PHE-01

ASSIGNMENT BOOKLET
Bachelor's Degree Programme (B.Sc.)

ELEMENTARY MECHANICS

Valid from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011

Please Note

• You can take electives (56 to 64 credits) from a minimum of TWO and a
maximum of FOUR science disciplines, viz. Physics, Chemistry, Life
Sciences and Mathematics.

• You can opt for elective courses worth a MINIMUM OF 8 CREDITS and a
MAXIMUM OF 48 CREDITS from any of these four disciplines.

• At least 25% of the total credits that you register for in the elective
courses from Life Sciences, Chemistry and Physics disciplines must be
from the laboratory courses. For example, if you opt for a total of 64
credits of electives in these 3 disciplines, at least 16 credits should be
from lab courses.

• You cannot appear in the Term-End Examination of any course without

registering for the course. Otherwise, your result will not be declared
and the onus will be on you.

School of Sciences
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068

(For January, 2011 Cycle)

Dear Student,

We hope you are familiar with the system of evaluation to be followed for the Bachelor’s Degree
Programme. At this stage you may probably like to re-read the section on assignments in the Programme
Guide for Elective Courses that we sent you after your enrolment. A weightage of 30 per cent, as you are
aware, has been earmarked for continuous evaluation which would consist of one tutor-marked
assignment for this course.

Instructions for Formatting Your Assignments

Before attempting the assignment please read the following instructions carefully.

1) On top of the first page of your TMA answer sheet, please write the details exactly in the following
format:

ENROLMENT NO.:……………………………………………

NAME :……………………………………………

ADDRESS :……………………………………………

……………………………………………

……………………………………………
COURSE CODE : ……………………………..
COURSE TITLE : ……………………….…….
ASSIGNMENT NO.: ………………………….…
STUDY CENTRE : ………………………..……. DATE :……….……………………

PLEASE FOLLOW THE ABOVE FORMAT STRICTLY TO FACILITATE EVALUATION

AND TO AVOID DELAY.

2) Use only foolscap size writing paper (but not of very thin variety) for writing your answers.

3) Leave 4 cm margin on the left, top and bottom of your answer sheet.

4) Your answers should be precise and in your own words. Do not copy answers from study material.

5) While solving problems, clearly indicate the question number along with the part being solved.
Write units at each step of your calculations as done in the text because marks will be deducted for
such mistakes. Take care of significant digits in your work. Recheck your work before submitting it.

6) This assignment will remain valid for one year from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.
However, you are advised to submit it within 12 weeks of receiving this booklet to accomplish its
purpose as a teaching-tool.
Answer sheets received after the due date shall not be accepted.

We strongly feel that you should retain a copy of your assignment response to avoid any unforeseen
situation and append, if possible, a photocopy of this booklet with your response.

We wish you good luck.

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 Tutor Marked Assignment
PHE-01: Elementary Mechanics
Course Code: PHE-01
Assignment Code: PHE-01/TMA/2011
Max. Marks: 100
Note: Attempt all questions. Symbols have their usual meanings. The marks for each question are
indicated against it.
1. An airplane has a speed of 600 km h−1 with respect to air. It has to fly a distance of 800 km
northward. In what direction should it fly if a steady wind is blowing at a speed of
120 km h−1 from the west? What will its speed with respect to the ground be? Draw the
relevant diagram for your calculations. (4 + 4 + 2)
2. A plane is flying with a constant speed along a straight line at an angle of 60° with the
horizontal. The weight W of the plane is 90, 000 N and its engine provides a thrust T of
120, 000 N in the direction of flight. Two additional forces are exerted on the plane: the lift
force F perpendicular to the plane’s wings, and the force R due to air resistance opposite to
the direction of motion. Draw the free-body diagram showing all forces on the plane.
Determine F and R. (4 + 3 + 3)
3. A bus is moving downhill at a slope of 5°. At the moment when the speed of the bus is
30 km h−1, the driver spots a deer 30m ahead. He applies the brakes and comes to a stop.
The deer is paralyzed by fear and does not move. Will the bus stop before reaching it or
will it hit the deer? Do relevant calculations and draw appropriate force diagram. Take the
coefficient of kinetic friction to be µk = 0.26. (10)

4. A circular disc rotates on a thin air film with a period of 0.3s. Its moment of inertia about its
axis of rotation is 0.06 kg m2. A small mass is dropped onto the disc and rotates with it. The
moment of inertia of the mass about the axis of rotation is 0.04 kg m2. Determine the final
period of the rotating disc and mass. (10)
5. Obtain an expression for the time period of a satellite orbiting the earth. At what altitude
should a satellite be placed for its orbit to be geosynchronous? (5 + 5)
6. At perihelion on Feb. 9, 1986, Halley’s comet was 8.79 × 107 km from the sun and was
moving at a speed of 54.6 km s−1 relative to the sun. Calculate its speed (a) when the comet
was 1.16 × 108 km from the sun, and (b) at its next aphelion in the year 2024, when the
comet will be 5.28 × 109 km from the sun. (10)
7. An object was launched with a velocity of 20 ms−1 at an angle of 45° to the vertical. At the
top of its trajectory the object broke into two equal pieces. One piece fell vertically
downwards. Where would the other piece fall? (Take g = 10 ms−2) (10)
8. Show that for Rutherford scattering, twice as many particles are scattered through an angle
between 60° to 90° as are scattered through angles of 90° or more. (10)
9. An ice skater spins about a vertical axis at an angular speed of 15 rad s−1 when her arms are
outstretched. She then quickly pulls her arms into her sides in a very small time interval so
that the frictional forces due to ice are negligible. Her initial moment of inertia about the
axis of rotation is 1.72 kg m2 and her final moment of inertia is 0.61 kg m2. What is the
change in her angular speed? What is the change in her kinetic energy? Explain this change
in kinetic energy. (10)
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10. a) Calculate the Coriolis acceleration of an aeroplane flying along the equator due east at
a speed of 300m s−1. (5)

b) Explain why the following statement is wrong:

‘The moon does not fall down as it moves around the earth because the centrifugal
force balances the force of gravitation and hence there is no net force to make it fall.’
(5)

******

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR PHYSICS PROGRAMMES BROADCAST
ON GYAN DARSHAN 1
January 2011 – December 2011
This is the tentative schedule for Physics students. The students may approach their cable operator to
avail this facility.

Date/Day Time Slot Course Code Video Programme Title

January 2011
09-01-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-15 Glimpses of the Cosmos
(Sun)
16-01-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-02 Simple Harmonic Motion
(Sun)
23-01-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-15 Exploring the Night Sky
(Sun)
25-01-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE-02 Dolan
(Tues)
February 2011
13-02-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-15 On the Trail of Stars
(Sun)
15-02-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE-06 Second Law of Thermodynamics
(Tues)
22-02-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE-02 Coupled Oscillations
(Tues)
March 2011
08-03-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE- 13 Introduction to Crystal Structure
(Tues)
15-03-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE- 15 Astronomical Coordinates
(Tues)
20-03-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE- 10 Operational Amplifier
(Sun)
22-03-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE- 06 Carnot Cycle
(Tues)
April 2011
10-04-11 9-00-9.30 pm PHE- 15 Astronomical Measurements (Measurement of
(Sun) Distance and Brightness)
17-04-11 9-00-9.30 pm PHE- 01 Rotating Frames of Reference
(Sun)
May 2011
15-05-11 9.00-9.30 pm PHE -15 Astronomical Measurements (Measurement of
(Sun) Mass, Temperature and Time)
17-05-11 9-00-9.30 pm PHE -10 Logic Gates
(Tues)

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Date/Day Time Slot Course Code Video Programme Title
July 2011
10-07-11 9.00-9.30 pm PHE-04 Vector Calculus Part-I
(Sun)
12-07-11 9.00-9.30 pm PHE-01 Exploring Physics: Experiment with Low cost
(Tues) Materials
17-07-11 9.00-9.30 pm CPLT- 04 Physics Lab Technician: Know your job
(Sun)
24-07-11 9.00-9.30 pm CPLT- 04 Bhautiki Prayogshala Technician: Aapka Kaam
(Sun)
26-07-11 8.15-8.40 am PHE-01 The Bicycle: A Vehicle for Teaching Physics
(Tues)
August 2011
09-08-11 9.00-9.30 pm PHE- 01 The Physics of Dance
(Tues)
16-08-11 9.00-9.30 pm PHE- 15 The Milky Way
(Tues)
23-08-11 8.15-8.40 am PHE -04 Vector Calculus Part-II
(Tues)
23-08-11 9.00-9.30 pm PHE- 15 Stellar Spectra and Classification
(Tues)
September 2011
06-09-11 8.15-8.40 am PHE- 10 Digital Modulation
(Tues)
11-09-11 8.15-8.40 am PHE -10 Amplitude Modulation
(Sun)
13-09-11 8.15-9.00 am PHE- 06 First Law of Thermodynamics
(Tues)
October 2011
09-10-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-06 Applications of the First Law of Thermodynamics
(Sun)
16-10-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-15 Stellar Structure
(Sun)
November 2011
13-11-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-10 Transistor Biasing
(Sun)
December 2011
18-12-11 9.00–9.30 pm PHE-06 Thermodynamics in Action
(Sun)
20-12-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE-06 Ushmagatiki ke Anuprayog
(Tues)
27-12-11 8.15–9.00 am PHE-10 Electronic Device
(Tues)

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR PHYSICS STUDENTS ON DD1 (National Network)
JANUARY 2011 TO NOVEMBER 2011
Time: 6.00 AM to 6.30 AM

Month/Date* Course Topic

January 2011 PHE-13 Introduction to Crystal Structure
10-01-11
February 2011 PHE-01 Ghurni Nirdesh Tantra (Hindi)
14-02-11
March 2011 PHE-15 The Milky Way
14-03-11
April 2011 PHE-10 Semiconductor Diode
11-04-11
May 2011 PHE-15 On the Trail of Stars
09-05-11
July 2011 PHE-10 Operational Amplifier
11-07-11
August 2011 PHE-02 Coupled Oscillations
08-08-11
September 2011 PHE-10 Transistor Configuration
12-09-11
October 2011 PHE-06 Thermodynamics in Action
10-10-11
November 2011 PHE-15 Exploring the Night Sky
14-11-11

* Second Monday of every month