PEP 2020 Phase 2 Selection Test 5

Date: 20 February 2021

Time: 09:00 – 12:00
Full Mark: 100
Speed of light 𝑐 3 × 10! m/s
Planck constant ℎ 6.63 × 10"#$ J/s
Vacuum Permittivity 𝜖% 8.85 × 10"&' F/m
Electron charge 𝑒 −1.6 × 10"&( C
Electron mass 𝑚) 9.1 × 10"#& kg

1. (20 points) Heating Pipe

Heating plant supplies a residential district by water at high pressure and an output temperature 𝑇% =
200∘ 𝐶. Water flows inside a steel pipe of a radius 𝑅 = 20cm insulated with a ℎ = 4cm layer of mineral
wool, the pipe is located in the open air.
The water flow rate is 𝜇 = 100kg/s. The ambient temperature is 𝑇+ = −20∘ 𝐶. The coefficient of
thermal conductivity of the wool is 𝜒 = 0.08W/(m⋅K). The coefficient of thermal conductivity of steel is
several orders of magnitude higher than that of the wool. The specific heat capacity of water is 𝑐 =
4200 J/(kg ⋅ K).

"

$! ! $"

ℎ
$#

(a) Determine the temperature 𝑇, at the other end of the pipe if the length of the heating pipe is 𝐿& =
10km.
(b) Determine the temperature 𝑇, at the other end of the pipe if the length of the heating pipe is 𝐿& =
100km.

Note: The amount of heat Δ𝑞 passing through a layer with an area 𝑆 and a thickness ℎ per unit time Δ𝑡
for a temperature gradient Δ𝑇 is given by the equation
𝑆
Δ𝑞 = 𝜒 H I Δ𝑇Δ𝑡
ℎ
where 𝜒 is a coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Solution:
Consider a small section of the pipe Δ𝑥. Water flows into the section at a temperature 𝑇 and flows out
at a temperature 𝑇 + Δ𝑇 (Δ𝑇 < 0). Thus, in this section water loses a heat Δ𝑄 = −𝑐𝜇Δ𝑇Δ𝑡, where 𝑐 is
the specific heat of water and Δ𝑡 is a time interval.

The same amount of heat must be transferred to the ambient air in the stationary regime, i.e.:
 ℎ
2𝜋 P𝑅 + 2Q Δ𝑥
Δ𝑄 = 𝜒 (𝑇 − 𝑇+ )Δ𝑡
ℎ

Equating two equations, we have

ℎ
2𝜋 P𝑅 + 2Q d𝑥
−𝑐𝜇d𝑇 = 𝜒 (𝑇 − 𝑇+ )
ℎ
ℎ
𝑑𝑇 2𝜋 P𝑅 + 2Q 𝜒
⇒ = −U V 𝑑𝑥 = −𝐴𝑑𝑥
𝑇 − 𝑇+ 𝑐𝜇ℎ
Where 𝐴 ≈ 6.54 × 10"- 𝑚"& .
Integrate the equation, we have
𝑇, − 𝑇+
ln H I = −𝐴𝐿
𝑇% − 𝑇+
⇒ 𝑇, = 𝑇+ + (𝑇% − 𝑇+ )𝑒 "./

For 𝐿 = 10𝑘𝑚, 𝑇, = 111∘ 𝐶.

For 𝐿 = 100𝑘𝑚, 𝑇, = 53∘ 𝐶.

Remark:
There is a rigor way to compute the heat current (to outside) at a point 𝑥 inside the pipe.
At the steady state, the heat current 𝐻 insides the wool is constant, i.e,
𝑑𝑇
𝐻 = −𝜒2𝜋𝑟
𝑑𝑟
Is independent of 𝑟.
012 3!
𝐻𝑑𝑟
⇒^ = −2𝜋𝜒 ^ 𝑑𝑇
0 𝑟 3(5)
ℎ
⇒ 𝐻 ln H1 + I = 2𝜋𝜒(𝑇(𝑥) − 𝑇+ )
𝑅
(𝑇(𝑥) − 𝑇+ )
⇒ 𝐻 = 2𝜋𝜒
ℎ
ln P1 + 𝑅Q
And the energy conservation gives,
(𝑇(𝑥) − 𝑇+ )
−𝑐𝜇d𝑇 = 2𝜋𝜒 𝑑𝑥
ℎ
ln P1 + 𝑅Q
𝑑𝑇 2𝜋𝜒
⇒ =− 𝑑𝑥 = −𝐵𝑑𝑥
𝑇 − 𝑇+ ℎ
𝑐𝜇 ln P1 + 𝑅 Q
⇒ 𝑇, = 𝑇+ + (𝑇% − 𝑇+ )𝑒 "7/

Notice that

2𝜋𝜒 2𝜋𝜒 1 2𝜋𝜒 1 2𝜋𝜒𝑅 1 2𝜋𝜒𝑅 ℎ

𝐵= = ≈ ` a≈ U V≈ H1 + I
ℎ 𝑐𝜇 ln P1 + ℎ Q 𝑐𝜇 ℎ 1 ℎ ' 𝑐𝜇ℎ 1 − ℎ 𝑐𝜇ℎ 2𝑅
𝑐𝜇 ln P1 + 𝑅Q 𝑅 − P Q 2𝑅
𝑅 2 𝑅
2𝜋𝜒 ℎ
= H𝑅 + I = 𝐴
𝑐𝜇ℎ 2
 2
You can see the ' term in the constant 𝐴 is coming from the 2nd order correction of the complete
calculation 𝐵.

2. (20 points) Spring Stretching

A thin light spring is extended by Δ𝑙 and fixed on a smooth horizontal table at points 𝐴 and 𝐵. A ratio of
the periods of small transverse (Fig. a) and longitudinal (Fig. b) oscillations of a small weight at the
spring midpoint equals 𝑛& = 4. After the extension has been changed to Δ𝑙 + 3.5cm, the ratio becomes
𝑛' = 3.

A B

Fig. a

A B
Fig. b
Determine the natural length 𝑙% of the spring and the extension Δ𝑙. Assume that the spring obey
Hooke’s law.

Solution:
8
Let 𝑘 be the spring constant of the entire spring and ' is the spring constant of the half spring.
For the longitude oscillation,
Δ𝑙 Δ𝑙
𝑚𝑥̈ = −2𝑘 H + 𝑥I + 2𝑘 H − 𝑥I = −4𝑘𝑥
2 2
4𝑘 2𝜋 𝑚
⇒ 𝜔9 = g 𝑎𝑛𝑑. 𝑇9 = = 2𝜋i
𝑚 𝜔9 4𝑘

For the transverse oscillation,

The tension along the spring is
𝑙% Δl 1 𝑙% 2𝑘Δ𝑙
2𝑘 jH + I − n≈
2 2 cos 𝜑 2 2
The EOM is
𝑙% + Δ𝑙
𝑚H I 𝜑̈ = −2𝑘Δ𝑙𝜑
2
4𝑘 Δ𝑙
⇒ 𝜑̈ = − H I𝜑
𝑚 𝑙% + Δ𝑙
4𝑘 Δ𝑙 𝑚 𝑙%
⇒ 𝜔: = g H I 𝑎𝑛𝑑. 𝑇: = 2𝜋g H1 + I
𝑚 𝑙% + Δ𝑙 4𝑘 Δ𝑙
We have
 𝑇: ' 𝑙% 𝑙%
H I = 1 + = 16 ⇒ = 15
𝑇9 Δ𝑙 Δ𝑙
And
𝑙% 𝑙%
1+ =9⇒ =8
Δ𝑙 + 3.5 Δ𝑙 + 3.5
From these equations,
Δ𝑙 + 3.5 15
= ⇒ 7Δ𝑙 = 3.5 × 8 ⇒ Δ𝑙 = 4.0𝑐𝑚
Δ𝑙 8
And
𝑙% = 15Δ𝑙 = 60𝑐𝑚.

3. (20 points)
A ring of radius 𝑅 and uniform linear charge density 𝜆 (𝜆 > 0) is fixed on a smooth table. A point particle
of charge 𝑞 (𝑞 > 0) and mass 𝑚 is placed on the table which is near the center of the ring. Assuming
that the charge distribution on the ring will not be affected by the existence of the point charge. Will the
charge oscillate? If so, what is the period 𝑇 of the oscillation?

#
"
!×
%, '

Solution:
We will apply the Gauss law to find the electric field at the point particle.

Consider a Gaussian cylindrical surface (radius 𝑟 and height 2𝑙) enclosed the center O.

#
"

The electric field at the point (0,0, 𝑙) can be computed by elementary calculus,
1 𝜆𝑑𝑠 𝑙 1 𝜆𝑅𝑙
𝐸s⃗ = ^ ' '
𝑧̂ = #
4𝜋𝜖% (𝑅 + 𝑙 ) √𝑅 + 𝑙 ' ' 2𝜖% (𝑅'
+ 𝑙 ' )'
The electric field on the point particle 𝐸; (𝑟) can be obtained from the Gauss’s law over the cylindrical
Gaussian surface,
^ 𝐸s⃗ ⋅ 𝑑𝐴⃗ + ^ 𝐸s⃗ ⋅ 𝑑𝐴⃗ + ^ 𝐸s⃗ ⋅ 𝑑𝐴⃗ = 0
:<= ><::<? @A;B)C
1 𝜆𝑅𝑙 '
⇒2× # × 𝜋𝑟 + (2𝜋𝑟2𝑙)𝐸;
(𝑟) = 0
2𝜖% (𝑅'
+ 𝑙 )'
'
𝑟 𝜆𝑅 𝜆𝑟
⇒ 𝐸; (𝑟) = − # ≈ −
4𝜖% (𝑅' 4𝜖% 𝑅'
+ 𝑙 ' )'
Therefore, the electric force acting on the point charge is
𝜆𝑞
𝐹⃗ = 𝑞𝐸s⃗ = − 𝑟 = −𝑘𝑟
4𝜖% 𝑅'
The point charge will oscillate with the oscillation period
2𝜋 𝑚 𝜖% 𝑚
𝑇= = 2𝜋i = 4𝜋𝑅 g
𝜔 𝑘 𝜆𝑞

4. (20 points)
A muon particle of charge 𝑞 = −𝑒 = −1.6 × 10"&( 𝐶 and rest mass 𝑚% = 100 MeV/c 2 has a life-time in
its rest frame 𝜏% = 10"- s. Assume the muon is located at the height ℎ = 10$ 𝑚 above the equator of
the Earth and moves downwards at high speed (comparable to the speed of light 𝑐). In this problem, you
can neglect the gravitational effect and the rotational effect of the Earth.
(a) If the muon particle can reach the surface of the Earth, what is the minimum total energy of the
muon particle?
(b) If the magnetic field near the equator can be approximated by a uniform magnetic field 𝐵 = 10"$ T
pointing parallel to the surface of the Earth. The muon will deviate from its vertical when it hits on the
ground. Find the deviation distance of the muon (with the total energy you have obtained in part (a))
when it hits on the ground.

Solution:
(a) If the speed of the muon is 𝑣. The time it hits on the ground is
ℎ
𝑡= ≤𝜏
𝑣
where 𝜏 is the life-time of the moving muon as measure with respect to the Earth.
1 ℎ
𝜏= 𝜏% =
€1 − 𝑣 ' /𝑐 ' 𝑣
And the total energy of the muon is
1 𝜏 ℎ1 ℎ1
𝐸= 𝑚% 𝑐 ' = 𝑚% 𝑐 ' = 𝑚% 𝑐 ' ≈ 𝑚 𝑐 ' = 3.3 × 10# MeV
€1 − 𝑣 ' /𝑐 ' 𝜏% 𝑣 𝜏% 𝑐 𝜏% %
(b)
 !

× %: (0,0, ℎ)
-
#

"
$

s⃗ = 𝐵𝑥• which is perpendicular to the velocity

The muon particle is at the point P initially and the B field 𝐵
of the particle. The speed of the particle is a constant and the equation of motion gives
𝑚% 𝑑𝑣⃗ 𝐸 𝑑𝑣E 𝑑𝑣F
−𝑒‚𝑣E 𝑦• + 𝑣F 𝑧̂ „ × 𝐵𝑥• = −𝑒𝑣⃗ × 𝐵s⃗ = 𝐹⃗ = 𝛾𝑚𝑎⃗ = = '† 𝑦• + 𝑧̂ ‡
𝑣 ' 𝑑𝑡 𝑐 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
i1 − '
𝑐
𝐸 𝑑𝑣 E 𝑑𝑣F
⇒ 𝑒𝐵𝑣E 𝑧̂ − 𝑒𝐵𝑣F 𝑦• = ' † 𝑦• + 𝑧̂ ‡
𝑐 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
We have 2 coupled DE,
𝑑𝑣E 𝑒𝐵𝑐 '
=− 𝑣 = −𝜔𝑣F
𝑑𝑡 𝐸 F

𝑑𝑣F 𝑒𝐵𝑐 '

= 𝑣 = −𝜔' 𝑣F
𝑑𝑡 𝐸 E
⇒ 𝑣F = 𝐴 cos(𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣E = −𝐴 sin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙)
At time 𝑡 = 0, 𝑣E = 0 and 𝑣F = −𝑣%
⇒ 𝑣F = −𝑣% cos 𝜔𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣E = −𝑣% sin 𝜔𝑡

Finally, we can find the trajectory 𝑦, 𝑧 (with initial condition 𝑦(0) = 0, 𝑧(0) = ℎ
𝑑𝑦 𝑣% 𝑣%
= −𝑣% sin 𝜔𝑡 ⇒ 𝑦 = cos 𝜔𝑡 −
𝑑𝑡 𝜔 𝜔
𝑑𝑧 𝑣%
= −𝑣% cos 𝜔𝑡 ⇒ 𝑧 = − sin 𝜔𝑡 + ℎ
𝑑𝑡 𝜔
Therefore, when the muon hits on the ground, 𝑧(𝑡) = 0.
ℎ𝜔 ℎ 𝑒𝐵𝑐 ' 𝑒𝐵𝑐ℎ
⇒ sin 𝜔𝑡 = = ≈ = 0.091
𝑣% 𝑣% 𝐸 𝐸
And the deviation distance is
𝑣% 𝐸
|𝑦(𝑡)| = (1 − cos 𝜔𝑡) ≈ (1 − cos 𝜔𝑡) = 460m
𝜔 𝑒𝐵𝑐

Method II:
Students may work out the problem by noting that the orbit of the muon is circular. The cyclotron radius
is given by
𝛾𝑚% 𝑣 '
= 𝑒𝑣𝐵,
𝑟
 𝛾𝑚% 𝑐 𝐸
𝑟= = = 1.11 × 10G m.
𝑒𝐵 𝑒𝐵𝑐
Deviation: 𝑑 = 𝑟 − √𝑟 ' − ℎ' = 451 m.

5. (20 points)
(a) Consider light incident on a thin film of refractive index 𝑛' and reflected by both the upper and lower
boundaries. (Both the medium above and below the thin film are air of refractive index 𝑛& .) Find the
condition for maximum reflection. The condition should be expressed in terms of 𝑛' , 𝑑, 𝜃 and 𝜆, where 𝜆
is the wavelength of the incident light (measured in air).

Incident light Reflected light

"!

#
"" !

"!

(b) A polarization beam splitter can divide the incident unpolarized light into two linearly polarized lights
whose propagation directions are perpendicular to each other. The structure is shown in the figure. The
polarization beam splitter consists of two right-angle glass prisms separating by a multilayer film. The
multilayer film is formed by alternately combining high refractive index and low refractive index
materials. Let the high refractive index be 𝑛H , the low refractive index be 𝑛/ and the refractive index of
the glass be 𝑛. The thickness of the high and low refractive index materials are 𝑡H and 𝑡/ respectively.
The unpolarized light is incident on the multilayer film at an incident angle of 45 degrees.

"!
Polarized ""
Reflected "!
45∘ ""
Light
Unpolarized
Incident
Light
45∘ !!
!"
Polarized !!
Transmitted !"

Multilayer Light
film

(bi) Find the refractive index 𝑛 of the glass where the reflected light is linearly polarized. Express the
result in terms of 𝑛/ , 𝑛H , 𝑡H and 𝑡/ .
(bii) Determine the minimum thickness 𝑡H and 𝑡/ of the film in order to have the maximum polarization
for the transmitted light. Express the results in terms of 𝑛H , 𝑛/ and 𝜆, where 𝜆 is the wavelength of the
incident light in vacuum.

Solution:
(a)
 Incident light

"!

""

"!

The optical path difference (OPD) between 2 reflected light is

𝑂𝑃𝐷 = 𝑛' (𝐴𝐵 + 𝐵𝐶) − 𝑛& 𝐴𝐷
Where
𝑑
𝐴𝐵 = 𝐵𝐶 =
cos 𝜃'
𝐴𝐷 = 2𝑑 tan 𝜃' sin(𝜃& )
By Snell’s law, 𝑛& sin 𝜃& = 𝑛' sin 𝜃' ,
2𝑑
𝑂𝑃𝐷 = 𝑛' H I − 2𝑑 tan 𝜃' 𝑛' sin 𝜃' = 2𝑛' 𝑑 cos 𝜃'
cos 𝜃'
Because there must be a 𝜋 phase shift at one of the two boundaries, the condition for maximum
reflection (i.e. constructive interference) is
1
𝑂𝑃𝐷 = H𝑘 + I 𝜆
2
1
⇒ 2𝑛' 𝑑 cos 𝜃 = H𝑘 + I 𝜆
2
for any integer 𝑘.

(bi) Let the refracted angle in the high and low refractive materials be 𝜃H and 𝜃/ . Snell laws give
𝑛 sin 45∘ = 𝑛H sin 𝜃H = 𝑛/ sin 𝜃/
To get polarized reflected light, it must satisfy the Brewster rule, i.e.
𝜃H + 𝜃/ = 90∘
𝑛
⇒ = 𝑛H sin 𝜃H = 𝑛/ cos 𝜃H
√2
' '
' '
𝑛 𝑛
⇒ 1 = sin 𝜃H + cos 𝜃H = † ‡ +† ‡
√2𝑛H √2𝑛/
' '
2𝑛H 𝑛/
⇒ 𝑛' = '
𝑛H + 𝑛/'
√2𝑛H 𝑛/
⇒𝑛=
'
€𝑛H + 𝑛/'
(bii) To get the maximum polarization for the transmitted light, we must have maximum reflection for
the (polarized) reflected light.
1
2𝑛H 𝑡H cos 𝜃H = H𝑘& + I 𝜆
2
1
2𝑛/ 𝑡/ cos 𝜃/ = H𝑘' + I 𝜆
2
for any integers 𝑘& and 𝑘' . To get minimum thickness, we have 𝑘& = 𝑘' = 0.
 𝜆
2𝑛H 𝑡H cos 𝜃H =
2
𝜆
2𝑛/ 𝑡/ cos 𝜃/ =
2
From the Snell’s law and part (a),
𝑛'
cos 𝜃H = €1 − sin' 𝜃H = g1 − '
2𝑛H

𝑛'
cos 𝜃/ = €1 − sin' 𝜃/ = g1 −
2𝑛/'
We have
'
€𝑛H + 𝑛/' '
€𝑛H + 𝑛/'
⇒ 𝑡H = 𝜆 ' 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡/ = 𝜆
4𝑛H 4𝑛/'