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Winter 2018 Term Test # 1 - Feb. 1st , 2017.

16:10-17:00
PHYA21H3S - Physics II for the Physical Sciences D R . DAMYA S OUAMI

First Name Last name

Student Number : Practical group

I NSTRUCTIONS :
- Do not remove the staple.

- Do not open this booklet before the test begins.

- You may use a non-programmable calculator.

- Cell phones are specifically prohibited. Do not leave it in your pocket !

- Answer all questions in the space provided. For full credit, you must clearly show your
reasoning and calculations.

- Please underline or otherwise clearly indicate your final answer for numerical pro-
blems.

- Please, return your cheat sheet with your paper.

The format of the test is as follows.


Problem 1 out of 5
Problem 2 out of 6
Problem 3 out of 6

Total out of 17

Wish you the best !

PHYA21H3S - Test # 1 - page 1 of 4


1. (5 points) As the captain of the scientific team sent to Planet Physics, one of your tasks is
to measure g. You have a long, thin wire labeled 1.46 g/m and a 1.26 kg mass. You have
your accurate space cadet chronometer but, unfortunately, you seem to have forgotten a
meter stick. Undeterred, you first find the midpoint of the wire by folding it in half. You
then attach one end of the wire to the wall of your laboratory, stretch it horizontally to
pass over a pulley at the midpoint of the wire, then tie the 1.26 kg mass to the end han-
ging over the pulley. By vibrating the wire, and measuring time with your chronometer,
you find that the wire’s second harmonic frequency is 200 Hz . Next, with the 1.26 kg
mass still tied to one end of the wire, you attach the other end to the ceiling to make a
pendulum. You find that the pendulum requires 316 s to complete 200 oscillations. Pul-
ling out your trusty calculator, you get to work. What value of g will you report back to
headquarters ?
Make a quick sketch of the situation and represent the forces in play. Show the details to
your work and your reasoning for full mark.

Solution :
The stretched wire is vibrating at its second harmonic frequency.(1 point for the sketch)

Let l be the full length of the wire, and L be the vibrating length of the wire. That is,
L = 2l because it is a second harmonic wave (1 point, for equivalent statement).

The wave speed on a stretched wire is (1 point)


s
Ts µ
vwire = = fλ =⇒ g = f 2 λ2
µ m
The tension Ts = m.g because the hanging mass is in static equilibrium, and the wave-
length λ = 2l This gives g = 11.6 l 2 (this gives us g(l) in m−1 s−2 ).

Knowing the period of a simple pendulum is given by


s
l T2 (316 s/200)2
T = 2π =⇒ l = 2g = g = 0, 0632 g
g 4π 4π2
Substituting this expression for l into the equation for g, we get g = 21.5 m/s2 . (2 points,
1 for the reasoning and work and one for the final result )
Conclusion (1 point)

For numerical application we used The frequency f = 200Hz and the wavelength λ = 2l
because it is a second harmonic wave. With µ = 1.46 × 10−3 kg/m.

PHYA21H3S - Test # 1 - page 2 of 4


2. (6 points) A charge 3q is fixed at the origin, and a charge −2q is fixed on the positive x
axis at x = a.
Where, specifically, on the x−axis could you place a third charge Q, so it would expe-
rience no net electric force ? Show your work !
Solution :
No electric force on the charge Q at a certain point, means the ~E is nil at that point.
1 point

Where in space is it possible for E = 0 (explanation as a text or a diagramme)(1


point)
— 0 < x < a : ~E is always to the right (contribution of both charges).
— The fields are in opposite directions in two regions of space x < 0 and x > a,
therefore if they were to cancel out eachotherÕs contribution, this could hap-
pen in one of this regions if not the both of them.

1 point At each point along the x−axis, we can write using the superposition prin-
ciple that the magnitude of field (force) at that point is

−k(3q) k(2q)
E(x) = 2
+ (1)
x (a − x)2

(you can write the same thing with a point x, 0 to the left it does not matter, the
result is going to be the same).
Solving eqn. (1) for E = 0. (1 point) We obtain two algebraic solutions x = +0.55a,
and x = +5.45a.

similar Physical justification : Now looking back into the physics of the pro-
blem, we know that E(x) = 0 can happen only when x < 0 or x > a, therefore we
must exclude the possibility of x = +0.55a.
So the force on charge Q is nil, when it is placed at the position x = +5.45a. (1
point)

PHYA21H3S - Test # 1 - page 3 of 4


3. (6 points) One type of ink-jet printer, called an electrostatic ink-jet printer, forms the
letters by using deflecting electrodes to steer charged ink drops up and down vertically
as the ink jet sweeps horizontally across the page. The ink jet forms 31.0 µm-diameter
drops of ink, charges them by spraying 800,000 electrons on the surface, and shoots
them towards the page with a horizontal velocity of 21.0 m/s. Along the way, the drops
pass through the long axis of two horizontal, parallel electrodes that are 6.00 mm long,
4.00 mm wide, and spaced 1.00 mm apart. The distance from the center of the electrodes
to the paper is 2.00 cm . To form the letters, which have a maximum height of 6.00 mm,
the drops need to be deflected up or down a maximum of 3.00 mm. Ink, which consists
of dye particles suspended in alcohol, has a density of 800.0 kg/m3 .

What electric field strength is needed between the electrodes to achieve this deflection ?
Make a sketch of the problem. Show the details to your work and your reasoning for full
mark.
Solution :
1 point for the sketch.

(3points) The ink drops are deflected up or down as they experience an electric field
between the two parallel electrodes. The electric field exerts a force on the ink drops
which is
m
F = qE = may E = ay (2)
q
We therefore need to determine the mass m, the charge q, and the acceleration ay of the
ink drops. We have m = ρV = ρ 34 πr3 , numerical application gives m = kg.
As for total charge q = (8 × 105 )(1.60 × 10−19 ) = 1, 28 × 10−13 C.
At maximum deflection, the drop’s angle upon exiting the plates must be
vy
tan θ = (3)
vx
(1 point for this part)
From the kinematic equation v1y = v0y + ay (t1 − t0 ), We can obtain t1 − t0 from the x-
motion between the plates as follows : x1 = x0 + v0x (t1 − t0 ) = 12 ax (t1 − t0 )2 .
Combining these gives t1 − t0 = therefore ay = m/s2 .

We are now in a position to obtain the field strength E from the equation
Substituting into equation , we find that E = 1.02 × 106 N/C.

PHYA21H3S - Test # 1 - page 4 of 4

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