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SECOND PUBLIC EXAMINATION

Honour School of Physics Part A: 3 and 4 Year Courses

Honour School of Physics and Philosophy Part A

A1: THERMAL PHYSICS

Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm

Answer all of Section A and three questions from Section B.

Start the answer to each question on a fresh page.

A list of physical constants and conversion factors accompanies this paper.

The numbers in the margin indicate the weight that the Examiners expect to
assign to each part of the question.

Do NOT turn over until told that you may do so.

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 Section A

1. Explain what is meant by a function of state. Give an expression for the change
in entropy when a body is heated between temperatures T1 and T2 . [5]

2. Consider the Carnot cycle for an ideal gas operating between temperatures T1
and T2 .
T

T
2

T1

The figure shows the cycle’s entropy-temperature diagram. Show that the efficiency of
the cycle is
T1
η =1− .
T2
Hence estimate the maximum efficiency possible for a practical steam engine when the
steam is heated to 800 K. [7]

3. Gas with thermal conductivity κ fills the space between two coaxial cylinders
(inner cylinder radius a, outer cylinder inner radius b). A current I is passed through
the inner cylinder, which has resistivity ρ. Derive an expression for the equilibrium
temperature of the inner cylinder Ta when the outer cylinder is held at a constant
temperature Tb . [8]

4. A vessel holding some liquid is placed in a vacuum chamber that is constantly

pumped. Gas leaks from the vessel into the vacuum through a small hole, radius 4.15 μm,
but the pressure inside the vessel remains 38.6 kPa. After a day the mass of the vessel
has dropped from 100 g to 99.5 g. Assuming the container has at all times been at 70 K,
suggest (with reasoning) the identity of the liquid. [6]

5. Show that the mean-scattering time of a molecule travelling at speed v is

1
τ= ,
nσv
where n is the molecular density and σ is the collision cross section. Estimate the mean
time between collisions of nitrogen molecules at sea level in the Earth’s atmosphere
assuming they are travelling at their mean speed. [8]
[You may assume nitrogen molecules are spheres of diameter 0.37 nm and the atmosphere
is pure nitrogen.]

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 6. The isothermal compressibility κT and the adiabatic compressibility κS are defined
by    
1 ∂V 1 ∂V
κT = − and κS = − ,
V ∂p T V ∂p S
where the symbols have their usual meanings. Show that κS /κT = 1/γ where γ is the
ratio of principal specific heats. [6]

Section B

7. The coefficient of viscosity η is defined by

∂ux
τxz = η .
∂z
Explain the terms in this equation. [4]
Using simple kinetic theory, show that the viscosity of a gas is

η = 13 nmλv,

where n is the molecular number density, m the molecular mass, λ the mean free path
and v is the mean molecular velocity. [6]
A square read-head of area 1 mm2 is suspended above a disk rotating at 6000 rpm.
The height of the read-head above the disk is 25 μm. Assuming the velocity gradient
of the air between the head and the disk is linear, what viscous force does the head
experience when it is positioned 3 cm from the axis of rotation? [10]
[Assume the viscosity of air ηair = 1.73 × 10−5 N s m−2 .]

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 8. Define the partition function Z for a system in terms of the energies Ej of its
quantum states j and the inverse temperature β = (kB T )−1 . Write down the probability
pj that the system is in a given state j. [2]

Show that the system’s internal energy U , entropy S = −kB j pj loge pj and
Helmholtz free energy F are given by
∂ loge Z U
U =− , S= + kB loge Z and F = −kB T loge Z.
∂β T [4]

In a simplified model of a crystal, each molecule is a point mass that is attached

to its site by a force, so that at each site there is a three-dimensional quantised har-
monic oscillator with natural angular frequency ω. Show that in this approximation the
Helmholtz free energy of a crystal of N sites is
 
F = 32 N h̄ω + 3N kB T loge 1 − e−h̄ω/kB T . [7]

Show that the crystal’s heat capacity (a) tends to 3N kB in the limit of high
temperature, T → ∞, and (b) vanishes in the limit of low temperature, T → 0. [7]
n=∞
 1
rn = , for |r| < 1.
n=0
1−r

9. Show that the relation between pressure p and temperature T when two phases
of a single substance are in equilibrium is given by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation,
dp ΔS L
= = ,
dT ΔV T ΔV
where ΔS is the change in specific entropy for a given change in specific volume ΔV
when the substance changes phase, and where L is the specific latent heat. [8]
A pressurised vessel containing liquid water and water vapour only is heated until
the pressure reaches twice the value of atmospheric pressure. Obtain an expression for
the specific volume of the vapour by assuming that it behaves as a perfect gas. Hence
calculate the temperature at which this pressure will be reached. You may assume the
latent heat to be independent of temperature, and that the specific volume of the water
is negligible compared with that of the vapour. [10]
Explain briefly why dp/dT is negative when liquid water and water ice are in
equilibrium. [2]
[The specific latent heat of vaporisation of water is 2.272×106 J kg−1 , the mean molecular
mass of water is 18.0 a.m.u., and atmospheric pressure may be taken to be 105 Pa.]

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 10. Use the method of separation of variables to show that the wave equation

1 ∂2y ∂2y
− =0
c2 ∂t2 ∂x2
has solutions of the form ⎧
⎪
⎪ sin kx cos kct,
⎨
sin kx sin kct,
y=
⎪
⎩ cos kx cos kct,
⎪
cos kx sin kct. [3]
What is a normal mode of a string? State two properties of normal modes that
make them useful in the analysis of oscillating systems. [3]
A string in which transverse displacements propagate at speed c has its ends fixed
at x = 0 and x = π. The midpoint of the string is drawn aside a small distance h and
gently released. Show that at any subsequent time t the displacement is
∞
8h  (−1)r
y= sin(2r + 1)x cos(2r + 1)ct.
π 2 r=0 (2r + 1)2 [10]

What is the ratio of the energies contained in the fundamental and third normal
modes? [4]

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