B.Sc.

ITEA – Physics 1 – Final exam

January 2020

Solutions v.2020-01-17
Note: Unless stated otherwise, data is in the MKSC system of units. Data with no
decimal point are assumed to have 3 significant digits. Take g = 9.81 m/s2 .

Mechanics

1.
Which one of the situations (A,B,C,D) can be the re-
sult of an elastic collision between the two (assumed
point-like) isolated objects shown on the right?

(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) N.O.

Answer:
D
Sol:
In an elastic collision the total momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. (Angular
momentum is also conserved, but in a collision of point particles it is a less restrictive
condition than momentum conservation.) The initial, before collision, values are
p
~0 = m~
v

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 1

 1
K0 = m v2 .
2
In situation A K is not conserved,
1 1
KA = (2m) (v/2)2 = K0 .
2 2
Neither it is in situation B,
1 1
KB = m v 2 + (2m) v 2 = 3K0 .
2 2
In situation C p
~ is not conserved,

p v ) = −~
~C = m (−~ p0 .

Situation D is the only one that preserves both quantities,

p
~D = m (−~
v /3) + (2m) (2~
v /3) = m~
v=p
~0

and
1 1 1
KD = m (v/3)2 + (2m) (2v/3)2 = m v 2 = K0 .
2 2 2

2.
The composite flat disk in the figure has a main sec-
tion (light grey) with an insert (dark grey). The main
section has a homogeneous mass density ρ, radius R
and center at point O. The insert has a homogeneous
mass density 2ρ, radius R/2 and center at a distance
R/2 from O. Calculate the distance between the cen-
ter of mass of the composite disk and O.

(a) R/4

(b) R/6

(c) R/8

(d) R/10

(e) N.O.

Answer:
R/10

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 2

Sol:
Consider a ref frame with origin at O and an x axis pointing to the center of the
denser (dark grey) subsection. By symmetry, the CM lies on the x axis, so that the
only unknown quantity is its xcm coordinate, which is precisely the sought distance. The
composite object can be decomposed into three sub-objects, namely, a full disk of radius
R and density ρ; an empty disk of radius R/2 and density −ρ (i.e., a “hole”); and a full
disk of radius R/2 and density 2ρ. The total mass is
5
M = π R2 ρ − π (R/2)2 ρ + π (R/2)2 (2ρ) = π R2 ρ .
4
Furthermore, the CM of a homogeneous disk is at its center. The sought coordinate is
thus
4  2 2 2
 1
xcm = 2
π R ρ · 0 − π (R/2) ρ (R/2) + π (R/2) (2ρ) (R/2) = R.
5πR ρ 10

3.
A point-like mass m = 2 kg stands on a horizontal
rigid disk at a distance r = 1 m from its center. The
coefficient of static friction between the block and
the disk is µ = 0.3. Gravity is directed downward
as shown in the figure. At time t = 0 the disk is
at rest and begins to rotate with a constant angular
acceleration α = 1 rad/s2 . How long (in seconds)
after the disk starts rotating will the mass begin to
slip?

(a) 1.0

(b) 1.7

(c) 2.8

(d) Never

(e) N.O.

Answer:
1.7 s
Sol:
For a constant angular acceleration starting at rest, the angular velocity is

ω = αt .

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 3

The tangential and normal accelerations of the mass m are

at = α r
an = v 2 /r = ω 2 r = α2 t2 r ,

respectively. The total acceleration is thus

q
a = a2t + a2n = α r (1 + α2 t4 )1/2 ,

an increasing function of time.

Since there is no motion in the vertical direction, the normal force upwards equals the
weight. The max force of static friction is then given by

fmax = µmg .

By Newton’s 2nd law, just before sliding this force equals the mass times the acceleration,

µmg = m α r (1 + α2 t4 )1/2 ,

from where the time can be obtained,

  1/4
1 µ g 2
t= −1 = 1.66 s .
α2 αr
Note that this time does not depend on the mass.

4.
A mass m attached to a spring with constant k is subject to a viscous force −bv, where
v is the velocity and b = 5 N s/m. The mass oscillates following the trajectory

x(t) = 0.8 e−2.5t sin(πt − 0.3) ,

with x in meters and t in seconds. Calculate, using three significant digits, m and k.

(a) 1.00 kg
16.1 N/m

(b) 1.00 kg
9.87 N/m

(c) 2.50 kg
40.3 N/m

(d) Not enough

data

(e) N.O.

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 4

Answer:
1.00 kg, 16.1 N/m
Sol:
From the given trajectory we infer that γ = 2.5 s−1 and that ω = π rad/s. Thus
b
m= = 1 kg .
2γ
Furthermore,
k
= ω02 = ω 2 + γ 2 = 16.12 s−2 ,
m
whence
k = m ω02 = 16.12 N/m .

5.
A small planet of mass m is in a circular orbit of radius r around a star of mass M
(M  m) in an otherwise nearly empty space. The planet is subject to a viscous force
of the form f~ = −b v 2 v̂ where b is a constant, v is the planet’s speed and v̂ is the
unit vector tangent to its trajectory. The parameter b is small enough that neither the
orbital radius nor the speed of the planet change appreciably in one orbit. Calculate
the variation of mechanical energy in one orbital period in terms of G (the gravitational
constant), M , m, r and b.

(a) −2π b G m

(b) −2π b G M

(c) +π b G M

(d) −4π b2 G r

(e) N.O.

Answer:
−2π b G M
Sol:
The variation of mechanical energy E equals the net work Wnocon done by all non-
conservative forces, in this case friction. This work is, for a full circular orbit,
I I
∆E = Wnocon = d~ ~
r · f = − dr f = −2π r f = −2π b v 2 r ,

where it has been used that (i) the force is constantly anti-parallel to the displacement
d~
r=~ v dt = v v̂ dt; (ii) its magnitude is constant, since v does not change appreciably for

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 5

one circular orbit; and (iii) the distance travelled in one circular orbit is 2πr—assuming
that the radius r does not change appreciably in one orbit.
Now, the radius and the speed of a planet in circular orbit are connected via Newton’s
2nd law,
Mm v2
G 2 =m ⇒
r r
GM = v 2 r .
Substituting this result in the expression for W ,
∆E = Wnocon = −2π b G M .

Thermodynamics

6.
Consider the P V diagram for an
arbitrary substance shown on the
right. Calculate the difference Q ≡
QADCB − QACB (in atm L) be-
tween the heat QADCB absorbed in
path ADCB and the heat QACB ab-
sorbed in path ACB.

(a) 6
(b) 4
(c) 2
(d) −2
(e) N.O.

Answer:
2 atm L
Sol:
By the first law, the change of internal energy UB − UA is independent of the path,
QADCB + WADCB = QACB + WACB .

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 6

Therefore,
Q ≡ QADCB − QACB = WACB − WADCB = WACB + WBCDA .
Notice that in the last step the direction of the path ADCB has been reversed into
BCDA. The right hand side corresponds to the work performed along the loop ACB +
BCDA = ACBCDA, which is the same as that in ACDA because the work along CBC
is null. Since the loop is traveled counterclockwise the sought work is the positive area
of the triangle,
(3 − 1) × (3 − 1)
WACDA = + = 2 atm L .
2

7.
For an arbitrary substance, the quantity
 
∂P
KS ≡ −V ,
∂V Q=0

where V is the volume and P is the pressure, is called the adiabatic (or, also, isentropic)
bulk modulus. The subscript Q = 0 specifies that the process is defined to proceed
adiabatically. Calculate, KS (in atm) for an ideal diatomic gas at 1.0 atm of pressure
and 300 K of temperature.

(a) 0.7
(b) 1.4
(c) 2.1
(d) 2.8
(e) N.O.

Answer:
1.4 atm
Sol:
For an ideal gas following an adiabatic process
PV γ = C ,
where C is a constant. Thus,
C
P = ⇒
  Vγ
∂P C
= −γ ⇒
∂V Q=0 V (γ+1)
 
∂P C
KS ≡ −V =γ = γP .
∂V Q=0 Vγ

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 7

For P = 1 atm and for a diatomic ideal gas (γ = 7/5 = 1.4) this yields a bulk modulus
of 1.4 atm. Notice that this result is independent of the temperature.

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 8

8.
A piston of mass m and head area S can freely and frictionlessly move inside a sealed
cylinder. Both the cylinder and the piston are thermally insulated so that no heat
can flow through them. In equilibrium the piston splits the cylinder into two identical
compartments of length `, each one containing n moles of the same ideal gas (ratio of
heat capacities γ) at the same temperature T and pressure. If the piston is slightly
displaced from its equilibrium position it performs oscillations which, assuming the
amplitude is small, can be approximated as harmonic. Let us further assume that the
piston moves relatively slowly, so that the gases undergo a quasi-static process, i.e., they
have well defined pressures and temperatures at all times, albeit different for the two
compartments if the piston is not in the equilibrium position. Calculate the angular
frequency of the harmonic oscillations in terms of n, T , γ, `, S and m.

Sketch with the piston displaced x > 0 to the right.

Hint: In mechanics an arbitrary force field F (x) with a stable equilibrium position at
x = 0 is equivalent, for small oscillations, to a spring with effective constant

dF (x)
keff = −
dx x=0

(a) s
nRT
γmS

(b) r
nRT γ
m`(2+γ)
(c) r
2γnRT
m`2
(d) r
γnRT
mS
(e) N.O.

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 9

Answer:
r
2γnRT
m`2

Sol:
Let us call V1 and V2 to the volumes of the right and left compartments, respectively,
when the piston displacement is x. We shall take x > 0 if the displacement is to the
right. Note that
V1 = S (` − x)
V2 = S (` + x) .
Let us call P1 and P2 to the pressures of the right and left compartments, respectively,
when the piston displacement is x. Considering the pressures exerted by the gases on
each side (taking the positive direction to the right), the net force on the piston is

F = S P2 − S P1 = S (P2 − P1 ) .

In the equilibrium position (x = 0) the volumes are equal, V1 = V2 , and the pressures
are equal, P1 = P2 , so that the net force on the piston is null. Let V0 = S` and P0 be
the volume and pressure, respectively, in the equilibrium position x = 0. Note that, as
the gas is ideal,
P0 V0 = nRT .

Since the walls are insulators the compression/expansion processes of gases 1 & 2, which
proceed quasi-statically, are adiabatic. Hence,

P1 V1γ = P2 V2γ = P0 V0γ

at all times. The force is then

P0 V γ
   
1 1 1 1
F (x) = S (P2 − P1 ) = S P0 V0γ γ − = γ−10 − .
V2 V1γ S (` + x)γ (` − x)γ

For small oscillations, this corresponds to an “effective spring constant” given by

γ P0 V0γ
 
dF (x) 1 1
keff = − = + =
dx x=0 S γ−1 (` + x)γ+1 (` − x)γ+1 x=0

2γ P0 V0γ 2γ nRT
= = ,
S γ−1 `γ+1 `2
where we have substituted P0 = nRT /V0 and V0 = S`.
The angular frequency is that of an effective spring keff attached to a mass m, i.e.,
r r
keff 2γnRT
ω= = .
m m`2

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 10

9.
The coefficient of performance (CoP) of an ideal reversible refrigerator is 10.1. If
the high-temperature reservoir is at 300 K, at which temperature (in ◦ C) is the low-
temperature one?

(a) −5
(b) +5
(c) −10
(d) +10
(e) N.O.

Answer:
0◦ C
Sol:
For an ideal refrigerator the CoP, or efficiency, is
Tr
cool = ,
1 − Tr
where Tr ≡ Tc /Th is the ratio between the temperatures of the cold (Tc ) and hot (Th )
reservoirs. Isolating Tc ,
cool
Tc = Th = 273 K = 0◦ C .
1 + cool

10.
We wish to compare the costs of heating a house using (a) natural gas; or (b) a heat
pump. According to the bills issued by a Spanish gas and electricity company, the
prices per supplied energy are as follows (prices as of Oct 2019; VAT included; fixed
costs ignored; ‹ stands for one cent of an euro): (a) Natural gas (NG) has a cost of
6.56 ‹ per kWh of heat produced when burnt. (b) Electricity has a cost of 19.29 ‹ per
kWh. In (a) the boiler in the house burns the gas to heat up the water that circulates
through the radiators; in the process, about 15.% of the heat is lost with the fumes that
are expelled through the chimney. For (b), a typical heat pump has a CoP of 3.0. If
CNG is the cost to deliver one unit of heat to the house when using NG and Cpump is
the corresponding cost for the heat pump, calculate the relative savings
CNG − Cpump
Rel. savings = .
CNG

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 11

 (a) −3%

(b) +8%

(c) +17%

(d) +34%

(e) N.O.

Answer:
+17%
Sol:
For the NG the efficiency is

NG = 1 − 15% = 85% .

If Ein is the energy (kWh) taken from the network and ¿NG represents the cost per unit
energy purchased (‹/kWh), we have

cost Ein ¿NG ¿NG 6.56 ‹/kWh

CNG = = = = = 7.72 ‹ per kWh of heat .
heat delivered Ein NG NG 0.85
Similarly, for the heat pump,

Ein ¿pump ¿pump 19.29 ‹/kWh

Cpump = = = = 6.43 ‹ per kWh of heat .
Ein pump pump 3.0

The heat pump is therefore cheaper to operate and the relative savings are
CNG − Cpump 6.43
savings = =1− = +17% .
CNG 7.72

Physics 1 — Final — January 2020 12