Physics Enhancement Program 2011 Midterm Solution

1. It is often convenient to consider collision problems by transforming the observation of

collision events from the laboratory coordinate system to the center of mass coordinate
system. In the laboratory coordinate system, a particle of mass m1 moving with velocity v0
collides elastically with a particle of mass m2 at rest. The observations in the two
coordinate systems are shown in Figures 1 and 2.
(a) Derive an expression for the velocity vc of the center of mass.
(b) Derive expressions for the initial velocities v1i and v2i of the two masses in the center
of mass coordinate system.
(c) The scattering angles of the incident particle are L and C in the laboratory and center
of mass coordinate systems respectively. Draw a diagram showing the relations between
the vectors v1f, v1f and vc, labeling the appropriate angles by L and C.
(d) Using part (c) or otherwise, express L as a function of C, m1 and m2.
(e) Considering all possible scenarios of the elastic collision, what is the maximum
scattering angle L? Discuss the situation in the cases m1 m2 and m1 < m2 separately.
(f) Consider the case m1 = m2. What is the scattering angle L when the final velocity of
the mass m1 is half its initial value?
v1f
m1

m1 m2
L
v0 L

m2
v2f

Before After

Fig. 1: Laboratory coordinate system

m1
v1f
m1 m2
C
v1i v2i
m2
v2f

Before After

Fig. 2: Center of mass coordinate system

1
(a) (m1 m2 )vc m1v0
m1v0
vc (4 marks)
m1 m2
m1v0 m2v0
(b) v'1i v1i vc v0
m1 m2 m1 m2
m1v0 mv
v'1\2i v2i vc 0 1 0 (4 marks)
m1 m2 m1 m2
(c) v'1 f v1 f v c
v1 f v'1 f v c

v1f
v1f
L C
vc
(3 marks)
v'1 f sin C
(d) tan L
vc v'1 f cos C
m2v0 m1v0
Since the collision is elastic, v'1 f v'1i . Together with vc ,
m1 m2 m1 m2
m2 sin C
tan L (5 marks)
m1 m2 cos C
(e) Case 1: m1 m2
Considering all possible values of C, the scattering angle is maximum when v1f is tangent
to the circle generated by v1f when C changes. This implies that the vectors v1f and v1f
are perpendicular. Then
v' m
sin L 1 f 2 (3 marks)
vc m1

v1f v1f
L C
vc

Case 2: m1 < m2
In this case, the circle generated by v1f encloses the triangle formed by the vectors v1f, v1f
and vc. Hence all scattering angles are possible.
Maximum scattering angle = (3 marks)

2
 v0 v
(f) When m1 = m2, v'1 f vc . Hence when v1 f 0 , the triangle formed by the
2 2

vectors v1f, v1f and vc is an equilateral triangle. Therefore L . (3 marks)
3

2. As shown in Fig. 3, a physical pendulum consists of a uniform disk with radius r =

0.100 m and mass 0.500 kg attached to a uniform rod with length L = 0.500 m and mass
0.240 kg.
(a) What is the distance between the center of mass of the pendulum and the pivot point P?
(b) Calculate the rotational inertia of the pendulum about the pivot point P.
(c) Calculate the period of oscillation.

As shown in Fig. 4, a particle with mass 0.100 kg moves at velocity 10.0 ms1 along a
horizontal line through the center of the disk. After colliding with the disk, the particle
bounces in the opposite direction with velocity 5.00 ms1, and the pendulum swings
upward.
(d) Calculate the angular velocity of the pendulum after the impact.
(e) Calculate the maximum angle that the pendulum swings after the impact.

P P

L L

r r

Fig. 3 Fig. 4

(a) Distance of the center of mass from the pivot point:

(0.500)(0.500 0.100) (0.240)(0.250)
h 0.4865 m 0.487 m (4 marks)
0.500 0.240
(b) Let M and m be the mass of the disk and the rod respectively. Rotational inertia of the
pendulum:
1 1
I Mr 2 M ( L r ) 2 mL2
2 3
1 1
(0.500)(0.100) 2 (0.500)(0.500 0.100) 2 (0.240)(0.500) 2 0.2025 kgm 2
2 3
0.203 kgm (4 marks)
2

3
 ( M m) gh
(c) 2
I
The period:
2 I 0.2025
T 2 2 1.505 s 1.51 s (5 marks)
( M m) gh (0.74)(9.80)(0.4865)
(d) Initial angular momentum of the particle about the pivot point:
Li m0v0 ( L r ) (0.1)(10)(0.5 0.1) 0.6 kgm 2s 1
Final angular momentum of the particle and the pendulum about the pivot point:
L f m0v1 ( L r ) I (0.1)(5)(0.5 0.1) 0.2025 (0.3 0.2025) kgm 2s 1
Using the conservation of angular momentum,
0.6 0.3 0.2025
0.9
4.4444 rads 1 4.44 rads 1 (6 marks)
0.2025
(e) Using the conservation of energy,
1 2
I ( M m) gh(1 cos )
2
1
(0.2025)(4.4444) 2 (0.74)(9.8)(0.4865)(1 cos )
2
(0.2025)(4.4444) 2
cos 1 0.4331
(2)(0.74)(9.8)(0.4865)
64.3o or 1.12 rad (6 marks)

3. A German and a Japanese spaceship, each with mass m = 2000 kg, are in the circular
Earth orbit of Fig. 5, at a height h of 400 km from Earths surface. They are labeled by
letters G and J respectively. Spaceship G arrives at point P in the orbit 90 s ahead of
spaceship J.
(a) What is the period T0 of the spaceships? Express your answer in seconds.
(b) What is the speed v0 of the spaceships? Express your answer in kms1.

Trying to overtake spaceship G, spaceship J fires an instantaneous burst in the forward

direction, reducing the ships speed by 1.00%. After this burst, spaceship J follows the
elliptical orbit shown dashed in the figure.
(c) What is the kinetic energy of the spaceship J immediately after the burst?
(d) What is the potential energy of the spaceship J immediately after the burst?
(e) What is the semimajor axis a of the elliptical orbit?
(f) What is the orbital period T of the elliptical orbit?
(g) How much earlier than spaceship G will spaceship J return to P?

4
 P

Fig. 5
(a) Using Newtons second law,
mv2 GM E m GM E
2
v
r r r
2r 4 2 3 4 2 [(6.37 0.4) 106 ]3
T0 r 5542 s 5540 s (4 marks)
v GM E (6.67 1011)(5.98 1024 )
GM E (6.67 1011)(5.98 1024 )
(b) v0 7.676 kms 1 7.68 kms 1 (3 marks)
r (6.37 0.4) 10 6

(c) Kinetic energy of spaceship J before the burst

1 GM E m (6.67 1011)(5.98 1024 )(2000)
Ki mv02 5.892 1010 J
2 2r 2(6.37 0.4) 106
Kinetic energy of spaceship J after the burst
K f (1 ) 2 Ki (1 0.01) 2 (5.892 1010 ) 5.774 1010 J 5.77 1010 J (3 marks)
(d) Potential energy of spaceship J
GM E m (6.67 1011)(5.98 1024 )(2000)
V 1.1783 1011 J 1.18 1011 J
r 2(6.37 0.4) 106
(3 marks)
(e) Total energy of spaceship J
E K f V 5.833 1010 1.1783 1011 J 6.009 1010 J 6.011010 J
This energy is related to the semimajor axis via
GM E m
E
2a
Hence
GM E m (6.67 1011)(5.98 1024 )(2000)
a 6.638 106 m 6640 km (5 marks)
2E 2(5.951 10 ) 10

Alternatively, to avoid numerical errors, we use algebraic symbols for the intermediate
steps:
E K f V (1 ) 2 Ki V ( Ki V ) (2 2 ) Ki

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 GM E m GM E m GM E m
(2 2 )
2a 2r 2r
r (6.37 0.4) 106
a 6.638 106 m
1 2 2
1 2(0.01) 0.01 2

(f) Orbital period of the elliptical orbit

4 2 3 4 2 (6.638 106 )3
T a 5380 s 5380 s (4 marks)
GM E (6.67 1011)(5.98 1024 )
(g) Spaceship J is earlier than spaceship G by
T0 T 90 5542 5380 90 72 s (3 marks)
Remark: Using more significant figures in the intermediate steps, the more accurate
answer is 71.4 s.

4. Consider a rod of length L and mass m supported by two springs, as shown in Fig. 6.
The rod is set into small oscillations remaining in the vertical plane.
(a) Let x1 and x2 be the displacements of the left and right ends of the rod respectively.
Derive the equations of motion using Newtons second law.
(b) Consider solutions of the form
x1 (t ) A1 cos(t ),
x2 (t ) A2 cos(t ).
What are the possible values of the period of oscillations?
(c) For each oscillation frequency, describe the motion of the rod.
(d) Suppose at t = 0, the initial displacement is x1(0) = x2(0) = A and the initial velocity is
x1 (0) x2 (0) A k / m . Derive the expressions for x1(t) and x2(t) after the motion starts.
(e) Suppose the left end of the rod is connected to an external oscillator, which provides a
periodic force F(t) = F0 cos(dt). Sketch a graph of the oscillation amplitude of x1 as a
function of d.

k k

x1 L x2
Fig. 6

(a) Using Newtons law for translational motion,

m
x1 x2 kx1 kx2
2
Using Newtons law for rotational motion,
1 L L x x
mL2 kx2 kx1 where 2 1
12 2 2 L
Hence the equations of motion are

6
 2k 2k
x1 x2 m x1 m x2
6k 6k
(6 marks)
x1 x2 x1 x2
m m
x1 (t ) A1 cos(t ) x1 (t ) 2 A1 cos(t )
(b)
x2 (t ) A2 cos(t ) x2 (t ) 2 A2 cos(t )
Substituting into the equations of motion,
2 2k 2k
A1 A2 m A1 m A2
2

6k 6k
2 A1 2 A2 A1 A2
m m
2 2k 2 2k
m A1 m A2 0


6 k
A1 A2 0
2 2 6 k
m m
For non-trivial solutions of A1 and A2,
2 2k 2 6k 2k 6k
0 or
m m m m
m m
T 2 or T 2 (6 marks)
2k 6k
m
(c) For T 2 , we have A1 = A2. The left and right ends of the rod move in phase.
2k
The motion is the vertical oscillation of the center of mass with the rod maintaining a
horizontal position. (2 marks)
m
For T 2 , we have A1 = A2. The left and right ends of the rod move out of phase.
6k
The motion is a rotation about the center of mass, which is stationary. (2 marks)
(d) Since x1(0) = x2(0), only the displacement mode of the oscillation is excited.
2k
Let x1 (t ) x2 (t ) A1 cos(1t ) where 1 . Then
m
x1 (t ) x2 (t ) 1 A1 sin(1t ) .
Substituting the initial condition,
A A1 cos
k 2k
A A1 sin A 2 A1 sin
m m
1
tan
2
= 35.26 or 180o 35.26o
o

7
 A A
A1 1.22 A or A1 1.22 A
cos(35.26 ) o
cos(180 35.26o )
o

Since A1 is non-negative,
= 35.26o = 0.615 rad and A1 =1.22A. Hence
2k
x1 (t ) x2 (t ) 1.22 A cos t 0.615 (5 marks)
m
(f) Both oscillation modes are excited. Hence there should be resonance at both
2k 6k
d and d .
m m

A1

d
2k 6k
m m
(4 marks)