PHY101

Assignment no. 2

Spring solution 2023

VU ID: BC220418067

QUESTION NO. 1:

Is it true or wrong to say that Current decreases when passing through a resistor and then
increases again upon exiting? Provide a good argument for your answer, whether it is yes
or no.

Solution:

No, it is wrong to say that the current decreases as it passes through the resistor and then
increases again after exiting. According to Ohm's law, the current (I) flowing through a resistor
(R) is directly proportional to the voltage (V) applied across it: I = V/R. As long as the voltage
remains constant, the current across the resistor will be consistent.

The misunderstanding may arise from the fact that in a series circuit, where a resistor is followed
by other components such as another resistor or capacitor, the current at any point remains the
same. However, the voltage drops across each component, including the resistor, which may give
the impression that the current is dropped through the resistor.

Actually, the current inside the resistor does not fluctuate. It is a passive two-terminal component
that converts electrical energy into heat. As such, the current is constant, following Ohm's law,
regardless of the path it takes within the resistor.

Question no.2:

Using the law of Physics, explain this concept, “why do waves changes path when their
speed changes”? Explain this phenomenon, for instance, using the mechanical comparison
in the photo shown.
Solution:

Wave refraction involves the change of direction of a wave when passing from one medium to
another medium. Reflection or bending of the wave path is achieved by changing the wave speed
and wavelength. Therefore, when the environment changes, the speed of the wave also changes.
Therefore, waves that pass from one medium to another are refracted. In the given figure, it is
clearly seen that the initial path of a straight line, medium of the dry road, speed and direction
change when entering the water and also due to the phenomenon of refraction.

Question no. 3

A physics student asserted that he had determined that a substance (material) had a
refractive index of 0.85. Give your professional judgement on this claim. Give a good
argument to support it or negate it.

Solution ;

Based on the information provided, I can assert that a refractive index of 0.85 is not plausible for
any substance. The refractive index of a material is a dimensionless quantity that measures the
speed of light in vacuum relative to its speed in the material. Refractive indices typically range
from about 1.0 for air to higher values for transparent materials. A refractive index of 0.85 is
improbable because it implies that the speed of light in the material is significantly faster than in
a vacuum, which violates the basic principles of physics. In practice, refractive indices are
usually greater than 1.0, because light is generally slowed down when passing through the
material. To confirm or refute this claim, an experimental setup involving a known material with
a known refractive index should be used for calibration. Standard techniques such as prism or
interferometry methods can be used to accurately measure the refractive index. A value of 0.85
would be highly suspicious and prompt a reevaluation of the experimental setup or possible
sources of error. Additional data and verification is required before accepting such extraordinary
claims.

Question no. 4;
What portion (percentage) of this iceberg lies beneath the surface of the water? Use the
density values listed in the figure. Use the law of physics to compute it.

HereV w =volume of water displaced bt ice bergs=volume of the ice bergs below the surface

V I =Volume of ice bergs