Physics Enhancement Programme Phase 2

Selection Test 4 (Total 100 points)

22 February 2020
1. (20 points)
(a) A cosmic ray proton collides with a stationary proton in the laboratory frame 𝑆. After collision,
two protons bound together and moving highly relativistic (𝛾 = 1000). In the moving frame of the
bounded system 𝑆′, mesons are emitted with velocity 𝛽𝑐. If a meson is emitted at an angle 𝜃 with
respect to the forward direction as measured in the moving frame 𝑆′, at what angle 𝜃 will it be observed
in the laboratory frame 𝑆?
(b) A meson with rest mass energy 140 MeV emitted in the moving system with momentum
0.5 𝐺𝑒𝑉/𝑐 (as measured in 𝑆′). What will 𝜃 be if 𝜃 is 90∘ ? What will be the maximum value of 𝜃
observed in the laboratory?

Solution:
(a) Let 𝑆 and 𝑆′ be the laboratory frame and the frame attached to the (center-of-mass) excited system
respectively with 𝑆′ moving with velocity 𝛽𝑐 relative to 𝑆. The velocity of a meson emitted in 𝑆′ with
velocity 𝛽𝑐 at angle 𝜃 to the x’-axis is transformed to 𝑆 as
𝑢9: + 𝛽𝑐 𝛽 cos 𝜃 + 𝛽 𝑢B: 𝛽 sin 𝜃 𝑐
𝑢9 = : = 𝑐; 𝑢B = : =
𝑢 𝛽 1 + 𝛽𝛽𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑢 𝛽 𝛾 1 + 𝛽𝛽 cos 𝜃
1+ 9 𝛾 1+ 9
𝑐 𝑐
The meson is emitted in 𝑆 at an angle 𝜃 which is given by
𝛽 sin 𝜃
tan 𝜃 =
𝛾 𝛽 cos 𝜃 + 𝛽
where
𝛾H − 1 1 1
𝛾 = 1000, 𝛽 = = 1− H
≈ 1 − H = 0.9999995
𝛾 𝛾 2𝛾
(b) If 𝜃 = 90∘ ,
𝛽 𝛽
tan 𝜃 = =
𝛾𝛽 𝛾H − 1
The momentum of the emitted meson is
𝐺𝑒𝑉
𝑝 = 𝑚𝛾𝛽𝑐 = 0.5
𝑐
N
where 𝛾 = Q
and 𝑚 is the rest mass of the meson. Then
NOP
0.5
𝛾𝛽 = = 3.571
0.14
H
Since 𝛾𝛽 = 𝛾 H − 1, we have 𝛽 = 0.963.
Hence
0.963 ∘
𝜃 ≈ tan 𝜃 = = 9.63×10OW 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 5.52×10OH
10U − 1
The maximum angle of 𝜃 is given by
𝑑 tan 𝜃
=0
𝑑𝜃
⇒ 𝛽 cos 𝜃 + 𝛽 cos 𝜃 + 𝛽 sinH 𝜃 = 0
𝛽
⇒ cos 𝜃 = −
𝛽
⇒ 𝜃 = 164.4∘
⇒ 𝜃 = 0.205∘
2.(20 points) A tiny car travels on a horizontal surface along the optical axis of a converging thin lens
with focal length 𝑓. A point light source 𝑆 moving along the optical axis is fix on the car roof. The car
velocity varies so that the velocity of the image 𝑆N of the source 𝑆 remains constant and equal to 𝑣N .
The coefficient of friction between the car wheels and the road is 𝜇. In the figure, 𝑥 > 0 is the
coordinate of the car 𝑆 and 𝑦 < 0 is the coordinate of the image 𝑆N .

`; 1; ` 1

& % '

(a) What is the maximum acceleration of the car 𝑎c ? Express your answer in terms of 𝜇 and 𝑔.
(b) Find the velocity 𝑣 of the car when it is at distance 𝑥 from the lens. Express your answer in terms
of 𝑥, 𝑓 and 𝑣N .
(c) Find the acceleration of the car when it is at distance 𝑥 from the lens. Express your answer in terms
of 𝑥, 𝑓 and 𝑣N .
(d) Find out the range of 𝑥 where such motion of the car is possible. Express your answser in terms of
𝑎c , 𝑓 and 𝑣N .

Solution:
(a) The acceleration cannot exceed the value 𝑎c = 𝜇𝑔

(b) From the thin lens, we have

1 1 1
+ =
𝑥 −𝑦 𝑓
⇒ 𝑦 − 𝑥 𝑓 = 𝑥𝑦
For a small displacement, we have
−𝛥𝑥 + 𝛥𝑦 𝑓 = 𝑥𝛥𝑦 + 𝑦𝛥𝑥
⇒ 𝛥𝑥 𝑓 + 𝑦 = 𝛥𝑦 𝑓 − 𝑥
H
𝛥𝑥 𝑣 𝑓−𝑥 𝑓−𝑥 𝑓−𝑥
⇒ = = = H =
𝛥𝑦 𝑣N 𝑓 + 𝑦 𝑓 − 𝑥𝑓 + 𝑥𝑓 𝑓H
𝑓−𝑥
𝑓−𝑥 H
⇒𝑣= 𝑣N
𝑓
Since we also have
1 1 1 𝑓−𝑥 𝑥𝑓
= − = ⇒𝑦=
𝑦 𝑥 𝑓 𝑥𝑓 𝑓−𝑥

(c) The acceleration of the car is

H
𝑑𝑣 𝑑 𝑓−𝑥 𝑓−𝑥 𝑣 2𝑣NH 𝑥 − 𝑓 g
𝑎= = 𝑣N = 2𝑣N − =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑓 𝑓 𝑓 𝑓W

(d) We have
2𝑣NH 𝑥 − 𝑓 g
≤ 𝑎c
𝑓W
𝑎c 𝑓 W
⇒ |𝑥 − 𝑓|g ≤
2𝑣NH
j 𝑎c 𝑓 W
⇒ 𝑥−𝑓 ≤
2𝑣NH
 j 𝑎c 𝑓 j 𝑎c 𝑓
𝑓 1− H ≤𝑥 ≤𝑓 1+
2𝑣N 2𝑣NH
j kl m kl m
if 1 − > 0 ⇔ 𝑣q > .
HnoQ H

On the other hand, if

j 𝑎c 𝑓 𝑎c 𝑓
1− < 0 ⇔ 𝑣q <
2𝑣qH 2
we have
j 𝑎c 𝑓
0≤𝑥 ≤𝑓 1+
2𝑣NH

3.(20 points) A solar sail is a flat mirror of a mass 𝑚 = 1.6 𝑔 and an area 𝑆 = 1.0 𝑚H . The sail is
perpendicular to solar rays and is moving along a straight line passing through the Sun and the sail
centre. Initially the sail is at a distance 𝑅q = 1.0 𝑎. 𝑢. from the Sun and moving away from the Sun
with constant velocity 𝑣 ≪ 𝑐.
(a) If a photon of momentum 𝑝N is colliding with the solar sail of velocity 𝑣, calculate the momentum
transfer to the solar sail after the collision.
(b) Calculate the force acting on the solar sail due to the solar radiation. Express your answer in terms
of 𝑊q , 𝑆, 𝑣, 𝑐 and 𝑅q .
(c) Determine the velocity 𝑣 of the solar sail.

One astronomical unit is the distance from the Earth to the Sun: 1 𝑎. 𝑢. = 150×10U km
The photon momentum 𝑝 and its energy 𝐸 are related by 𝐸 = 𝑝𝑐 where 𝑐 = 2.998×10z 𝑚/𝑠 is the
speed of light.
Do not take into account protons, neutrons and other particles coming from the Sun.
The total flux of solar radiation passing per unit time through a unit area oriented perpendicular to
solar rays at a distance 1 𝑎. 𝑢. from the Sun is equal to 𝑊q = 1.367 𝑘𝑊/𝑚H .

Solution:
(a) Consider the reflection of a photon from the sail mirror. Let the mirror velocity be 𝑣 and the photon
momentum before and after the collision be 𝑝N and 𝑝H respectively. Let the change of sail velocity
𝛥𝑣 ≪ 𝑣 after the collision. Conservation of energy and momentum give
𝑝N + 𝑚𝑣 = −𝑝H + 𝑚 𝑣 + 𝛥𝑣
1 1
𝑝N 𝑐 + 𝑚𝑣 H = 𝑝H 𝑐 + 𝑚 𝑣 + 𝛥𝑣 H
2 2
Since 𝛥𝑣 ≪ 𝑣, these equations can be reduced to
𝑝N + 𝑝H = 𝑚𝛥𝑣
𝑝N − 𝑝H 𝑐 = 𝑚𝑣𝛥𝑣
𝑐
⇒ 𝑝N + 𝑝H = 𝑝N − 𝑝H
𝑣
𝑐 𝑐
⇒ − 1 𝑝N = + 1 𝑝H
𝑣 𝑣
And the change of momentum is
𝑐
⇒ 𝛥𝑝 = 𝑚𝛥𝑣 = 𝑝N + 𝑝H = 2𝑝N
𝑐+𝑣
(b) Suppose 𝑛 photon collide with a mirror at rest per unit time and the energy of a single photon is
𝐸N . We have 𝑊q 𝑆 = 𝑛𝐸N .
}On
Since the sail travels with speed 𝑣, the number of collisions per unit time is 𝑛N = 𝑛 .
}
The radiation force is
𝑐−𝑣 𝑐 𝑝N 𝑐 − 𝑣 2𝑊q 𝑆 𝑐 − 𝑣
𝐹• = 𝛥𝑝𝑛N = 𝑛 2𝑝N = 2𝑊q 𝑆 =
𝑐 𝑐+𝑣 𝐸N 𝑐 + 𝑣 𝑐 𝑐+𝑣

(c) For constant velocity, the net force vanishes

𝐺𝑀𝑚 2𝑊q 𝑆 𝑐 − 𝑣
=
𝑅qH 𝑐 𝑐+𝑣
Notice that
𝐺𝑀𝑚 𝑚𝑣 H H
𝐺𝑀
= ⇒ 𝑣 =
𝑅qH 𝑅q 𝑅q
and the period of the Earth orbit is
2𝜋𝑅q 𝑅q
𝑇= = 2𝜋𝑅q
𝑣 𝐺𝑀
H H
𝑇 4𝜋
⇒ g=
𝑅q 𝐺𝑀
4𝜋 H 𝑅qg
⇒ 𝐺𝑀 =
𝑇H
2𝑊q 𝑆 𝑐 − 𝑣 4𝜋 H 𝑅q 𝑚
⇒ =
𝑐 𝑐+𝑣 𝑇H
H
𝑐 − 𝑣 2𝜋 𝑅q 𝑚𝑐
⇒ = H =𝛼
𝑐+𝑣 𝑇 𝑊q 𝑆
1−𝛼
𝑣= 𝑐 = −1.19×10„ 𝑚/𝑠
1+𝛼
The sail is moving toward the Sun.

4. (20 points) Motion of charged particles

Four point particles 𝑚 initially located at the corners of a square inscribed in a circle of radius 𝑅q . Two
particles have electric charge +𝑞 and the other two have charge – 𝑞. Initially, the point particles were
given the same clockwise velocities 𝑣 tangent to the circle.
It is given that the maximum distance between a particle and the circle center 𝑂 during the motion is
𝑅q while the minimum distance is 𝑅N (𝑅N < 𝑅q ). We also assume that the system remains symmetric
with respect to the center 𝑂 and the gravity can be neglected.
 &
+# )

'(
)
! −#
%
−#
)

) +#

(a) Determine the total force acting on the point particle located at 𝑟 = (0, 𝑅q ).
(b) Determine and sketch the trajectory of the point particle which is located at 𝑟 = 0, 𝑅q initially.
(c) Determine the period of their motion.

Solution:
(a) According to Coulomb’s law, the total force acting on the +𝑞 charge is
𝑞H 2 1 𝑞H 2 2−1
𝐹 𝑅q = H − H −𝚥 = − H 𝚥
4𝜋𝜖q 2𝑅q 4𝑅q 4𝜋𝜖q 𝑅q 4

(b) Due to the symmetry, all masses travel along identical trajectories at any moment. They remain at
the corners of a square with a side 𝑎 = 2𝑟 inscribed in a circle of radius 𝑟 𝑡 .
The net force acting on the charge is pointing to the origin (central force) with the form,
𝑞H 2 2−1
𝐹 𝑟 =− 𝑟
4𝜋𝜖q 𝑟 H 4
Therefore, each particle is moving as if it were attracted to the centre by a charge of opposite sign with
an absolute value equal to
2 2−1
𝑄 = 𝑞
4
The force is similar to the Newton’s law of gravitation. The total energy of a particle is
1 𝑞H 2 2−1
𝐸 = 𝑚𝑣 H − H
2 4𝜋𝜖q 𝑅q 4
In general, the trajectory depends on the magnitude of the initial velocity 𝑣. Since it is given that the
trajectory is bounded to the origin, the trajectory is an ellipse where the origin is one of the foci and
N
the semimajor axis is 𝑎 = 𝑅q + 𝑅N .
H
 &
+# )

'(
)
! −#
%
−# '*
)

) +#

(c) The period of rotation 𝑇 around an elliptical orbit can be found from the Kepler’s law.
For a circular orbit,
𝑞H 2 2−1 𝑚𝑣 H
=
4𝜋𝜖q 𝑟 H 4 𝑟
H
𝑞 2 2−1
⇒ 𝑣H =
4𝜋𝜖q 𝑚𝑟 4
2𝜋𝑟 2𝜋 16𝜋𝜖q 𝑚𝑟 g
𝑇q = =
𝑣 𝑞 2 2−1
N
For an ellipse, we replace 𝑟 → 𝑎 = (𝑅q + 𝑅N ) and the period is
H

2𝜋 2𝜋𝜖q 𝑚(𝑅q + 𝑅N )g
𝑇=
𝑞 2 2−1

5. (20 points) Piston Stability

A vertical cylinder sealed at the bottom has a length 𝐿 = 1.5 𝑚. Its upper end is opened into another
cylinder of a much larger diameter. A thin light piston is located in the lower cylinder at a distance
ℎ = ℎN = 380 𝑚𝑚 from its upper end. There is a layer of mercury of a height ℎ + 𝛥ℎ, where 𝛥ℎ ≪ ℎ,
above the piston and helium at a pressure 𝑝N = 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎN below the piston. Here, 𝑝q =
760 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 is the atmospheric pressure and 𝜌•‘ = 13.6 𝑔/𝑐𝑚g is the density of mercury.
A change in 𝛥ℎ resulting from the displacement of a piston inside the lower cylinder is negligible
because the diameters of the cylinders differ significantly. One can also assume that the temperature
of helium under the piston does not vary under a small change of volume.

(a) It is given that the piston is in equilibrium when ℎ = ℎN . Are there other equilibrium positions? If
so, at which distances ℎ“ of the piston from the upper end are they located?
(b) Are these equilibrium positions stable?

Δℎ
ℎ
Mercury
"
Helium
Solution:
(a) Since the helium temperature remains constant, we have
𝑝 𝐿 − ℎ = 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎN 𝐿 − ℎN
The helium pressure in equilibrium is 𝑝 = 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎ, which gives
𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎ 𝐿 − ℎ = 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎN 𝐿 − ℎN [1]
⇒ ℎ = ℎN = 380mm 𝑜𝑟 360mm
There is another equilibrium at ℎ = 360 𝑚𝑚.

(b) To study the stability of the equilibrium. Let 𝑝” be the pressure of mercury just above the piston
and 𝑝• be the pressure of helium just below the piston. An equilibrium will be stable if the restoring
force resulting from a small displacement of the piston tends to return it to the equilibrium position:
𝑑
𝑝 − 𝑝• < 0
𝑑ℎ ”
(i.e. push down the piston results in a upward net force).

The pressure of the mercury is

𝑝” = 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎ
and the pressure of helium is
𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎN 𝐿 − ℎN
𝑝• =
𝐿−ℎ
𝑑 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎN 𝐿 − ℎ N 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎN 𝐿 − ℎN
𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎ − = 𝜌•‘ 𝑔 − <0
𝑑ℎ 𝐿−ℎ 𝐿−ℎ H
At equilibrium, we have equation [1],
𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎ
⇒ 𝜌•‘ 𝑔 − <0
𝐿−ℎ
⇒ 𝜌•‘ 𝑔 𝐿 − ℎ < 𝑝q + 𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎ
⇒ 2𝜌•‘ 𝑔ℎ > 𝜌•‘ 𝑔𝐿 − 𝑝q
1 𝑝q
⇒ℎ> 𝐿− = 370 𝑚𝑚
2 𝜌•‘ 𝑔
Hence, the equilibrium ℎ = ℎN = 380 𝑚𝑚 is stable while the second one ℎ = 360 𝑚𝑚 is unstable.