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Lab Questions
1. [4 pts.] A compound microscope of magnification +200 is to be constructed with two lenses. The
objectives focal length is 8 mm. If the tube length (L) is 16 cm, what must be the focal length of the
eyepiece?

fo

(a) 25 mm

fo

(b) 10 cm

(c) 25 cm

(d) 10 mm

(e) 150 mm

2. [4 pts.] In the ray diagram below, which ray(s) are drawn incorrectly?
B
A
C

B
A

(a) A

(b) B

(c) C

(d) A and B

(e) B and C

3. [4 pts.] An experiment is set up with an optical bench as shown below. Rays are drawn to locate the
image of the lamp made by the convex side of the three sided mirror. Which of the labeled dots is
closest to the image position?
Paper
Slit plate

B
E

White Light
Source

3sided mirror
Lamp locaon

(a) A

Physics 123, Spring 15

(b) B

(c) C

(d) D

(e) E

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Diffraction & Interference, A. Light passes

through a single slit of width a, and strikes a
screen, producing a varying intensity. At a
Light
certain point (Y) on the screen, light from a
point at one side of the slit (P) and light from a
point at the other side (Q) are out of phase by
exactly one full wavelength so that they add constructively.

Magnified
P View
Q of Slit

Screen

4. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the intensity on the screen at point Y for this situation?
(Assume that the maximum central intensity for this case is 1 unit).
A. Zero

2
B.

3
C.

2
D.

E. None of these / need more information

II. Diffaction & Interference, B. A green laser ( = 540 nm) illuminates a diffraction
grating, producing an interference pattern on a distant screen. The first principal
maximum is located at an angle of 18 from the
centerline between grating and screen.
Incoming
Centerline
5. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the
Grating
number of slits per mm for this grating?
Light
Screen

II.

920

750

570

440

290

Diffraction & Interference, C. In a multi-slit interference experiment, laser light passes

through 7 equally-spaced, very thin slits and strikes a distant screen.

6. (4 pts) Representing the light passing through the slits with one phasor for each slit, how
many distinct phasor patterns could produce dark spots on the screen?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Seven
Six
Five
Four
None of these

Physics 123, Spring 15

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III. Quantum Theory.

Laser light of frequency f = 7.501014 Hz beams into a thin cloud of electrons. The reflected
light enters a series of detectors that allow experimenters to determine the position of the
electrons.
7.

(4 pts) Which choice best represents the momentum of a photon of the incoming light?
Zero

8.810-49 kgm/s

2.610-40 kgm/s

1.710-27 kgm/s

5.010-19 kgm/s

Assume that a series of measurements produces an uncertainty in the positions of these electrons
of approximately x = 610-7 m.
8. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the minimum uncertainty in the momentum of one of
these electrons after its position is measured?
910-26 kgm/s
A

910-29 kgm/s

310-31 kgm/s

310-36 kgm/s

Zero

Suppose that you shine light of frequency f = 1.501014 Hz onto to a certain metal surface in
order to eject electrons of maximum kinetic energy 1.50 eV.
9. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the work function of this metal?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

2.12 eV.
0.88 eV.
-0.88 eV.
0.62 eV.
None of these, or not possible.

Physics 123, Spring 15

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Quantum Theory, continued.

10. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the energy released as an electron jumps from the n = 4
level to the n = 2 level in the Bohr model for the Hydrogen atom?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

4.25 eV.
3.40 eV.
2.55 eV.
1.89 eV.
None of these / not possible.

11. (4 pts) How many electrons can fit into the n = 4 level of an atom? Assume that each
electron must be described using only these four quantum numbers: n, , m, and ms.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

4
12
18
32
None of these

Physics 123, Spring 15

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Special Relativity
A v = 0.78c

v = 0.62c

Earth
Two identical ships move in opposite directions at constant speeds 0.78c (ship A) and 0.62c
(ship B). Each speed is measured by an Earth observer.
12. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the speed of ship B measured by an observer on ship A?
0.94 c
A

0.79 c
B

0.31 c

0.16 c

0.11 c

The length of ship B is 18 m as measured by an observer on Earth.

13. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the proper length of ship B?
11 m

14 m

18 m

23 m

27 m

The captain of ship B transmits light signals at intervals of 3.0 s by his ships clock.
14. (4 pts) Which choice best represents the time interval between signal transmissions measured
by an observer on Earth?
4.8 s

3.8 s

3.0 s

2.4 s

1.9 s

Physics 123, Spring 15

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Miscellaneous Modern Physics: A. Special Relativity

15. (8 pts) The proton (rest) mass is 1.67 1027 kg. If this proton moves through empty space
with kinetic energy 4.5 1010 J, what is the magnitude of its momentum? Show your work.
For relativistic protons, K mc 2 , so

4.5 1010 J (1.67 1027 kg) 2.998 108 m/s

The speed is found from

1
2

1 v2

v2
c

2.998 3.00
v c 1

2.826 108 m/s

The proton momentum is then p mv 2.998(1.67 1027 )(2.826 108 ) 1.42 1018 kg m/s
Note: a decent approximation is 3, v c , but should have 3 sig figs for full credit.
B. Phasors for Interference & Diffraction
Laser light passes through 4 very narrow, closely-packed, equally spaced, identical slits, then
strikes a large, distant screen to form an interference pattern.
16. (6 pts) Sketch a phasor diagram to represent a point on the screen where there is a secondary
maximum.
4 equal phasors, each rotated 135 degrees from the previous phasor, add to
form the red vector sum (amplitude).
Only the diagram is needed, orientation not important.
C. Wave Functions and Probabilities
For a particle in a box, the wavefunctions are: ( x)

n x
2
L sin L , n 1, 2,3...

17. (5 pts) Sketch the wave function for the value of n given below:
n=1

n = 100

n=4

Using only the upper half of these curves is probably more correct.
18. (5 pts) Compute the probability of finding the particle in its first excited state within a very
small length x = 0.003L centered on x = L/3. Show your work.
For small volumes (length in this case) no need to integrate, just multiply:

2 ( x ) x

2 2 n x
2 2 2 L
sin
x sin
0.003L 0.0045
L
L
L
3L

Note: n = 2 is the first excited state, and all the Ls cancel. The answer has no units.
Physics 123, Spring 15

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VI.

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This page is composed of two unrelated parts, A and B. Treat each part as a classical one-dimensional
problem (i.e., do not use quantum mechanics).
A. [13 pts] A ball is dropped a few meters above the ground. It bounces
elastically from the ground and comes back up to the same height
before moving back downward. Ignore air resistance and assume the
ball is able to bounce and up and down in this fashion forever, always
reaching the same height.
Two regions (A and B) and two points (1 and 2) are shown at right.
The size of region B is larger than that of region A.
After the ball has been bouncing for a long time, its precise position is
measured at a random time.
i.

Is the probability PA of the center of the ball being measured in

region A greater than, less than, or equal to the probability PB of
its center being measured in region B? If there is not enough
information, state so explicitly. Explain.

Point 1

} Region A

Point 2

Region B

Ball bounces elastically

and returns to same height

The speed of the ball is greater at every point in region B than in region A. However, the height
of region B is larger than region A, so the relative amounts of time the ball spends in the two
regions cannot be compared. Since the amounts of time cannot be compared, the probabilities
cannot be compared. Thus, there is not enough information to answer.
ii. Is the probability density 1 at point 1 greater than, less than, or equal to the
probability density 1 at point 2? If there is not enough information, state so explicitly.
Explain.
The amount of time dt that the ball spends in an infinitesimal region of height dy centered at
point 1 is greater than that at point 2. Therefore, the probability dP = dt/T that the ball is in the
infinitesimal region centered at point 1 is greater than that at point 2. Since the probability dP is
greater near point 1, the probability density dP/dy is also greater. Thus, 1 > 2 .

Region K has length LK. It is known that the probability of the

grain of sand being located in region K is PK.

Region U has length LU.

Example region

B. [7 pts] A small grain of sand is placed in a random location in a

long box. The box is composed of multiple regions of different
lengths. Some of these regions are shown at right. Consider
regions K and U (not shown):

Grain of sand located

somewhere in long box

What is the probability PU that the grain of sand is located in region U? Write your answer only in
terms of the given variables (i.e, only in terms of LK, PK, and/or LU). Assume the probability density
is constant throughout the box. Explain.
Since the probability density (i.e., the probability per unit length) for the entire box is uniform, it
can be calculated by dividing the probability in region K by the length of region K: = PK/LK.
The probability in region U can be found by multiplying the probability density and the length of
region U: (PK/LK)LU = PKLU/LK.

Physics 123A&C, Spring 2015

Exam 3

WO-UWA123X152T-E3(PCQ)Sol.doc