PEP 2021 Phase 1 Selection Test 2

Date: 11 December 2020

Time: 14:00 – 17:00

1. (15 points) Three very large, conducting plates carry charges 𝑄! , 𝑄" , 𝑄# respectively. Find the surface
charges 𝑞! , 𝑞" , 𝑞# , 𝑞$ , 𝑞% , 𝑞& on each surface of the conducting plates as shown in the figure. Express the
answers in terms of 𝑄! , 𝑄" and 𝑄# .

"! "" "#

!! !" !# !$ !% !&

Solution:
By the conservation of charge in each conductor, we have

𝑞! + 𝑞" = 𝑄!
𝑞# + 𝑞$ = 𝑄"
𝑞% + 𝑞& = 𝑄#

And the electric field inside each conductor should be zero. By Gauss’s law,

𝑞! − (𝑞" + 𝑞# + 𝑞$ + 𝑞% + 𝑞& ) = 0

𝑞! + 𝑞" + 𝑞# − (𝑞$ + 𝑞% + 𝑞& ) = 0

𝑞! + 𝑞" + 𝑞# + 𝑞$ + 𝑞% − 𝑞& = 0

Thus, we have 6 equations and 6 unknowns. By solving the linear equation, we get the final result

1 1
𝑞! = (𝑄 + 𝑄" + 𝑄# ), 𝑞" = (𝑄! − 𝑄" − 𝑄# )
2 ! 2
1 1
𝑞# = (−𝑄! + 𝑄" + 𝑄# ), 𝑞$ = (𝑄! + 𝑄" − 𝑄# )
2 2
1 1
𝑞% = (−𝑄! − 𝑄" + 𝑄# ), 𝑞& = (𝑄! + 𝑄" + 𝑄# )
2 2
2. (15 points) As shown in the figure, there is a uniform electric field 𝐸.⃗ = 𝐸' 𝚥̂ in the entire space while a
magnetic field 𝐵.⃗ = 𝐵𝑘4 is confined in the region 0 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 𝐿. A particle of mass 𝑚 and charge 𝑞 > 0 is
released frome rest at time 𝑡 = 0 from the point 𝑃: (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = (0, −ℎ, 0) where ℎ ≥ 0.

'
(
) × ×
× ×
× ×
" × ×
× &
$× ×
ℎ
× ×
× ×
× ×
%

(a) [8 pts] Find the condition of ℎ if the trajectory of the particle is tangential to the plane 𝑦 = 𝐿.
(b) [7 pts] If ℎ = 0 and the particle cannot escape from the magnetic field region in the entire motion,
determine the trajectory 𝑟⃗(𝑡) = (𝑥(𝑡), 𝑦(𝑡), 𝑧(𝑡)) of the particle.

Solution:
(a) The speed of the particle arrives at the origin 𝑂 is

1 2𝑞𝐸ℎ
𝑞𝐸ℎ = 𝑚𝑣'" ⇒ 𝑣' = D
2 𝑚

Inside the magnetic field region, Newton’s 2nd law gives

𝑑𝑣(
𝑚 = 𝑞𝐵𝑣) (1)
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑣)
𝑚 = 𝑞𝐸 − 𝑞𝐵𝑣( (2)
𝑑𝑡

From eqtn (1),

𝑑
(𝑚𝑣( − 𝑞𝐵𝑦) = 0 ⇒ 𝑚𝑣( − 𝑞𝐵𝑦 = 0 is a constant,
𝑑𝑡

according to the condition at the origin.

At 𝑦 = 𝐿 and the trajectory is tangential to the plane 𝑦 = 𝐿, we have

𝑚𝑣( (𝑦 = 𝐿) = 𝑞𝐵𝐿, 𝑣) (𝑦 = 𝐿) = 0.

Finally, from the energy-work theorem,

1 1
𝑚N𝑣(" + 𝑣)" O = 𝑚𝑣'" + 𝑞𝐸𝐿 = 𝑞𝐸(ℎ + 𝐿)
2 2

𝑞" 𝐵" 𝐿"

⇒ = 2𝑞𝐸(ℎ + 𝐿)
𝑚
 𝑞𝐵" 𝐿"
⇒ℎ= −𝐿
2𝑚𝐸
*
(b) From equation (1) and (2) and substitute 𝑣( = 𝑣P( + +, we have

𝑑𝑣P( 𝑞𝐵
= 𝑣
𝑑𝑡 𝑚 )

𝑑𝑣) 𝑞𝐵
=− 𝑣P (3)
𝑑𝑡 𝑚 (

𝑑 " 𝑣)
⇒ = −𝜔" 𝑣)
𝑑𝑡 "

⇒ 𝑣) (𝑡) = 𝐴 sin 𝜔𝑡

,+
where 𝑣) (0) = 0, 𝜔 = -
and 𝐴 is a undetermined constant. Substitute into equation (3), we have

𝐸
𝑣P( = −𝐴 cos 𝜔𝑡 ⇒ 𝑣( (𝑡) = −𝐴 cos 𝜔𝑡 + .
𝐵
*
Since 𝑣( (0) = 0, we have 𝐴 = +. Finally, we can integrate the velocities and obtain the trajectory
𝑥(𝑡), 𝑦(𝑡).

𝐸 𝐸 𝑚𝐸 𝑞𝐵 𝑞𝐵
𝑥(𝑡) = − sin 𝜔𝑡 + 𝑡 = "
T 𝑡 − sin 𝑡U
𝐵𝜔 𝐵 𝑞𝐵 𝑚 𝑚

𝐸 𝐸 𝑚𝐸 𝑞𝐵
𝑦(𝑡) = − cos 𝜔𝑡 + = "
T1 − cos 𝑡U
𝐵𝜔 𝐵𝜔 𝑞𝐵 𝑚

3. (15 points) Six identical resistors (each of resistance 𝑅) are connected according to the figure below.

" #
(a) [6 pts] If a battery is connected across the vertices 𝑂 and 𝐴, find out the resistors where the current
flowing through them is zero?

(b) [9 pts] Find the equivalent resistance between vertices 𝐴 and 𝑂.

Solution:

(a) By symmetry, the current pass through the resistor between BC must be zero.

(b) As the current pass through the resistor BC is zero, we can remove it and the network becomes

" #

The equivalent resistance between AO is

1 1 1 1 2
= + + =
𝑅., 𝑅 2𝑅 2𝑅 𝑅

𝑅
⇒ 𝑅., =
2
4. (15 points) Tow conducting infinite wires carry a current 𝐼. They are parallel and separated by a
distance 2𝑎. A circular conducting ring of radius 𝑎 in the plane of the parallel wires lies between the two
conducting wires and is insulated from them.
2"

$
×
&

# #

(a) [5 pts] What is the magnetic field at point 𝑃, which is at distance 𝑟 from the left wire?
(b) [10 pts] Find the coefficient of mutual inductance between the circular conductors and the two
conducting wires.

Hint: The following identity may be useful

!
𝑑𝑢 𝜋
Z =
' √1 − 𝑢" 2

Solution:

(a) The magnetic field at point 𝑃 is

𝜇' 𝐼 1 1
𝐵= T + U [5]
2𝜋 𝑟 2𝑎 − 𝑟

(b) The magnetic flux passes through the circular ring is (Let 𝑥 = 𝑎 − 𝑟)
/
.⃗ ⋅ 𝑑𝐴⃗ = 2 Z 𝐵(𝑟)2d𝑎" − (𝑎 − 𝑟)" 𝑑𝑟 [3]
Φ = Z𝐵
'

2𝜇' 𝐼 / 1 1
= Z T + U d𝑎" − 𝑥 " 𝑑𝑥
𝜋 ' 𝑎−𝑥 𝑎+𝑥

2𝜇' 𝐼 / 2𝑎 4𝑎𝜇' 𝐼 ! 𝑑𝑢
⇒Φ= Z 𝑑𝑥 = Z = 2𝑎𝜇' 𝐼 [4]
𝜋 ' √𝑎" − 𝑥 " 𝜋 ' √1 − 𝑢
"

The mutual inductance is

Φ
𝑀= = 2𝜇' 𝑎. [3]
𝐼
5. (15 points) Mirror on the Wall
Consider a square room with side length 𝐿. The bottom wall of the room is a perfect mirror*. A perfect
monochromatic point source with wavelength 𝜆 is placed a distance 𝑑 above the center of the mirror,
where 𝜆 ≪ 𝑑 ≪ 𝐿.

"

Point source

!
mirror
"
2

* Remember that the phase of light reflected by a mirror changes by 180∘ .

(a) [5 pts] On the right wall, an interference pattern emerges. What is the distance 𝑦 between the
bottom corner and the closest bright fringe above it? Hint: you may assume 𝜆 ≪ 𝑦 ≪ 𝐿 as well.

(b) [10 pts] Now, we instead observe the interference pattern on the top wall. To the nearest integer,
what is the total number of bright fringes that appear on the top wall? You may assume that 𝑑 ≪ 𝐿.

Solution:

(a) This setup is essentially a double-slit experiment with the second slit being the image of the point
source on the other side of the mirror, with the additional phase shift from the mirror.

The condition for constructive interference reads, (𝑚 is an arbitrary integer)

1 2𝑦
2𝑑 sin 𝜃 + 𝜆 = 𝑚𝜆 and tan 𝜃 = [2]
2 𝐿

As 𝑦 ≪ 𝐿, we have sin 𝜃 ≈ tan 𝜃

4𝑑𝑦 1
⇒ = T𝑚 − U 𝜆. [1]
𝐿 2

Substituting 𝑚 = 1 gives us

𝜆𝐿
𝑦= [2]
8𝑑

(b) The distance between the source and a spot 𝑥 (as measured from the middle of the wall) on the wall
is given by d(𝐿 − 𝑑)" + 𝑥 " and the distance between the image and a spot on the wall is
d(𝐿 + 𝑑)" + 𝑥 " . Notice that we can’t assume 𝑥 ≪ 𝐿 this time. The condition for the constructive
interference gives (𝑚 is an arbitrary integer)
 1
d(𝐿 + 𝑑)" + 𝑥 " − d(𝐿 − 𝑑)" + 𝑥 " = T𝑚 − U 𝜆. [2]
2

1
⇒ d𝐿" + 𝑥 " + 2𝑑𝐿 + 𝑑 " − d𝐿" + 𝑥 " − 2𝑑𝐿 + 𝑑 " = T𝑚 − U 𝜆
2
! !
2𝑑𝐿 " 2𝑑𝐿 " 1
⇒ d𝐿" + 𝑥 " T1 + " U − d𝐿" + 𝑥 " T1 − U = T𝑚 − U 𝜆.
𝐿 + 𝑥" 𝐿" + 𝑥 " 2

Taylor’s series give

2𝑑𝐿 1
⇒ = T𝑚 − U 𝜆. [1]
√𝐿" + 𝑥 " 2

4𝑑 "
⇒ 𝑥 = ±𝐿m − 1 [1]
1 " "
n𝑚 − 2o 𝜆

For physical (real) 𝑥, it requires

2𝑑 1
≥ 𝑚 − [1]
𝜆 2
1
On the other hand, 𝑥 ≤ ". Then

4𝑑 " 1
m − 1 ≤ [2]
"
1 2
n𝑚 − 2o 𝜆"

4𝑑 " 5
⇒ ≤
1 " 4
n𝑚 − 2o 𝜆"

1 4𝑑
⇒𝑚− ≥ [2]
2 √5𝜆

Finally, we have

2𝑑 1 4𝑑
≥𝑚− ≥ [1]
𝜆 2 √5𝜆

And the number of fringes is

2𝑑 1 4𝑑 1
𝑁 = 2 × TrT + Us − r + sU
𝜆 2 √5𝜆 2

where ⌊𝑥⌋ denotes the largest integer below than 𝑥 and the extra factor 2 comes from there being two
sides to the interference pattern.
6. (15 points) The spaceship Viking goes to a planet in a star system 30 light years away from Earth with
a speed of 0.99𝑐, spends 1 year on the planet, and then returns home. The entire trip takes 10 years for
the crew.

(a) [2 pts] How far is the planet away from Earth according to the crew?
(b) [3 pts] How long does it take the crew to get to the planet?
(c) [2 pts] How long does it take the crew to return to Earth?
(d) [3 pts] What is the speed of the crew on return?
(e) [2 pts] How far is the Earth from the planet according to crew on their return?
(f) [3 pts] How long did the entire trip take for the Earth observers?

Solution:

(a)

30
𝐿= = 30d1 − 0.99" = 4.23 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 [2]
𝛾

(b) The distance is 4.23 light years and they are going at 0.99𝑐. So it takes them 4.23/0.99 =4.27 years
[3]to get there.

(c) Since the entire trip is 10 years, the return time is 𝑇 = 10 − 4.27 − 1 = 4.73 years. [2].

(d) Let 𝛽" be the speed of return. Then the distance travelled by the crew is 𝐿2 = 30d1 − 𝛽"" and the
time it takes is

2
30d1 − 𝛽""
𝑇 = = 4.73 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 ⇒ 𝛽" = 0.988 [3]
𝑐𝛽"

(e) 𝐿2 = 30d1 − 𝛽"" = 4.67 light years. [2]

(f) The total time measured by the observer on Earth is

30 𝑙𝑦𝑟 30 𝑙𝑦𝑟
𝑇* = +1+ = 61.67 years [3]
0.99𝑐 0.988𝑐

~ END OF PAPER ~