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You May Not Start To Read The Questions Printed On The Subsequent Pages of This Question Paper Until Instructed That You May Do So by The Invigilator

This document contains an exam paper for the Natural Sciences Tripos Part II in Experimental and Theoretical Physics. The paper consists of 4 sections (A-D) that cover a range of physics topics. Section A contains short answer conceptual questions. Section B contains longer essay questions. Sections C and D contain longer problems and derivations. The document provides instructions on which questions to attempt and how to organize answers. Relevant resources like constants and formulas are provided.

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32 views

You May Not Start To Read The Questions Printed On The Subsequent Pages of This Question Paper Until Instructed That You May Do So by The Invigilator

This document contains an exam paper for the Natural Sciences Tripos Part II in Experimental and Theoretical Physics. The paper consists of 4 sections (A-D) that cover a range of physics topics. Section A contains short answer conceptual questions. Section B contains longer essay questions. Sections C and D contain longer problems and derivations. The document provides instructions on which questions to attempt and how to organize answers. Relevant resources like constants and formulas are provided.

Uploaded by

SpringOrchid
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
You are on page 1/ 6

NATURAL SCIENCES TRIPOS Part II

Tuesday 29th May 2007 9.00 to 12.00


EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL PHYSICS (1)
Attempt the whole of Section A, the whole of Section B, one question
from Section C and one question from Section D.
Answers from Section A should be tied up in a single bundle, with the
letter A written clearly on the cover sheet. Answers to each
question from Sections B, C and D should be tied up separately,
with the number of the question written clearly on the cover sheet.
Sections A and B each carry approximately a quarter of the total
marks. The approximate number of marks allocated to each part
of questions in Sections C and D is indicated in the right margin.
This paper contains 6 sides, and is accompanied by a book giving
values of constants and containing mathematical formulae which
you may quote without proof.
STATIONERY REQUIREMENTS
Script paper
Metric graph paper
Rough work paper
Blue coversheets
Tags
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Mathematical formulae handbook
Approved calculators allowed
You may not start to read the questions
printed on the subsequent pages of this
question paper until instructed that you
may do so by the Invigilator.
D1
2
SECTION A
Answers should be concise, and relevant formulae may be assumed
without proof. All questions carry an equal amount of credit.
A1 A box containing two particles has three energy levels of energy 0, and 2.
Each of these levels may be occupied by zero, one or two particles and the total
energy is constrained to be 2. Draw the energy level schemes for all possible
congurations of the two particles (a) if they are distinguishable, and (b) if they
are indistinguishable bosons.
A2 Explain why a rubber band under constant tension contracts on heating.
A3 Write down the Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistical distribution
functions for a system with a conserved number of particles. Under what
circumstances may these distributions be approximated by the Boltzmann
distribution ?
A4 Find an expression for the velocity as a function of time of a relativistic
particle of mass m
0
subject to a force F that is constant in the laboratory frame.
The particle is at rest at time t = 0.
A5 Write down the Jones matrix of a half-wave retardation plate in a coordinate
system of your choice, and determine the polarization state of a left-circularly
polarized incident beam after transmission through the plate.
A6 Draw labeled sketches of the angular distribution of synchrotron radiation
emitted by an accelerated charged particle in both the laboratory frame and the
instantaneous rest frame of the particle.
D1
3
SECTION B
Credit will be given for well-structured and clear explanations, including
appropriate diagrams and formulae. Detailed mathematical
derivations are not required.
B7 Either (a) Write an essay on the partition function and its uses in
deriving thermodynamic quantities. Your answer should include a discussion of the
relationship between the partition function and Helmholtz free energy, entropy and
pressure. You should also provide two examples where a partition function may be
used to derive other statistical properties.
Or (b) Write an essay on the Debye model for the heat capacity of
solids. Your answer should include a discussion of the salient features and
assumptions of the model as well as reasons for its success.
B8 Write brief notes on two of the following:
(a) the properties of 4-vectors, giving examples of 4-vectors that are
important in relativistic electrodynamics;
(b) Thomson scattering;
(c) the arguments required to see that Maxwells equations for the electric
and magnetic elds are compatible with the theory of special relativity;
(d) the radiation eld of a Hertzian dipole.
D1
(TURN OVER
4
SECTION C
C9 The availability function A of a system in contact with a reservoir is dened
as
A = U T
R
S + p
R
V
R
N.
The symbols have their usual meanings, and the subscript R denotes quantities
belonging to the reservoir.
Show how this denition leads to the expression
dA = T
R
dS
total
,
where total includes system and reservoir. [5]
Explain why thermodynamic equilibrium is achieved when dA = 0. [2]
A system in equilibrium is in contact with a reservoir. x is a thermodynamic
variable of the system with a mean value x
0
, and A(x) is the availability function.
By considering the number of microstates of the system and reservoir with a given
total internal energy, show that the probability distribution, P(x), may be
expressed approximately in a Gaussian form
P(x) = Bexp
_

(x)
2
2x
2

_
,
where x = x x
0
, x
2
= k
B
T
R
/(
2
A/x
2
)
x=x
0
and B is the normalizing
constant. [7]
A two-dimensional ideal gas of constant area, which is in contact with a
reservoir, contains N atoms at an equilibrium temperature T. Using the
availability function method, deduce expressions for the root-mean-square
uctuation of its internal energy at equilibrium, U
2

1/2
, and the fractional
uctuation, U
2

1/2
/U. [8]
C10 The van der Waals equation of state is given as
_
p +
aN
2
V
2
_
(V Nb) = Nk
B
T.
Explain the origin of the terms involving a and b. [2]
Sketch the p V isotherm for a van der Waals gas at a temperature below
its critical point and compare with the p V isotherm for an ideal gas at the same
temperature. Comment on the main dierences between the isotherms. [6]
D1
5
Starting with the relations U = TS pV +N and dU = TdS pdV +dN
for a gas, show that
d = sdT + vdp,
where s and v are the entropy and volume per particle. [3]
Show, with the help of a sketch, how this relation may be used to determine
the vapour pressure of a van der Waals gas when the liquid and gas phases
co-exist. [5]
Show that for a van der Waals gas the isobaric expansivity =
1
V
_
V
T
_
p
is
given approximately by
=
1
T
+
N (2a/k
B
T b)
V T
,
assuming that Na/k
B
TV and Nb/V are small. [6]
SECTION D
D11 Explain the meaning of the symbols in the Lorentz transformation for the
electromagnetic eld
E

x
= E
x
; B

x
= B
x
;
E

y
= (E
y
uB
z
); B

y
=
_
B
y
+
u
c
2
E
z
_
;
E

z
= (E
z
+ uB
y
); B

z
=
_
B
z

u
c
2
E
y
_
.
[4]
A relativistic particle with charge q, mass m and velocity v has momentum
p = mv. Consider its motion in a uniform and constant magnetic eld, B, with
no electric eld. Show that the projection of the momentum of the particle on the
plane perpendicular to B moves on a circle. Calculate the rotation frequency of
the particle in this plane, and compare this to the corresponding non-relativistic
value of the cyclotron frequency. Show that the velocity component of the particle
along the direction of B is conserved. [8]
Now consider the motion of the charge in the presence of uniform and
constant electric and magnetic elds, E and B, that are orthogonal to each other.
Show that, depending on the relative magnitudes of E and B, one can nd a
frame of reference in which there is (a) only an electric eld or (b) only a magnetic
eld. Find the particle trajectory in this frame of reference for case (b), and
describe qualitatively the particle trajectory as observed in the original frame of
reference in which both an electric and a magnetic eld are present. [10]
D1
(TURN OVER
6
D12 The retarded vector potential A(r, t) and scalar potential (r, t) are given by
(r, t) =
1
4
0
_
dV


_
r

, t
|rr

|
c
_
|r r

|
A(r, t) =

0
4
_
dV

j
_
r

, t
|rr

|
c
_
|r r

|
.
Outline how the forms of these retarded potentials lead to radiation by
considering a dipole which is allowed to undergo one oscillation starting and
nishing with dipole moment p = 0. [6]
Consider an innite, straight wire along the z-direction. For t < 0 no current
is owing. At time t = 0 a current I
0
is turned on abruptly, and remains constant
afterwards:
I(t) =
0 for t < 0
I
0
for t > 0.
The wire remains neutral at all times ( = 0). Find (r, t) and A(r, t).
Show that, in cylindrical polar coordinates (R, z), A is given by
A(R, t) = z

0
I
0
2
ln
_
_
_
ct
R
+

_
ct
R
_
2
1
_
_
_
for R < ct,
where z is a unit vector in the z-direction. [8]
[You may use the general result:
_
dx

x
2
+a
2
= ln(x +

x
2
+ a
2
) + c ]
From the potentials nd expressions for the electric and magnetic elds, E
and B, as a function of R and t. Sketch the magnitudes of E and B at a xed R
as a function of t. [8]
END OF PAPER
D1

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