟨+h̄| − i|0h̄⟩⟨−h̄| + i| − h̄⟩⟨0h̄|) . (3)
2
(a) (6 points) Write the operators Ŝz , Ŝx , and Ŝy as matrices expressed in the basis
| + h̄⟩, |0h̄⟩, and | − h̄⟩. Recall that given an operator X̂, and basis vectors |a1 ⟩,
|a2 ⟩,..., |aN ⟩, the matrix elements are given by Xij = ⟨ai |X̂|aj ⟩.
(b) (6 points) Suppose that initially the state of the atom is | + h̄⟩. If now the angular
momentum in the x direction is measured, what are the possible measurement
results? You can make a physical argument without any detailed calculations if you
so desire.
(c) (6 points) Given these possible measurement results, if the initial state is |+h̄⟩, and
the angular momentum in the x direction is measured, what are the probabilities
for obtaining different measurement results? Recall that to find the probabilities,
you will need to find the eigenstates of the relevant operator.
(d) (6 points) Starting from the initial state |ψ(0)⟩ = | + h̄⟩, we now apply a magnetic
field in the x direction. The Hamiltonian in such a case is given by Ĥ = −ΩŜx ,
where Ω is a constant. Express the state |ψ(t)⟩ in terms of | + h̄⟩, |0h̄⟩, and | − h̄⟩.
Remember that the time evolution operator is given by Û (t) = e−iĤt/h̄
(e) (6 points) Given the state |ψ(t)⟩, if a measurement of the angular momentum in
the z direction is performed, what are the possible measurement results, and what
are their corresponding probabilities?

3. (30 points) Consider a uniformly charged ring of radius a characterised by the linear
charge density λ = dq/ds (where ds is the infinitesimal arc length along the ring) placed
perpendicular to the x -axis with centre at (0, 0, 0) as shown in the figure. You have to
⃗ at point P (x, 0, 0). Let’s proceed as following:
calculate the total electric field E
(a) (2 points) What is the total charge q on the ring in terms of the linear charge
density λ?
⃗ at point P along radial direction r̂ due to
(b) (4 points) What is the electric field dE
the infinitesimal charge dq on the ring, as shown in the figure?
(c) (6 points) Calculate the electric field components dEx and dE⊥ along and perpen-
dicular to the x -axis, respectively. Obtain the expressions in terms of dq, a and
x.
(d) (3 points) What is the total electric field component E⊥ due to the total charge on
the ring?
(e) (3 points) Calculate total Ex (x) in terms of λ, a and x.
(f) (3 points) Find out Ex (x) in the limits |x| << a and |x| >> a.
(g) (3 points) Find out the position xo for which Ex (x) is maximum. How Ex (xo ) varies
with the radius a?
(h) (6 points) Using the above analysis, Sketch schematically the Ex (x) for radius a
and 2a along +x-axis. What do you expect when a → 0 and a → ∞?

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