Physics 228 - Final Exam Solutions 2.

A converging and a diverging lens, each with a focal length of

30 cm, are arranged so that they are separated by 60 cm.
May 9, 2006 If a candle is placed 90 cm to the left of the converging
Prof. Coleman, Dr. Francis, Prof. Bronzan, lens, where is the image produced by the diverging lens?

Prof. Glashausser, and Prof. Madey

f f
1. Which of the following quantities remains unchanged when
light passes from a vacuum into a slab of glass with a 45◦
angle of incidence? a) 30 cm to the right of the diverging lens
b) 10 cm to the left of the diverging lens
a) its frequency
c) 18 cm to the left of the diverging lens
b) its wavelength
d) 30 cm to the left of the diverging lens
c) its speed
e) 90 cm to the right of the diverging lens
d) its direction of travel
Solution:
e) none of these
For the converging and diverging lenses,
Solution:
The frequency remains unchanged. The speed changes because 1 1 1 1 1 1
+ = , ¯ + ¯ =− .
the index of refraction of glass is not 1.0, like the vacuum. do di 30 cm do di 30 cm
Since the speed changes and the frequency remains fixed, the
wavelength changes. The direction of travel changes according do = 90 cm, so di = 45 cm. This image is 15 cm to the left
to Snell’s law. of the diverging lens, so d¯o = 15 cm. Then d¯i = -10 cm. The
final image is 10 cm to the left of the diverging lens.
3. In a Young’s double-slit experiment, light of wavelength 4. A glass (n = 1.6) lens is coated with a thin film (n = 1.3) to
500 nm illuminates two slits which are separated by 1 mm. minimize reflection of certain incident light. If λair = 500 nm
The separation between adjacent bright fringes on a screen 5 is the wavelength of the light in air, the least film thickness
m from the slits is: is:
a) 0.10 cm b) 0.50 cm c) 1.0 cm a) 78 nm b) 96 nm c) 162 nm
d) 0.05 cm e) 0.25 cm d) 200 nm e) 250 nm
Solution: Solution:
We want to find the solution for the first destructive interfer-
ence fringe. Since nair < nf ilm < nglass , there will be a phase
shift at each reflection, so the relative phase shift between the
light reflected from the film and the light reflected from the
glass will be zero. This means we can use
1 λair
2t = λf ilm =
2 2 nf ilm

which gives us t = λair /(4 nf ilm ) = 96 nm.

5. Consider two polarizers as shown. Light traveling along the 6. A spacecraft in its own rest frame is shaped like an ellipse,
z-axis passes through the pair. One of the polarizer is rotated with one axis twice as long as the other axis. How fast and
with an angular frequency ω. The intensity of light transmit- in what direction should you move to make the craft appear
ted through the pair, It , is periodic with frequency: circular?
y L

Ι Ιt
0
a) ω
b) ω/2
ω z
c) 2ω
2L
d) 3ω
e) ω/3 a) 0.866 c in the y-direction
b) 0.866 c in the x-direction
c) 1.73 c in the x-direction
d) 0.750 c in the x-direction y
Solution:
e) 0.750 c in the y-direction x

Solution:
An observer traveling with speed v in the y direction sees a
contracted spacecraft in that direction. To make it appear
circular, the contraction should be 50%. Thus γ must be 2.0,
and β = v/c must be 0.866. There is no contraction in the x
direction.
7. A nucleus of mass M is at rest in the center-of-mass frame 8. The figure shows a schematic plot of intensity I of blackbody
of reference. It spontaneously fissions into two pieces of equal radiation versus wavelength λ at temperature T0 . When the
mass m, each moving at speed 0.8c in opposite directions in temperature increases above T0 the wavelength corresponding
the same center-of-mass system. What is the mass m of either to the maximum intensity will:
fragment, in terms of M? a) increase
a) 0.18 M b) 0.83 M c) 0.79 M b) decrease
d) 0.30 M e) 0.50 M c) increase initially, and T0
eventually decrease I
Solution: intensity
Use conservation of relativistic energy in the center-of-mass d) decrease initially and
system to determine m. We have eventually increase
e) remains the same λ (wavelength)
2 2
mc mc 10
Mc2 = 2 q =2 = mc2 .
1 − (0.8)2 0.6 3
Solution:
Thus m = 0.30 M.
9. The stopping potential for electrons ejected by 6.8 × 1014 -Hz 10. In Compton scattering from stationary electrons, the largest
electromagnetic radiation incident on a certain sample is 1.8 V. amount of energy will be imparted to the electron when the
The kinetic energy, K, of the most energetic electrons ejected photon is scattered through:
and the work function, φ, of the sample, respectively, are:
a) 0◦ b) 45◦ c) 90◦ d) 180◦ e) 270◦
a) K = 1.8 eV, φ = 2.8 eV
Solution:
b) K = 1.8 eV, φ = 1.0 eV
c) K = 1.8 eV, φ = 4.6 eV
d) K = 2.8 eV, φ = 1.0 eV
e) K = 1.0 eV, φ = 4.6 eV
Solution:
The stopping potential and the maximum kinetic energy are
related as Kmax = eV , so that Kmax = 1.8 eV. Using the
photoelectric equation

eV = hf − φ → φ = hf − Kmax

gives us φ = 1.0 eV.

11. The binding energy of an electron in the n=2 state in a hy- 13. An electron is confined in an infinite, one dimensional, square
drogen atom is about: potential well of width 0.200 nm.
a) 3.4 eV b) 13.6 eV c) 10.2 eV (
∞ for x < 0 and x > 0.200nm
d) 1.0 eV e) 27.2 eV V =
0 for 0 < x < 0.200nm
Solution:
The total energy of the hydrogen atom in the n = 2 state is The energy of the ground state is:
-3.4 eV (ie, -13.6/4). Thus it takes 3.4 eV to separate the a) 0.142 eV
electron in this state from the proton in the H atom, ie, its b) 1.50 eV
binding energy is 3.4 eV. c) 9.40 eV
d) 13.6 eV
12. A ruby laser delivers a 1-ns pulse of 1.0 MW average power. e) 54.4 eV
If the light has a wavelength of 694.3 nm, how many photons
are contained in the pulse?
Solution:
a) 3.5 × 1024
b) 5.5 × 1014
c) 3.5 × 1015
d) 7.3 × 1015
e) 1.7 × 1024
Solution:
The energy in the pulse in (1.0 × 106 J/s)× (1.0 × 10−9 s)=
1.0 × 10−3 J. The energy carried by each photon is hf = hc/λ
= 2.87 × 10−19 J/photon. Thus the number of photons is
(1.0 × 10−3 J)/(2.87 × 10−19 J/photon)= 3.49 × 1015 photons.
14. An electron is in a one-dimensional potential well of width L 15. If we think of an electron in a hydrogen atom as being a
with zero potential energy in the interior and infinite potential standing wave, then in the ground state of radius, a0 , what is
energy at the walls. A graph of its wave function ψ(x) versus the electron’s de Broglie wavelength?
x is shown. The value of quantum number n is: a) 2πa0
b) h/(m2 v 2 )
ψ
c) a0 /(h̄c)
a) 0 d) a0
b) 1 e) h̄/(mv)
c) 2 Solution:
d) 3
e) 4 0 L

Solution:
Since the wavefunction for a particle in a box is
nπ
 
Ψn (x) ∝ sin x
L
for n = 1, 2, 3, . . ., we can determine n out by looking at the
picture. One and one-half wavelengths are fit into the box, so
the wavelength is λ = 2L/3. Since each half-wavelength cor-
responds to one energy level, this means the quantum energy 16. The maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated
number is 3. in an orbital with quantum number ℓ = 3 is:
a) 2 b) 3 c) 7 d) 9 e) 14
Solution:
For ℓ = 3, mℓ can take on the seven integer values from -3 to
+3. For each of these values of mℓ , ms can be + or -1/2.
17. Sodium has an unpaired electron in its outer 4s subshell. If a 19. The energy gap for silicon at 300 K is 1.14 eV. What is the
large collection of sodium atoms are subjected to a 1 T mag- wavelength of the lowest energy photon that will promote an
netic field, what is the size of the split in the energy level of electron from the valence band to the conduction band?
this electron? a) 1.14 nm
a) 0 eV b) 263 nm
b) 5.8 × 10−5 eV c) 1.09 µm
c) 1.2 × 10−4 eV d) 1.24 µm
d) 2.3 × 10−4 eV e) 342 nm
e) 2.9 × 10−5 eV Solution:
Solution: The photon energy required to bridge the gap is just ∆E =
The energy of a spin magnetic moment in a magnetic hc/λ. This means that
field is E(ms ) = g(eh̄)/(2m)Bms . The energy splitting
hc
is ∆E = E(1/2) − E(−1/2) To two significant figures, λ= = 1.09 µm
g/2=1.00, so ∆E = (ehB)/(2πm) = (1.85 × 10−23 J)/(1.60 × ∆E
10−19 J/eV)=1.16 × 10−4 eV.
20. For a metal at T = 0 K, the probability that a state 0.50 eV
18. What is the correct ground-state electron configuration of Mg below the Fermi level is occupied is:
(Z = 12)? a) 0
a) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 b) 5.0 × 10−9
b) 1s2 2p6 2d4 c) 5.0 × 10−6
c) 1s2 2s2 2p6 2d2 d) 5.0 × 10−3
d) 1s2 2s2 3s2 3p6 e) 1
e) 1s2 2s2 3s2 4s2 2p4 Solution:
21. Consider the nuclear reaction: 9
4 Be +α→n+ 12
6 C
23. A large collection of nuclei is undergoing alpha decay. The
rate of decay at any instant is:
(Note: M(94 Be) = 9.012183u; M(α) = 4.002603u; a) proportional to the number of undecayed nuclei
M(n) = 1.008665u; M(12 6 C) = 12.000000u) present at that instant
b) proportional to the time since the decays started
This reaction: c) proportional to the time remaining before all have de-
a) cannot occur because it violates charge conservation. cayed
b) will not proceed unless the reactants have a total ki- d) proportional to the half-life of the decay
netic energy of 6.3 MeV. e) a universal constant
c) will release energy. Solution:
d) is used in carbon dating. Given that the number of particles at a given time is
e) cannot proceed because it violates conservation of
baryon number. N(t) = N(0)e−λt
Solution:
Total mass before the reaction is the rate is
dN(t)
9.012183 + 4.002603 = 13.014786u = −λN(0)e−λt = −λN(t)
dt
Total mass after the reaction is the rate of decay is proportional to the number of nuclei
present.
1.008665 + 12.000000 = 13.008665u

The extra mass before the reaction is converted into kinetic

energy of the outgoing particles.

22. The half-life of radium is about 1600 years. If a rock initially

contains 1 gram of radium, the amount left after 8000 years
will be about:
a) 200 mg
b) 63 mg
c) 31 mg
d) 16 mg
e) less than 1 mg
Solution:
8000 years is 5 half lives. The amount of radium remaining
after 8000 years is 2−5 × 1 g = 31 mg.
24. In a certain nuclear fission process, 25. Each of the following reactions is forbidden. Determine a con-
servation law that is violated for each reaction.
1 235 141
0 n+92 U→56 Ba +92 1
36 Kr+30 n I. π − + p+ → p+ + π +
II. p+ + p+ → p+ + π +
Where: III. p+ + µ+ → p+ + p+ + ν̄ µ
m(235
92 U) = 235.043924 u a) I. charge, II. baryon number, III. baryon num-
m(141
56 Ba) = 140.9139 u ber
m(92
36 Kr) = 91.8973 u b) I. charge, II. lepton number, III. baryon number
m(10 n) = 1.008665 u
c) I. charge, II. baryon number, III. lepton number
d) I. charge, II. lepton number, III. lepton number
The energy released in this process is about:
e) I. lepton number, II. baryon number, III. baryon num-
a) 86 MeV b) 200 MeV c) 2.19 GeV ber
d) 79 MeV e) 120 GeV
Solution:
Solution:
The energy released is going to be due to the mass difference
between the original nucleus (and the catalyst neutron) and
the final products:

Q = MLHS c2 − MRHS c2
= (m(235 2 141 92
92 U) + m(n))c − (m(56 Ba) + m(36 Kr) + 2 m(n))c
2

= (m(235 141 92
92 U) − m(56 Ba) + m(36 Kr) + 2 m(n))c
2

= 200 MeV
26. Consider the following reaction: π − + p → Ko + (?) ; 27. A telescope has a diffraction grating with 750 slits per cen-
which in terms of quarks is: (ūd) + (uud) → (ds̄) + (?) timeter. Two different wavelengths of radiation, λ1 = 900 nm
Which of the following is a candidate for the unknown prod- and λ2 = 700 nm fall on the grating. How far apart are their
uct? first maxima, in degrees?
¯
a) p̄ = (ūūd) a) 0◦ b) (1.5 × 10−10 )◦ c) 0.0086◦
o
b) K̄ = (ds)¯ d) 0.015◦ e) 0.86◦
c) Ξo = (uss)
Solution:
d) Σ− = (dds)
e) Λo = (uds)
Solution:

28. Which of the following statements about the “Standard

Model” of particle physics is false?
a) Bosons are the matter constituents. Fermions
mediate the forces between particles.
b) The weak force is short-ranged because of the large
mass of the Z and W particles.
c) Strangeness is not conserved by the weak interaction.
d) There are three known generations of leptons and
quarks.
e) Hadrons are bound states of quarks, or antiquarks.
Solution:
Bosons mediate the force between particles.
29. Protons are accelerated in a cyclotron with internal field of 30. An electron in an atom has quantum numbers n = 2, ℓ = 1,
0.2 T. If beam exits at a radius of 2 m from the center of the mℓ = −1, and ms = +1/2. What is the magnitude of the
cyclotron, what is the energy of the protons? orbital angular momentum of this electron?
√ √
a) 7.67 MeV b) 14 GeV c) 38.3 MeV a) 0 b) −h̄ c) 3h̄/2 d) h̄/2 e) 2h̄
d) 1.92 MeV e) 15.3 MeV
Solution:
Solution:
The cyclotron angular frequency is

eB (1.60 × 10−19 C)(0.200 T)

ω= = = 1.92 × 107 rad/sec.
m 1.67 × 10−27 kg

The speed of the exiting protons is v = ωR = (1.92 × 107

rad/sec) (2.00 m)= 3.84 × 107 m/sec. The kinetic energy of
the protons is
1 2 1
K = mv = (1.67 × 10−27 kg)(3.84 × 107 m/sec)2
2 2
1.23 × 10−12 J
= = 7.67 MeV.
1.60 × 10−13 J/MeV