PAC Olympiad

PAC IIT Delhi

March 15, 2024

Instructions
• On the first page, write the answers (and only answers) to the first 10 problems.

• For the two subjective problems, start each solution from a new page.

• Gradescope gives you the option to map pages in your submission to the respective
solution. Kindly do this properly to ensure smooth grading.

• We strongly encourage you to look up any formula that you can’t remember off
the top of your head, however, we discourage inter-team communication while the
competition is going on.

• And lastly, remember to have fun . . .

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Short Problems (45 Points)

§1 Problem 1 (4 points)
As shown in the figure, a hollow cone without the circular base is placed on the ground
with its tip pointing up. The cone is slowly filled with water until it is filled upto half the
height of the cone, when it just starts to lift from the ground due to the thrust exerted by
the water on the inner surface of the cone. The height of the cone is h, the base radius
is r, and the density of water is ρ. If the mass of the cone is ab ρπr2 h where a and b are
coprime positive integers, find a + b.

Figure 1: Figure for problem 1

§2 Problem 2 (5 points)
The points P (0, 0), Q(3, 0), and R(0, 4) are connected with insulating rods to form a
triangle. The rods P Q, QR, and P R have a total charge of 3C, −5C, and 4C respectively
distributed along their length uniformly. If the electric field at the point (x, y) (not on
the lines P Q, QR, or P R) is zero, find x + y.

§3 Problem 3 (8 points)
For the same rods as in problem 2, assume now that they have a charge of 1C each (i.e.
3C of total charge on the three rods), spread uniformly along the length of each rod. If
the electric field at the point (x, y) (not lying on any of the three sidelines) is zero, find
x + y.

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Remark 3.1. Try and solve the generalized problem.

§4 Problem 4 (3 points)
A board is called a Carrom if it satisfies the following three conditions:
• It is a square.
• If a point-sized particle is moving in a Carrom and it hits one of the sides of the
square, it reflects elastically. This is called a Bounce.
• If a point-sized particle is moving in a Carrom and it hits one of the vertices, the
particle stops and this is called a Pocket.
A carrom is placed with its sides horizontal and vertical, and a particle is kept in the
bottom left corner. Now, the particle must be struck with an initial velocity pointing
into the first quadrant of the cartesian plane (the initial velocity can not be along the
axes). How many directions can the particle be struck in so as to score a pocket after
exactly 2024 bounces? Assume that there is no friction between any two surfaces.

§5 Problem 5 (3 points)
A projectile is fired from a location situated on the 30◦ N latitude. Our goal is for the
projectile to reach the North Pole using the least possible speed necessary for this journey.
Calculate the eccentricity of the orbit that the projectile will follow.

§6 Problem 6 (4 points)
A bead is slid onto a thread whose one end is fixed at D and the other end can be
fastened at any position along AC. We want to find the angle that DE makes with
vertical so that the time taken by the bead to reach the incline is minimal. ∡CAB = 30◦ .
The bead moves only under the influence of gravity. Give the answer in degrees.

B A

Figure 2: Figure for problem 6

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§7 Problem 7 (4 points)
A bead of mass m is stuck to two rods which are perpendicular to create the structure
shown in blue in the figure. This is free to slide on the walls shown in black in our plane.
Once equilibrium is reached, we give it a gentle nudge in the plane perpendicular to
the plane of the paper. Find k if the time period of the resulting oscillations, given the
difference in x and y coordinates of the points of contact of the structure with the walls,
is ∆x and ∆y respectively, and the acceleration due to gravity is g, is
sp
∆x2 + ∆y 2
T =k
g

Figure 3: Figure for problem 7

§8 Problem 8 (6 points)
Remark 8.1. This problem is taken from Jaan Kalda’s handout. See problem 9 here.

There is a solid of molar mass µ at the bottom of a cylinder floating in gravity-free space.
The substance sublimes and as a result, the vessel is pushed in the opposite direction.
Estimate the vessel’s terminal speed. The mass of the vessel is M , and the initial mass
of the substance is m << M , the temperature of the vessel is T , and the process can
be assumed to be isothermal. The cross-sectional area of the vessel is A. Find k if the
terminal velocity is given by s
RT m
v=k
µ M

§9 Problem 9 (3 points)
A sphere of mass m and radius r is kept inside a cubical box filled with water (density ρ)
due to which water in the box rises by a height h (the box was sufficiently empty initially

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so that no water overflows). If the area of the cross-section of the box is kρa mb rc hd , give
the answer as k + a + b + c + d.

§10 Problem 10 (5 points)

You are given that the locus of all possible second focii of the path followed by a projectile
launched from the equator with a speed equal to half the escape velocity (in any possible
direction in the plane containing the north pole, the south pole, and the point of concern)
is in fact a conic. The escape velocity is the minimum speed to make the projectile escape
the gravitational field of the earth. If the length of the major axis of the conic concerned
is k · R where R is the radius of the earth, find k.
Assume that the earth is a perfect sphere of uniform mass density.

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Subjective Problems (55 Points)

§11 Grid Glow (27.5 Points)
A non-transparent material contains numerous tiny perforations organized in a square grid.
When subjected to monochromatic laser light with a wavelength λ, which illuminates it
perpendicularly, what pattern emerges on a screen positioned parallel to the sheet and
situated at a distance L from it? (Give proper reasoning and derivations for it).
The lattice constant of the grid is d, and it is further assumed that L ≫ d ≫ λ.

Figure 4: Grid

Additionally, if the sheet is horizontally compressed by a factor of N , causing the

perforations to form a rectangular grid, how does this alteration affect the pattern?

§12 Beyond Resistance: Quantum Magic (27.5 Points)

Consider a superconducting annular ring revolving around the z-axis with an initial
angular velocity ω. Derive the expression for the magnetic field within the interior of
the superconductor, given inner radius R1 and outer radius R2 . (Take the steady state
angular velocity to be ω0 ).

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Figure 5: Rotating Annular SC Ring

Remark 12.1. Assume, that the electrons are completely detached from the ions.

Now consider the following modified interference experiment with electron beams where
the above rotating superconducting ring is placed between the two electron beams. Do
you expect any fringe shifts? If yes, calculate the amount of fringe shift that will occur
due to this modification. (Take the wavelength of the electron to be its de Broglie
wavelength as λe ).

Figure 6: Interference Setup

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Remark 12.2. Take weak field approximation i.e. if A is the magnetic field vector potential
then |A|2 is very small. .