Final Exam, Classical Physics, Fall 2016

Prof. J. Fritz, Jacobs University, Dec. 13th, 16:00 - 18:00

Only the best 5 out of 6 problems with the highest number of points will be counted

30 points in total

1) Mechanics - Harmonic oscillation ( 6 points )

A 0.600 kg block on a horizontal frictionless surface is attached to a spring with spring constant k = 12.5
N/m. The block is moved to the position x = - 20.0 cm and released at t = 0. It performs an harmonic
oscillation.
(a) Give the x(t) function describing the oscillation.
(b) What is the period of the oscillation?
(c) Where is the block at t = 2.00 s and what is its velocity at that time?

2) Thermodynamics - Heat capacity and phase transition ( 6 points )

An ice cube of 50 g is dropped into 200 g of water in a thermally insulating container. If the water is initially at
25 °C and the ice comes directly from the freezer at -15°C:
(a) What is the final temperature at the thermal equilibrium of the system?
(b) What is the final state of the system when two ice cubes, each of 50 g, are added to the water? Calculate
or argue qualitatively.
Use the specific heat of water Cw = 4.18 kJ/(kg K), specific heat of ice Ci = 2.22 kJ/(kg K), and heat of
melting Lm = 335 kJ/kg.

3) Thermodynamics - Cyclic process ( 6 points )

An ideal diatomic gas expands on two different paths from state1 to the same final state 2. In state 1 it has
5 3
the values p1 = 1.00 10 Pa, V1 = 1.10 dm , and T1 = 325 °C. In state two V2 = 2 V1 and T2 = T1/2. The first
path (with states 1-3-2) consists of an isothermal process from state1 to state 3, followed by an isochoric
process to state 2. The second path (with states 1-4-2) consists of an isochoric process from state 1 to state
4, followed by an isothermal process to state 2.
(a) Draw a p(V) diagram showing the two different paths from state 1 to state2.
(b) Calculate for each process the work done, the heat exchanged, and the change in internal energy of the
gas.
(c) Calculate the total work, heat and internal energy for each of the two different paths.

4) Thermodynamics - General questions ( 6 points )

(a) What is an ideal gas? Which physical properties does one assume to define an ideal gas, and under
which experimental conditions can most gases assumed to be ideal?
(b) Draw a qualitative p(T) phase diagram of a substance indicating its different phases (gas, liquid, solid)
and its triple point. Give a short description of the triple point.
(c) Why does sweating reduce the body temperature? Explain the basic thermodynamical principle of body
temperature reduction by sweating.

Please turn over !

5) Optics - Lenses ( 6 points )
A system of two thin biconvex lenses is arranged as in a microscope. A very small object is placed 6.23 mm
from the first lens with focal length f1 = 6.00 mm. The second lens has a focal length of f2 = 25.0 mm. The
second lens is placed such that the distance between the focal point (on the right) of the first lens and the
focal point (on the left) of the second lens is t = 160 mm. The second lens then creates a real image of the
object on a CCD camera chip (located on the right of the second lens).
(a) Draw a qualitative principal ray diagram of the two lens system, especially indicating object distance and
image distances s1' and s2'.
(b) Calculate the location of the image after the 2nd lens.
(c) Calculate the final magnification of the image on the camera chip.

6) Optics - General questions ( 6 points )

(a) Light of a Helium Neon Laser with wavelength of 632 nm hits the surface of a liquid under 45.0° and gets
deflected in the liquid by 15.0° from its original direction. Calculate the refractive index of the liquid, and the
values in liquid for velocity of light, wavelength, and frequency.
(b) Give a general wave function y(x,t) for the mathematical description of a light wave. Name and explain
the different parameters used in the wave function.
(c) Explain why one can observe many different colors when looking at a thin oil film on water. Name the
basic physical effect and use it to describe where the different colors come from.

____________________________________________________

-11 2 -2
G = 6.67·10 N m kg gravitational constant
-2
g = 9.81 m s gravitational acceleration on Earth
-1 -1
R = 8.315 J mol K Gas constant
-23 -1
kB = 1.381·10 JK Boltzmann constant
T0 = - 273.15 °C absolute zero
8 -1
c = 2.998 ·10 m s speed of light in vacuum
3 3
ρ = 1.00 ·10 kg/m density of water

Please turn over !