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Nov. 6, 2003 Thursday

Name
Department
SID

University Physics
Sample Problems for Midterm Examination
School of Intensive Instruction in Science and Arts, Nanjing University
Physical Constants

e = 1.60 10 19 C
0 = 8.85 10 12 F/m
0 = 4 10 7 N/A2
c = 3.00 10 8 m/s
me = 9.11 10 31 kg
m p = 1.67 10 27 kg
19
1eV= 1.60 10 J

Electron charge
Dielectric constant of free space
Permeability of free space
Vacuum speed of light
Electron mass
Proton mass
Electron volt (eV)
Select five out of following six problems.

1 (20pts). The ground state wavefunction of the electron in a hydrogen atom is

(r ) =

1
r
exp( )
a0
a0

where a0 = 0.53 10 10 m is the Bohr radius. According to the principles of the Quantum Mechanics, the
probability density of the electron is (r ) 2 .
(a) Find the electric charge density of as a function of r (the distance from the nucleus).
(b) Determine the total electric charge within a sphere of radius a 0 .
(c) Obtain the electric field as the function of r .
Solution: (a) The electric charge density is
2r
e
2
( r ) = e ( r ) = 2 exp( ) .
a0
a 0
(The charge distribution of the nucleus is not included.)
(b)The total charge is contributed from charges of the nucleus(proton) and the electron.
a0

Qt = Q p + Qe = e + 4r 2 dr = e
0

4e 0 2 r a 0 2
e
r dr = (5e 2 )e
a 03 0

(c) Make a spherical gaussian surface of radius r. The total charge within the sphere is
Qt = e

r
r
4e 2 r a 0 2
r dr = e 2
e
3
a0 0
a0

r 2r
+ 2 + 1 e a0

a0

Using Gauss's law, we have

4r 2 E ( r ) =

Qt
,
0

or
E (r ) =

2
2r
r a0
e 1 r

+
+
2
2
1
e
a
4 0 r 2 a0
0

2.(20pts) It is possible to accelerate neutral molecules with permanent dipole moments p using
spherical electrodes as shown in the figure. Lets assume that the molecule cannot rotate, that the
1

electrodes are fixed in place, and that x >> a .

(a) Treating the electrodes as point charges,
compute the forces acted on the electrodes by the
dipole.
(b) By Newtons 3rd law, the force exerted on
each electrode by the dipole is equal and opposite
to the force that each electrode exerts on the dipole.
Calculate the total force acted on the dipole by the
electrodes and then the work done in accelerating the dipole from a distance x to the midpoint
between the electrodes.
Solution: Using the formula for the electric field produced by a electric dipole
E=

1 1
[3( p e r )e r p]
4 0 r 3

the electric fields at the positions of two electrodes can be obtained as

],

E1 =

1
p
3axe x ( 2a 2 x 2 )e z
4 0 ( x 2 + a 2 ) 5 2

E2 =

1
p
3axe x ( 2a 2 x 2 )e z
4 0 ( x 2 + a 2 ) 5 2

].

Thus, the forces acted on the two electrodes are

1
pQ
3axe x (2 a 2 x 2 )e z
4 0 ( x 2 + a 2 ) 5 2
1
pQ
F2 = QE 2 =
3axe x (2 a 2 x 2 )e z
4 0 ( x 2 + a 2 ) 5 2
F1 = QE1 =

and

],

respectively. By using Newtons 3rd law, the force exerted on the dipole by the electrodes is
F = ( F1 + F2 ) =

pQ
3ax
ex
2 0 ( x 2 + a 2 ) 5 2

Therefore, the work done in accelerating the dipole from a distance x to the midpoint between the
electrodes is (Please note here that the origin of the frame is changed from the position of the dipole
to the midpoint between the electrodes)
0

W = F ( x)dx =

pQ
3ax
2apQ 1
1
dx =
.

2 0 ( x2 + a 2 )5 2
0 a3 ( x2 + a 2 )3 2

3.(20pts) A particle of charge q and mass m moves between two parallel charged plates
separated a distance h . A uniform magnetic field is applied parallel to the plates and directed in
z direction. Initially the particle is at rest at the lower plate.
(a) Write the equation of motion of the particle.
(b) Show that at the distance y from the lower plate, the
x -component of the velocity of the particle is
q
v x = By
m

and the magnitude of the velocity is

q
v 2 = 2 Ey .
m

(c) Show that the particle cannot reach the upper plate if
E<

1 q 2
B h .
2m

Solution: (a) The equation of motion of the particle is

dv
dv
dv
m x = qv y B,
m z = 0.
m y = qE y qvx B,
dt
dt
dt
(b) Making integration of both sides of the first equation above, we have

m
0

t
dv x
dy
dt = qB dt
dt
dt
0

q
or mv x = qBy or v x = By .
m

Noting that the work done by the electric field to the particle is qEy , we have

mv 2
= qEy or
2
(c) From the result of (b), we have

q
v 2 = 2 Ey
m
2

q
q
v y2 = v 2 v x2 = 2 Ey B 2 y 2 .
m
m
2

One can see that the particle cannot go upwards further if 2 q Ey q B2 y 2 < 0 or E < 1 q B 2 y .
m

2m

1 q
Therefore, if E < B 2 h , the particle cannot reach the upper plate.
2m

4.(20pts) A conducting isosceles right-angled triangle of resistance R is placed

in the magnetic field of a current carrying long straight wire. The length of the
right angle side is a. The initial position of the triangle is as shown in the figure.
Assume the triangle is moving to the left with velocity v.
(a) Find the direction and magnitude of the induced current in the triangle.
(b) Obtain the total quantity of charge that flows through a point on the sides of
the triangle during the process when the triangle moves from its initial
position to the infinity.
(c) Determine the electromagnetic force exerted on the triangle as a function of
time.
Solution: (a) counterclockwise.
(b)Using Faradays law, we have

= I R = R

d
dq
= m
dt
dt

Making integration on both sides of last equation from t = 0 to infinity, we have

d
dq
m
dt =
dt
0
dt
dt

or

Rq = m () + m (0) .
Noting that m ( ) = 0 , we have
a
Ia
1
1 0 I
q = m ( 0) =
rdr = 0 .
R
R 0 2r
2R
(c) The magnetic flux through the triangle at time t is
a
I a 1
I a x + vt
1

m (t ) = 0
dx vt
dx
xdx = 0
0 x + vt
2 0 x + vt
2 0 x + vt
.
Ia Ivt
= 0 0 (ln( a + vt ) ln( vt ) )
2
2
Then, the induced current at time t is
1 dm 0 Iv a + vt
vt

=
+
1 .
I =
ln
2R
R dt
vt
a + vt

Since the triangle moves with constant velocity, the electromagnetic force exerted on the triangle is
just equal and opposite to the outside force. Noting that the work done by the outside force provides

the joule dissipation of the current, we have Fv = I 2 R or

R 2 02 I 2 v a + vt
vt

I =
+
1 .
ln
2
v
vt
a + vt
4 R
2

F=

5.(20pts) At the time t = 0 the switch is thrown from a to b in

the figure.
(a) Find the electric charge on the capacitor and the electric current
through the inductor as the functions of the time t .
(b)Obtain the electromagnetic energies stored in the capacitor and the
inductor. Show that the total energy is unchanged.
Solution: (a) In the circuit, we have

di q
+ = 0,
dt C
and the initial condition i (t = 0) = 0, q(t = 0) = C . Noting that i = dq dt the equation
L

above can be rewritten as

d 2q 1
+ q = 0, or
dt 2 C

d 2q
1
+
q = 0.
2
LC
dt

The general solution of above equation is

q = q m cos(t + ) , =

1
.
LC

With the use of the initial condition we have

q = C cos(t ) , i = C sin(t ) .

Thus energies stored are

UE =

C 2
1 q 2 C 2
1
=
cos 2 (t ) , U B = Li 2 =
sin 2 (t )
2 C
2
2
2

and the total energy is

U t = U E + U B ==

C 2
2

One can easily see that it is unchanged.

6. (20pts) Consider an electric current of I that flows through a cylindrical wire of length l ,
radius r and resistivity . The current flows uniformly across the cross section of the wire.
(a) Calculate the electric and magnetic fields on the surface of the wire. Indicate their directions.
(b)Find the direction and the magnitude of the Poynting vector on the surface of the wire.
(c) Show that the rate of energy flows in to the surface of the wire is I 2 R, where R is the
resistance of the wire.
Solution: (a) The electric and magnetic fields at the surface of the wire are

E=

I
ez
r 2

I
B = 0 e
2r

(b) The Poynting vector on the surface is

S=

EB =

I2
I 2 l
I 2R
(
e

e
)
=
(

e
)
=
( e ) .
z

2r r 2
2rl r 2
2rl

One can see that the energy current flows into the surface of the wire.
(c) The rate of energy flows into the surface is
P = S 2rl = I 2 R .