Two Day Study Guide to Taking the Physics GRE

Lin Cong

December 2012

Pick moderate statements. Extreme statements are usually wrong.

h

Use Taylor expansion to deal with certain extreme cases (e.g. h << kT = e kT ' 1 +

h
kT )

2 value, be careful to calculate ` from ~2 `(` + 1), two solutions.

When knowing L
Conservation of momentum (including angular momentum) should be checked before conservation of
energy.
R
R
Be careful about dimension of the problem, e.g. in 3D, radial wave P = ||2 d~r = ||2 4r2 dr.
Read underlined words carefully.
Calculate T 4 carefully. It is the 4th power!
Dont think too hard; the questions are easy enough to be solved in two minutes.
Use method of elimination.
Dimensional analysis is always useful.
Potential is a scalar, be careful.
In general F~ = (potential energy), but in E&M notice that V stands for potential, not potential
energy. So F~ = (q potential).
Usually it is convenient to set h = ~ = c = . . . = 1, but if your answer differs from the choices, thats
a signal that maybe we need to keep them.
When you get stuck, take limits.
If you havent realized how important it is, Ill repeat: take limits.
If some experimenter is involved in the question, it is usually a failed experiment (as the GRE us
usually set by theorists according to yosunism.com).

Classical Mechanics 20%

A worked example on velocity and acceleration in a curved path in a plane: r = cos + sin
,
d
d
d
Similarly, ~a = (R
r + R .
R 2 )
= sin + cos
. This gives ~v = dd
(R
r) = dt
r + R dt
r = R
r+

.
(R + 2R)
Firing rocket: (vg v)dm + d(mv) = 0, where m is the rocket mass, v is the speed, and vg is the
relative speed of the waste fired out.
Bernoullis equation: P + 12 v 2 + gy = const. (Conservation of energy.)
Torricellis theorem: the outlet speed isthe free-fall speed. For a barrel with water depth d, an outlet
at base has horizontal flow speed v = 2gd.
Stokes law: viscous drag = 6rs (probably wont appear on the GRE).

 Poiseulles law: p = 8LQ

, where L is the length of the tube and Q is the flow rate. This is again
r4
probably too hard for the GRE. This law describes viscous, incompressible flow through a constant
circular cross-section.
Keplers laws:
1 If you dont know this, wait a couple years before you take the GRE
1 2
2 dA
dt = 2 r = constant
q
M 3/2
2
3
=
2
3 T = A/dA
dt
RR ; T R
Fcoriolis = 2m(~
~vradial ) (unlikely).
Diffusion (Ficks law): diffusion flux J~r = Dr .
q
Frequency of a pendulum of arbitrary shape: = mgr
I .
Hamiltonian formulation:
P
(a) H = i pi qi L
(b) p = H
q
(c) q =

H
p .

Circular orbits exist for almost all potentials. Stable, non-circular orbits can occur for the simple
harmonic potential and the inverse square rule.
V (r)

1
r

for gravitational potential.

The total energy of an object is E = 12 mv 2 + Ve f f .

Orbits:
(a) E < Vmin = spiral orbit.
(b) E = Vmin = circular orbit.
(c) Vmin < E < 0 = ellipse.
(d) E = 0 = parabolic.
(e) E > 0 = hyperbolic.

Electromagnetism 18%
Faradays law of electrolysis (unlikely on GRE)
Mass of different elements liberated atomic weight/valence: m =
atomic weight (in kg/kmol), and F = 9.65 107 C/kmol (Faraday).
Parallel plate capacitor: C =
Spherical capacitor: C =

0 A
d

or C =

A
d

QA
Fv ,

where v is valence, A is

for a dielectric.

40 ab
ab .

In charging a capacitor: q = q0 1 et/(RC) . Discharging: q = q0 et/(RC) .
Cyclotron/magnetic bending: r =

mv
qB

(easily derived).

Torque experienced by a planar coil of N loops, with current I in each loop: = N IAB sin , where
~
is the angle between B and the line perpendicular to the coil plane ~r =
~ B.

 B-field of a long wire: B =

0 I
2r .

B-field at the center of a ring of wire: B =

0 I
2r

(can generalize to arc.

B-field in a long solenoid: B = 0 nI, where n is the turn density.

~ is reversed upon reflection. B
~ is increased by a factor
Conductors do not transmit EM waves, thus E
of 2.
~ = H
~ = 0 (H
~ +M
~ ) = 0 ( H
~ + m H).
~
B
Types of magnetism:
(a) Diamagnetic = m is very small.
(b) Paramagnetic = m is small and positive, inversely proportional to the absolute temperature.
~ is no longer proportional to H.
~
(c) Ferromagnetic = m is positive, can be greater than 1. M
For solenoid and toroid, H = nI, where n is turn density.
Self inductance: E = L dI
dt , where L is in henries. 1 H = 1
Induced EMF: |E| = M |

Ip
t |

v s/A

= 1 J/A2 = 1

web
A .

= Ns |
t |, where Ip is primary inductance of a solenoid.

Hux linkage: N = LI.

Angular frequency of L C circuit: 0 =

1 .
LC

Inductive reactance: XL = 2f L
Capacitive reactance: Xc =

1
2f C .

Impedance:
(a) Series: Z =
(b) Parallel:

1
Z

p
R2 + (Xi Xc )2 .
i1/2
h


2
.
= R1 + X1C X1L

Current is maximized at resonance: XL = L = XC =

1
C

(many questions on this).

2 2

q a
Larmor formula for radiation: P = 06c
q 2 a2 , where q is charge and a is acceleration. Notice
that energy per unit area decreases as distance increases. Inverse-square relation.
~j
ne

I~
nqV

Impedance of a capacitor: Z =

1
ic .

Mean drift speed: ~vD =

density.

where n is the number of electrons and j =

i
A

is the current

Impedance of an inductor: Z = iL.

Magnetic field on axis of a circle with current: B =

0 I
r2
2 (r2 +z 2 )3/2 .

Bremmstrahlung: electromagnetic radiation produced by the deceleration of a charged particle.

For an incident wave reflecting off a plane, just set up a boundary value problem
(a) E1 E2 = f .
k

(b) E1 = E2 .
(c) E0 + E0refl = E0trans .

~E
~ V
~ points in the direction of propagation.
Poynting vector S
Lenzs law: The idea is the system responds in a way to restore or at least attempt to restore to the
original state. See 0177 Q42.
Impedance matching to maximize power transfer or to prevent terminal-end reflection.
Generator impedance: Rg + jXg .
Load impedance: RL + jXL .
In an EM wave propagating in direction ~k,
r, t) = E
0 ei(~k~rt) n
(a) E(~
.
r, t) = 1 |E(~
r, t)|k n

(b) B(~
= 1c k E.
c
No electric field in a constant potential enclosure implies constant V inside.
Hall effect: RH =
charge carrier.

1
(pn)e ,

p for positive and n for negative. This can be used to test the nature of a



~ + ~v B
~ .
Lorentz force: F~ = q E
~ = 0.
( H)
(f ) = 0.
One usually has cycloid motion whenever the electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular.
~ d~` = d .
Faradays law: electromotive force E = E
dt
EM waves wavelength (in meters)
(a) Radio waves: 103 (buildings).
(b) Microwaves: 102 .
(c) Infrared: 105 .
(d) Visible: 700nm 400nm (106 ).
(e) Ultraviolet: 108 (molecules).
(f) X-rays: 1010 (atoms).
(g) Gamma rays: 1012 (nuclei).
~ = 0 E
~ + P~ = 0 E
~ + 0 E E
~ = 0 (1 + E )E
~ = E.
~
D
r = 1 + E =


0

dielectric constant.

Bound charges: b = P~ ~n, b = P~ .

~ = P~ is not necessarily zero.
D
~ = 0 nI z inside a solenoid and zero outside (n is density per length).
B
~ r) =
B(~

0 nI

2s

inside a toroid and zero outside.

Force between two wires: F =

B=

0 I
4s

(sin 2 sin 1 )

0 I1 I2
4 d

(force per length).

 Mutual inductance of two loops M21 =

Radiation pressure: P =

I
c

(and

2I
c

0
4

HH

d~
`1 d~
`2
.
r

for a perfect conductor).

Maxwells equations:
~ = f .
(a) D
~ = J~f +
(b) H

~
D
t .

~ = 0.
(c) B
~ = B~ .
(d) E
t
Boundary conditions:
~ = f .
~ 2 E
(a) 1 E
1
2
~k E
~ k = 0.
(b) E
1
2

~
~
(c) B B = 0.
1

(d)

1 ~k
1 B1

1 ~k
2 B2

~f n
=K
.

B-field at the center of a ring: B =

~ =
H

1 ~
0 B

0 I
2r .

~.
M

~.
J~b = M
~b = M
~ n
K
.
~ = H.
~
B
= 0 (1 + m ).
~ is more important than D,
~ though theyre on equal footing theoretically.
Practically, H

Optics and Wave Phenomena 9%

Quantum Mechanics 12%

Atomic Physics 10%

Laboratory Methods 6%

Misc. 9%