Practice Problems for PH11001/2019

November 18, 2019

Optics and Quantum Mechanics

1. (i) A light wave falls normally to the surface of a glass block placed in a medium with refractive index 1.009. If
the refractive index of the glass block is 1.438 then find out the reflection (r) and transmission (t) coefficient of the
glass block.
k −k
2. The reflection and transmission coefficient is defined as, rij = kii +kjj and tij = ki2k
+kj . (a) Prove the Stokes relation
i

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r12 = −r21 and 1 − r12 = t12 t21 . (b) Prove the same using time-reversal argument of transmission and reflection
of light. Assume absorption is absent.
Hint: (b) The reflected and transmitted field can be written as, rE and tE, where r, t and E are reflection
coefficient, transmission coefficient and electric field respectively. Under time reversal, tt0 E + r2 E = E and
r0 tE + trE = 0.

3. Green light of wavelength 510 nm is used in the Young’s double slit experiment. If the overall separation of 10
fringes on a screen placed at 200 cm away is 2 cm, then find the slit width. (Ans: 0.05 cm)
4. When a thin sheet of transparent material of thickness 6.3 × 10−4 cm is placed in the path of one of the interfering
beams, the central fringe shift to a position occupied by the 6th fringe. If λ = 546 nm then find out the refractive
index of the sheet. (Ans: 1.52)

5. A light of λ = 582 nm falls normally on a glass wedge of wedge angle 20 sec of an arc. In refractive index of glass
is 1.5, then find out the number of dark fringes per cm of the wedge length. (Ans: 5 per cm)
6. Newton’s rings are observed in reflected light of λ = 590 nm. The diameter of of the 10th dark ring is 0.5 cm.
Calculate the radious of curvatute and thickness of the air film. (Ans: 1.06 m and 2.95 µm)

7. Consider a single slit experiment where the scteen is placed 2 m away. If the slit width is 0.2 mm and the first
minima lie 5 mm on either sides of the central maxima then find the wavelength of light. (Ans: 500 nm)
8. Sunlight is reflected from a clam leak water (n=1.33). The reflected light is 100 percent polarized. What is the angle
between sun and the horizon ?
9. Unpolarized light falls on two polarizing sheets placed one on top of other. The intensity of transmitted light is one
third of the incident intensity. calculate the angle between two polarizer sheet. (Ans: 35.3 degree)
10. A 30 keV photon is Compton-scattered by an electron. If the scattered photon comes off at 17 degree, then
find out the wavelength of scattered photon in nano-meter unit? Given: the Compton wavelength of electron is
λ/mc=0.00244 nm. (Ans: 0.0414 nm)

11. Calculate the maximum wavelength shift of a photon that undergoes Compton scattering from a free electron. (Ans:
4.8 pm)
12. What is the minimum work function (in electron volts) for a metal for visible light (wavelengths between 400 and
700 nm) to eject photoelectrons? (Ans: 1.77 eV)
13. What is the de-Broglie wavelength of a proton (mp = 1.67 × 10−27 kg ) moving at a speed of 107 meters/sec? (Ans:
1.32 femto-meter)

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14. A photon is emitted as an electron makes a transition from n = 4 to n = 2 level in a hydrogen atom. Find out the
frequency of the emitted photon in terahertz (THz) unit if the ground state energy of the electron is in hydrogen
given as -13.6 eV ? (615 THz)
15. A photon is emitted as a hydrogen atom makes a transition from n = 4 to n = 2 level. What is the wavelength and
energy (in eV) of the emitted photon? (Ans: 490 nm, 2.53 eV)
16. Suppose visible light of wavelength λ = 5 × 10−7 m is used to determine the position of an electron to within the
wavelength of the light. What is the minimum uncertainty in the electron’s speed? (assume no uncertainty in the
mass of electron me = 9.1 × 10−31 kg) (Ans: 147 m/s)
17. For particle in a one dimensional box problem (with infinite potential ) find out the probability that the particle is
found somewhere in the region 0 ≤ x ≤ a/4, where a is the width of the box.
18. A wave function is given as ψ(r) = Ae−r/a . Find A and < r >. (Ans: A = (1/πa3 )1/2 and < r >= 3a/2 )