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Physics Olympiad Exam Problems 2024

Preprint · November 2024

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28564.00641

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 Physics Olympiad Exam Problems 2024
Dr. Brett Teeple
November 2024

These problems below have parts that are at the International Physics
Olympiads level and go beyond even to open problems. If a section has a
sixth question, assume it to be more of a reading and research question,
with most parts worthy of bonus points. Make simplifications or estimates
as needed. Good luck and have fun!

1 Mechanics and Gravitation

1.1 Mechanical Astable Oscillators and the ’Inchworm’
to the Slinky
A disk of radius R1 and mass M1 sits on a turntable of radius R2 , mass M2 ,
which is connected to a motor and rotates at angular speed ω. The coefficient
of static and kinetic friction between the turntable and disk are µs and µk .

(a) At what critical angular speed ωc+ does the top disk begin to slip?

(b) How long does it take for the top disk to stop slipping and return to
rotating without slipping?

(c) When the disks rotate without slipping at angular frequency ω0 , and
the motor is turned off, leaving the bottom disk suddenly at rest. How long
does it take the top disk to stop rotating? At what critical angular velocity
ωc− is this time zero?

(d) If after the motor is turned off, it is removed and the bottom disk can
keep rotating on a table with relative kinetic and static friction coefficients

1
µ′k < µ′s , what are the speeds of the two disks as a function of time? Work
first for µ′k = µ′s = 0.

(e) With the motor still running, as in part (b), the top disk will rotate
and then stop and then rotate again. Sketch the rotational frequency of the
top disk over time, indicating the time the disk remains stationary, and while
it is slipping. What is the time period of its start-stop motion?

(f) A similar kind of effect is observed when blocks of mass m1 and m2

are attached by a string, and have different coefficients of static and kinetic
friction µs,k s,k
1 and µ2 , move down an incline, initially from near rest, down an
incline of angle α. Begin with m1 = m2 = m, and with friction coefficients
µs,k s,k
1 = 4/7 and µ2 = 2/7. For what ranges of the above parameters does
the object keep on this ’inchworm’ motion? What is the rate of the masses’
collisions? (i.e. the time period of the ’inchworm’)

(g) Redo, as much as you can, the case of part (f), but with a spring
of constant k replacing the string between the blocks. Note that perpetual
’inchworm’ motion can occur here on a flat surface α = 0.

(h) Comment on a slinky of N turns, radius R, mass M , and unstretched

length L moves down a staircase of step size d between steps, and step height
h. What is the range of values of L, d, R, h, etc. does the slinky go down
the stairs? What is the average terminal velocity of the slinky when it is in
the perpetual motion just described?

1.2 Least Action and Beyond the Brachistochrone

(a) Use the principle of least action to find the motion of a mass on a fric-
tionless rotating surface, if it has velocity ⃗v0 = v0 (0, b),initially far away, and
so has ’impact parameter’ b. Derive Snell’s law from the principle of least
action as a principle of least time (since the speed of light is c/n(⃗r), for some
radially dependent induced index of refraction, to look at deflection of light
in the relativistic case as well.

(b) By free falling in a gravitational field that goes as 1/rd−1 (say in d

dimensions), what is the path of least action for a tunnel going through the
Earth, exiting at a different point on the Earth’s surface?

2
 (c) By using least action for soap bubbles, find the shape of a soap film
that ends on paraxial, parallel, metal rings of radii R1 and R2 . This is the
shape of a freely propagating closed string with boundary conditions on two
parallel D-branes in however many dimensions you please!

1.3 Lagrangian Mechanics and Lagrange Multipliers

(a) Solve for the equations of motion of the masses in the apparatus shown
in Figure 1.

(b) Consider a mass m on a frictionless hemisphere of ice of radius R,

attached to its top by a spring of constant k.
(i) For a given initial latitude θ and velocity ⃗v0 , what is the trajectory of
the mass assuming it remains on the surface. At what critical latitudes and
initial velocities does the mass leave the surface?
(ii) Assume now there is friction with static and kinetic coefficients of the
surface on the mass as µs , µk . How many equilibrium positions are there for
what ranges of friction coefficients, in terms of k and R? Which are stable
and for the unstable ones, would we observe a starting and stopping and
restarting of motion like the ’inchworm’ motion of the first problem?

1.4 Colliding Billiard Balls with Arbitrary Spin Axis

(a) A ball with spin along an arbitrary axis hits the edge of the pool table.
Find its initial angle of reflection in terms of its angle of incidence.

(b) A ball with spin along an arbitrary axis, collides with an identical
ball. Describe the motion and spin over time of the two balls after colliding.

(c) A sneaky shot, curving around a ball in the way

(d) A billiard ball, mass m, moves on a circular path, centre ⃗r0 , radius
R0 , on a round billiards table, radius R > R0 + r0 and mass M . How much
does the table rotate after the ball completes one full rotation?

(e) A billiard ball table has now just one dimension, and a density of n =
N/L billiard balls of the same mass m, moving randomly left or right (under

3
thermal
p motions, say). One of the balls is then given and impulse ∆mv, with
v ≫ ⟨v 2 ⟩ = vrms , large compared to the thermal ’noisy’ motions.
(i) What is the average number of collisions Ṅ0 per second of the billiard
balls before the ball is struck?
(ii) How can one maximize energy transfer in this 1D ’gas’ model of billiards?
As a bonus, do it for a 2D rectangular billiards table:)

1.5 Rocket Orbit Maneuvers

(a) Two spacecraft orbit a planet, on opposite ends, and in circular orbits of
radii R1 and R2 . Describe spacecraft maneuvres of the innermost spacecraft
using a thrust of ∆⃗v , for thrust with components both radial and tangential
if necessary, to allow them to rendez-vous?

(b) What is the minimum time, for least use of thrusters, for the two
spacecraft to rendez-vous?

2 Thermodynamics and Fluids

2.1 Beyond Van der Waal’s Gases
We learned that the equation of state for a Van der Waal’s gas is
(p + a/V n )(V − b) = kb T,
where we take n =? in order to account for the pressure excess due to inter-
molecular forces.

(a) What force F = krd of intermolecular interaction is for the Van der
Waal’s gas? What is it for any integer n? It mayP
be a superposition like the
inverse 6th with inverse 12th power law, F (r) = i ki rdi .

(b) What if the gas is a plasma of equal numbers of positive and negative
charged ions? Consider them having different sizes and hence masses and
constants b. Look at the case of singly ionized atoms, mass number Z, with
each of their electron pairs in the gas. What can we assume about this case
given the ae ≪ ai and me ≪ mi , and hence different characteristic time
scales of the electron vs. ion motion (electrons see the ions approximately at
rest, eg.).

4
2.2 An Atmospheric Engine
Consider and atmosphere with p(z), ρ(z), and thus T (z) is specified from
given decreasing functions of pressure and density with height above Earth’s
surface.

(a) Determine p(z), ρ(z), and thus T (z), for an adiabatic atmosphere
P (z) = ρ(z)n (how does n depend on γ, the adiabatic constant for the air
molecules?), and for a linearly decreasing temperature model T (z) = T0 −κz.
Ignore changes in Earth’s gravitational field g (How much does ∆g/g com-
pare to ∆T /T or ∆P/P or ∆ρ/ρ?)

(b) Consider a convective air cycle, between the hot and cold reservoirs
at Earth’s surface and at some maximum height H. The flow of air between
reservoirs (as it rises, cools, falls, reheats, and rises again, etc.) can be used
to do work, on a turbine or sort of windmill, say. What is the efficiency of
the engine for different heights H, and for the different atmospheres in part
(a), assuming an efficiency 0 < η ≤ 1 for the turbine.

(c) Estimate a value of H for Earth’s atmosphere.

2.3 Climate Change vs. Greenhouse Effect

(a)

(b)

2.4 Universality Classes of Phase Transitions

(a) Ferromagnetic and Antiferrormagnetic Transitions:
(i) Find the Curie temperature TC , above which a permanent ferromagnet is
demagnetized. How does the magnetic field approach zero with temperature
(i.e. find that universal exponent α in M ∝ (TC − T )α .
(ii) Find the Néel temperature TN , above which an antiferromagnet becomes
suddenly demagnetized/disordered. What is the universal exponent α′ for
this case?

5
 (b) Percolation, Lightning, and Spontaneous Breakdown of Electric Insu-
lators:

(c) Ice melting and dual ’Coulomb gas’:

(i)

(ii)

(d) Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking from the Higgs Field and Mass Gen-
eration:

Consider evaluating the equations of motion for the Higgs field H by using
the principle of least action (Euler-Lagrange-type equations) on the action:
Z Z
1
S = d x dt[ ∂ µ φ∂µ φ − g(φ2 − H 2 )2 ].
3
2
Note this equation has no mass term for φ when H = 0, as no terms ∝ φ2
appear, and instead we get a ϕ4 theory where a quartic interaction term
of the scalar field results, with coupling g/4! instead (Why the 4!?- Taylor
series in perturbative expansions of potentials in the Feynman path integral
as above). By replacing H’s solution back into the action, determine the
mass generated for the scalar field φ in terms of the coupling g. What value
does g have for the observed Higgs’ mass MH ? [Note: Mass terms are of
the form M2 φ2 , as can be seen that the equations of motion with that term
added give the Klein-Gordon equation: (□2 − m2 )φ = 0, which reduces to
the simple relativistic mass-energy equation E 2 = m2 + k 2 . Show this. It is
simply the Fourier transform of the Klein-Gordon equation. How come the
Fourier transform of the Schroedinger equation make no sense then?!] Note
that this applies for any number of scalar or vector boson fields and Higgs
fields ϕaµ and Hb !

2.5 Waves and Musical Instruments

(a) The Trumpet: A trumpet made of brass coated metal like iron or steel
(shouldn’t matter) has tubes of average size d ≈ 1 cm, ending with a bell
shape after a length L, and three valves, that when pressed in different combi-
nations, changes the path of oscillating air waves throughout different lengths
Labc , where a, b, c are binary indices 0 (’open’ valve) and 1 (’closed’ valve).

6
(i) If a trumpet is (as usual) a B ♭ tuned so that when a C is played on the
instrument, C instruments would have to play a B ♭ to play the same note.
For such a B ♭ trumpet, find lengths of the main tube in the trumpet so when
all valves are open a mid-low C is played, and closing any of the 23 = 8
values introduces a length L111 > L110 > L101 > · · · L001 > L000 = L to
the main tube length in open valve flow. Determine the lengths Li of the 3
tubes attached to each valve so that all twelve notes in a pentatonic scale
can be achieved as approximately resonant modes in terms of L? Note that
the same valve configuration can lead to several distinct notes in the same
octave, by varying tightness, and hence frequency, of the embouchure. One
valve typically has a slide for tuning some of the notes. Which valve should
be used to get the mid-low D to be in tune by using a small displacement,
the ∆Li ̸= 0 one, for some valve i. Take into account this in the design. How
many octaves can a trumpet of this regular size produce? (Even if the lips
can’t vibrate so much it stills goes quadratic in frequency of the amplitude
so a sound is however produced.) Which octave higher/lower is more stable?
Which is more articulate?
(ii) A piccolo trumpet is a rescaled version of a trumpet, with main tube k
times shorter. How many octaves are possible for a trumpet and a piccolo
trumpet? A trombone that has valves also sometimes has four valves. Ex-
plain similar features to alignment of notes in respective octaves as in (a).
(iii) Design a trumpet of any tuned type!

(b) The Woodwind:

(i) Saxophone
(ii) Clarinet
(iii) The flute

(c) The Piano vs. the Violin:

(i) Piano uses struck wires of a wide range of lengths, 12N , where N is the
number of octaves, generally speaking. Determine the string lengths for each
note of any audible and physically producible frequency by plucked strings.
The strings can be tuned by varying their tension by varying their length,
like as in a guitar. What is the string tension in piano strings of the same
material if we use strings of a constant length difference a (Li = Lmax − na,
n ∈ {1, 2, . . . , N })?
(ii) Violin vs. Guitar: Resonant chambres with plucked vs. stroked strings.
(iii) Generalizations...

7
2.6 The Entropic ’Spring’ and Emergent Gravity and
Black Hole Thermodynamics
(a) Recall that the entropy in a statistical mechanical of configuration space
measure Ω(E, x), is S(E, x) = kb ln Ω(E, x) for an ’entropic string’ with a
displacement x under a force F , like as in an elastic or polymer, satisfying
Hooke’s law. The partition function is then the integral over all configuration
spaces at every energy E (’micro-canonical ensemble’ measure of fixed energy
shell in a 2n-dimensional phase space):
Z Z
Z(T, F ) = dE dxΩ(E, x)e−(E−F x)/kb T

, hence why Ω is mathematically a measure, not a volume. Using the ther-

modynamic relations 1/T = ∂S/∂E and F/T = ∂S/∂x, gives the Hookian
law, Felastic ≈ −kkb T ⟨x⟩, for some constant k.
(i) Find a minimal quantized amount ∆S and ∆x, in terms of kb , c, ℏ, and
derive a relationship between them. Then, using how minimal free energy
gives W = F ∆x = T ∆S = Q, and Bill Unruh’s result for the acceleration
of a reference frame a’s relation to its observers’ observed temperature T ,
kb T = ℏa/2πc, derive Newton’s second law F = ma and the generalistic
principle g = a.
(ii) The information stored in a surface area A of a blackhole, say, is pro-
portional to its area, encoding/absorbing an information amount of N bits,
which you can show requires the addition of another (universal) constant G,
and satisfies N = Ac3 /Gℏ. Next, by the equipartition of energy law, E =
1
2
N kb T , and equating this to the object’s mass M as M c2 , derive Newton’s
general gravitation law F = GM m/R2 , where R is the object/blackhole’s
radius. Thus this abstract entropic polymer [Bonus: extendable to any gen-
eral dimension d, evaluating Ω and the partition function Zd ], gives rise to
a macroscopic gravitational field. Comment on holography, i.e. the gravita-
tional potential within a closed surface S is completely and uniquely, up to
a constant, determined by its values on the surface.

(b) Explain the physical implication of this ’holographic’ entropic model

for black holes, general relativity, and dark energy? Note that we can have
the acceleration as derived from a field a = −∇Φ, and the energy is a general
integral over any ’holographic surface’ possibly surrounding us (as long as we

8
 H
don’t, or us entouring it, S, E = kb
T dN , as dN ∝ dA, we get
S
I
1
M= ∇Φ · dA
4πG S
. Check this and consider how, from the above, a general entropic poten-
2
P itself and its perturbations satisfying Poisson’s equation, ∇ δΦ =
tial has
4πG i mi δ⃗ri · ∇i δ(⃗r − ⃗ri ).
[Bonus: What if the black hole is slowly rotating and/or has charge Q.]

(c) For which values of angular velocity ω of a black hole of mass M

does the spacetime has timelike regions turned into spacelike regions, and
vice versa? How much does ω change if the blackhole has electric charge Q?
what about magnetic charge g?

(d) [Bonus research problem:] How much dark matter must a star need
close to the centre of our galaxy, near the supermassive blackhole, in order
for the star to remain ’eternal’ compared to any other star’s lifetime?

3 Electromagnetism
3.1 Electric Paper Towel
A paper towel roll (inner radius r, outer radius R, length L, mass M ) is
charged uniformly with total charge Q. The sheets on the roll are of a thick-
ness d ≪ R. At time t = 0, a constant force F pulls on the end of the roll,
unraveling it as the roll rotates about its fixed axis.

(a) Assume for now that Q = 0. Find the rotation rate ω(t) of the paper
towel roll as a function of time, and the time t1 for the roll to completely
unroll. What is the speed of rotation once the paper towel leaves the roll?
Consider the conservation of energy.

(b) Now take Q > 0. As the roll rotates, it produces rotating layers of
current density in terms of the radius of its position.
⃗ t), assum-
(i) What is the magnetic field produced by the unrolling roll B(r,
ing R ≪ L, within and near the roll, ignoring the unrolled part? Note:
the domain of the magnetic field varies with time, and so specify the region

9
where the magnetic field is sufficiently non zero, assuming a ’nested solenoid’
approximation. Ignore edge effects.
(ii) What is the magnetic field F⃗sheet (x, y, z, t) from the unrolling sheet of
charged paper towel at distance z above/below the sheet, as it moves in the x
direction (the direction of the applied force F ). Assume d ≪ R ≪ L ≪ ℓsheet ,
where ℓsheet is the length of the unrolled part of the roll, and so depends on
time. Specify the domain of the magnetic field over time until the roll has
fully unrolled.
(iii) Find the electric field E(r, ⃗ t) induced by the changing magnetic flux
through the roll, and the resistive force Fres acting against the constant ap-
plied force F due to this induced electric field.
(iv) What is the induced electric field E ⃗ sheet (x, y, z, t) from the unrolled part
of the sheet in the approximations of part (ii)? Is there a resistive force on
′
this unrolled part of the roll, Fres ?
(v) Find the energy stored in these two sets of electric and magnetic fields,
E B E B
Uroll , Uroll , and Usheet , Usheet (per unit length of unrolled paper in the latter
case)? Ignore radiative effects, as above as well.
(vi) Comment on the conservation of energy. Is there any angular momen-
tum stored in the fields? If so, comment on the conservation of angular
momentum.

3.2 Where’d that motion come from?

Two concentric conducting cylinders of length L, inner and outer radii R1 , R2 ,
and masses M1 , M2 , are given a charge ±Q, respectively. A uniform mag-
netic field B is along the axis of the cylinders.

(a) At time t = 0, the two cylinders are connected briefly by a conducting

wire, shorting them out. What is the resulting motion of the two cylinders?

(b) Comment on the conservation of angular momentum and energy, by

doing calculations for those stored in the fields.

(c) Now consider the case of concentric charged spheres, inner and outer
radii a < b and the same masses as above. The outer sphere is initially rotat-
⃗ t) and B(r,
ing with angular speed ω0 . By computing the fields E(r, ⃗ ϕ, θ), and
their stored energy and angular momenta, determine the subsequent motion
of the two spheres, with the inner one initially at rest.

10
3.3 Electromagnetic Images and Dyons
(a)

(b)

3.4 Electric-Magnetic Dipole Interaction– Detecting Dark

Matter
(a)

(b)

3.5 Magnetic Damping, Levitation, and Rail Guns

(a)

(b)

(c)

3.6 Circuits on Manifolds

(a) Consider all regular polytopes (i) with a resistor of resistance R = 1 Ω
on each of its sides, and (ii) with a capacitor C = 1 µF on each of its sides.
What is the voltage between two vertices where a current of I = 1 A is ap-
plied and extracted? Do this for any pair of vertices.

(b) What if the circuit forms a minimal triangulation of a torus? A Rie-

mann surface Mg of genus g? (This is a closed surface with g donut holes.)
How does the minimal number of resistors (edges) depend onP the genus of the
surface? (Use Euler’s generalized equation χ = 2 − 2g = nk=1 (−1)k Nk =
#F − #E + #V , where the latter is for surfaces embedded in 3D, in terms
of the number of vertices, edges, and faces, and in the former Nk is the num-
ber of k-cells (k-dimensional ’faces’ ∈ Ωk ⊂ Ω(M n , Z)) of an n-dimensional
manifold embedded in any space of sufficiently extra dimensions).

11
 (c) Consider all possible regular periodic tilings of the plane R2 . (Recall
how many there are and what shape the tiles have). A 1 Ω resistor is at each
edge of the tiling. Find the voltage between neighbouring vertices where a
wire draws current 1 A from one, and adds the same to the other?

(d) If in part (c), instead of a current added across vertices, assume there
is a magnetic field that varies linearly in time B(t) = B0 + kt inside one of
the interior of one of the tiles. What is the induced current through every
resistor in these infinite planar networks?

(e) Last year we looked at resistor networks on a d-dimensional cube.

What voltages are across nearest neighbours with the same resistors and
applied current as the above problems, for a cube made up of N d similar
cubes, forming a d-dimensional cubic complex? Consider the infinite cubic
lattice N → ∞ as well.

4 Optics
4.1 Aberrations in Lensing
(a) Spherical aberration:
Find the ’blur’ of the image in terms of the convex lens of radius of curvature
R, focus f , in (i) along the optical axis, and (ii) transverse to the optical axis
(blur in image size) near the lens’ focus.

(b) Chromatic aberration:

For the same convex lens above, with index of refraction n (average of n(ν)
within the optical range of frequencies ν, determine the horizontal and ver-
tical blur (∆di and ∆hi ), due to the dispersion of incident white light.

(c) Tilt aberration:

For a convex lens as above, tilted slightly by angle δ towards the optical axis,
find the position of the focus in the optical plane (di + δd, δh).

(d) Shift aberration:

In a two lens system, with convex lenses of foci f1 and f2 , a distance D apart,
with the second lens a small amount (needn’t be so small, just as long as

12
the paraxial approximations still holds) (δx, δy), how much has the aligned
lenses’ foci moved (by (∆x f, ∆y f ) and what is the ’blur’ from random lens
vibrations (say from a regular stochastic, Brownian like motion with zero
drift) δ(∆x f, ∆y f )?

4.2 Array of Lenses

A large number of thin lenses, each of equal diameter D, and foci ±f lie a
distance L apart, alternating from convex to concave.
(a) For what values or relationships between the variables above, by varying
L, is a collimated beam, on axis, radius R, remain stable, i.e. confined to
travel along the entire array?
(b) When the beam is unstable for some L, f values, how many lenses N (L)
does the beam pass through before leaving the lens array?
(c) What happens if all but every third, fourth, ..., of the lenses are made (i)
convex, and (ii) concave?

[Hint: Use the matrix method, and examine eigenvalues in angle-height

space (θ, h), for θ the angle of the ray to the horizontal optical axis.]

4.3 Extreme Optics and Gaussian Laser Beams

(a) Motion of charges in intense laser light:
(i) The Drude model of refractive index
(ii) Taking the light’s magnetic field into account now

(b) Self-focusing is due to the more intense light of the Gaussian laser
beam at its centre ionizes far more atoms in the gas in which it propagates,
and from the Drude of part (b) the electrons interact more strongly to the
light’s electric field than the ions, and are of higher density approaching the
beam’s axis. This reduces the index of refraction, and by Snell’s law, self
focuses after what distance from the Gaussian beam waist (point on axis of
minimum beam width) if the ionization is taken to be mainly prominent at
this area of higher intensity? What, classically and quantum mechanically,
is the smallest size of a self focused laser beam, intensity (maximum on axis)
I, in air?

13
4.4 Relativity of Interference of Double Slit and Diffrac-
tion Grating
(a) Compare the observations of a double slit experiment for a relativistic
observer at velocity ⃗v = (v|| , v⊥ ), and take into account relativistic Doppler
shift as well as the Lorentz contraction and time dilation.

[Hint: Use the angle change formula for Lorentz transformations.]

(b) Do the same for a reflective diffraction grating of mirror-like segments

of slope δ and with period d in the rest frame of the diffraction grating, where
light is shone perpendicular to the grating.

4.5 Light in Bounded Orbits

(a) Light motion in water with temperature, density, and pressure dependent
on depth, near the maximum density point (T ≈ 4◦ C) oscillates stably with
what period T in whatsoever thermodynamic variable? What maximum an-
gle can the light have within such stable motion?

(b) Light orbiting a planet vs. a star.

(c) Light deflection by a star:

(i) Considering gravitational redshift, and giving a photon an effective mass
from its energy hν = mc2 , and assuming small deflection angles for rays just
grazing the star of radius R and mass M . How can this value be reconciled
to the true value using curvature of space and time?
(ii) What effective index of refraction n(r) can one give the space near the
star induced by gravity deflecting light
(iii) Consider electrons in a beam of width W deflected by a charge q. What
interference pattern is observed on a screen a distance D > W away? What
if the charge is replaced by a line charge of charge density λ? Assume the
line and point charge have a finite size d ≪ W .

4.6 Reflection and Refraction from Conic Sections

(a) Consider a mirror that is convex and then concave for each shape (circu-
lar, elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic). Find the magnification M and image

14
position for an object on axis? What if the object is slightly off axis?

(b) Repeat the above for a convex and then a concave surface of a medium
of index of refraction n, for each of the conic sections above, finding the
image height and position in terms of that of the object. What if the object
is slightly off axis?

5 Quantum Mechanics and Relativity

5.1 Some Relativistic and Quantum Observations
(a) Lights On!
When at t = 0, an observer in a reference frame where lights at every point of
space are lit up simultaneously. What does an observer moving at relativistic
speed v < c see in space and over time?
If at t = 0 in the frame of an observer where a conic section of lights (hy-
berbolae, parabolae, ellipses, and circles) is lit up, what does a relativistic
observer moving at speed v relative to this frame observe, both in space and
over time? How does eccentricitty of orbit change and how is this reconciled
with general relativity?

(b) Relativistic Mirror

(c) Relativistic Bohr Atom

(d) Hydrogen emission spectrum for different proton structure:

By how much is the 2p → 1s transition band frequency changed if the proton
were modeled with a finite size Rp (i) with its mass and charge on a uniform
thin shell, and (ii) a uniformally charged ball of the same radius?

5.2 The Relativistic AC Circuit

(a) A series RLC circuit has either of its components R, L and C, parallel
or perpendicular to the velocity ⃗v of an inertial reference frame. How does
the resonant frequency and band widths/decay rolloff constants depend on
each of the 23 = 8 different such series component arrangements, and how is

15
this reconciled with time dilation?

(b) Repeat part (a) above for all such arrangements in space of the three
components in a parallel RLC circuit.

5.3 Applying Bohr-Sommerfeld Quantisation

(a) Quantised magnetic dipole moments:
What would the size of these dipole levels vary with energy?

(b) Muonic hydrogen:

(c) Quantised charges due to the presence of a magnetic monopole:

(d) Rotating magnetic monopoles and dual spin of the electron:

(e) Bouncing neutrons and protons (and on a metallic surface for the
proton case):

5.4 Molecular Chirality and Enantiomeric Transitions

(a) Consider the Hamiltonian for the ammonia molecule with two ground
states obtained by reflection symmetry as shown in Figure 5. They can quan-
tum tunnel into each other with a rate of A ’flips’ per second. The ground
states have the same energy E0 , but can be slightly split by a small amount
∆E ≪ E0 , say with an applied electric field, along the symmetry axis of the
ammonia molecule. Determine the true ground state and other eigenstate of
the molecule as a superposition of the unperturbed ground states, and their
eigenenergies. What radiation could be emitted by such transitions in the
N H3 ?

(b) To determine the transition rate A, consider a double potential well,

with a barrier in the middle of height greater than the eigenenergies and
thermal energies, etc. of the atoms in the molecule. Use an infinite box
with a barrier in the middle for ease with eigenfunctions, and determine
the tunneling rate. As a bonus, do it for the quartic potential large far
away, approaching two symmetric minima, a distance shift in the position of
the nitrogen atom in ammonia, say, and a local maximum at the origin, of

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 energy one can approximate as being the maximum energy achieved when the
electron lone pair is midway in the plane of and between the three hydrogen
atoms. Estimate the barrier height ∆E in both quadratic and ’rectangular’
like potentials, and the tunneling rate A in both approximations. Standing
tunneling waves are called ’kink-antikink’ pairs, a 1D soliton (generalizable
to any number of dimensions).

5.5 Magnetic Monopole Atoms and Molecules

(a) The magnetic Bohr atom:

(b) Magnetic ’hydrogen’ molecule– the bion:

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