UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS

DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Entrance Test for Ph.D admission - October 2010 Session
Hours: 150 min Max. Marks.: 40
PART A (10 x 1 = 10 MARKS)
Pick the correct choice.

1. If in a diffraction experiment using x-rays of wavelength λ, the incident

beam and diffracted beam are perpendicular to each other then the d-
spacing of the plane involved is
(A) λ/√3 (B) λ / √2 (C) λ √3 (D) λ/2

2. At very high temperatures the mean free path and collision time of an
electron in a metal are proportional to   

    (A) T2    (B) 1/T2    (C) 1/ T     (D) independent

3. Superconductivity results from
(A) infinite atomic vibrations at 0 K
   (B) no atomic vibrations at  0 K
   (C) all electrons interacting in the superconducting state
   (D) all electrons having Fermi energy at 0 K

3. Thermal expansion in solids is a consequence of

(A) anharmonicity of the lattice vibration
(B) harmonic lattice vibrations
(C) dislocations in the lattice
(D) elastic nature of bonding interactions.

5. Which of the following phases of the materials will give sharp X-ray
diffraction peaks.?
(A) Nanocrystals (B) Liquid
(C) Amorphous solid (D) Bulk crystals
6. An excitation voltage V is applied to the target of an X-ray tube. The
wavelength of the emitted X-ray is proportional to
(A) 1/ √V (B) √V (C) 1/V (D) V

7. Which of the following characterizes the orthorhombic structure of a

crystal ?.

(A). a = b = c ,  =  =  = 90 (B). a ≠ b = c ,  =  =  = 90

(C). a ≠ b ≠ c ,  =  =  = 90 (D). a ≠ b ≠ c ,  ≠  =  = 90.
8. The compound nucleus formed in the nuclear reaction 2H (γ, n) 1H, is a
4 3 2 1
(A) He (B) H (C) H (D) H.

9. Residual magnetic induction is called

(A) saturation magnetization (B) anisotropic magnetization  
(C) magnetic susceptibility (D) magnetic remanence.

10. In a p-n junction there is a charge difference across the depletion layer,
due to the fixed impurity ions, such that
(A) the p-side is positive and the n side is negative
   (B) the n-side is positive and the p-side is negative
   (C) both sides are positive but the n-side is more positive than p-side
   (D) both sides are negative

PART B (5 X 6 = 30 Marks)
ANSWER ANY FIVE QUESTIONS

11. Derive the density of states in three dimensional solids based on free
electron model.

12. Describe different types of bonds in solids. Describe the material

properties, based on their bonding type with suitable examples.

13. Illustrate the Hysteresis loop of typical Ferromagnetic material and

discuss the applications of soft magnetic materials.

14. Distinguish between Type I and Type II superconductors using

appropriate examples.

15. Discuss the Liquid drop model based on the Bohr-Wheeler theory
of fission.

16. Explain, with principles involved, any one important experimental

technique that is used in characterizing a key property of solid materials.

17. Explain how the properties of the nano particles differ from those of the
bulk material?