Problems of the 1st International Physics Olympiad1 (Warsaw, 1967)

Waldemar Gor !ows!i Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland2 "bstract The article contains the competition problems given at he 1 st International Physics Olympiad (Warsaw, 1967 and their sol!tions" #dditionally it contains comments o$ historical character" Introd#ction One o$ the most important points when preparing the st!dents to the International Physics Olympiads is solving and analysis o$ the competition problems given in the past" %n$ort!nately, it is very di$$ic!lt to $ind appropriate materials" The proceedings o$ the s!bse&!ent Olympiads are p!blished starting $rom the '( IPhO in )igt!na ()weden, 19*+ " It is tr!e that some o$ very old problems were p!blished (not always in ,nglish in di$$erent boo-s or articles, b!t they are practically !navailable" .oreover, sometimes they are more or less s!bstantially changed" The original ,nglish versions o$ the problems o$ the 1st IPhO have not been conserved" The permanent )ecretariat o$ the IPhOs was created in 19*/" %ntil this year the Olympic materials were collected by di$$erent persons in their private archives" These archives as a r!le were o$ amate!r character and practically no one o$ them was complete" This article is based on the boo-s by 0" 1!n$alvi 213, Tade!s4 Pniews-i 253 and Waldemar 6or4-ows-i 2/3" Tade!s4 Pniews-i was one o$ the members o$ the Organi4ing 7ommittee o$ the Polish Physics Olympiad when the 1st IPhO too- place, while 0" 1!n$alvi was one o$ the members o$ the International 8oard at the 1st IPhO" 9or that it seems that credibility o$ these materials is very high" The di$$erences between versions presented by 0" 1!n$alvi and T" Pniews-i are rather very small (altho!gh the boo- by Pniews-i is richer, especially with respect to the sol!tion to the e:perimental problem " #s regards the competition problems given in )igt!na (19*+ or later, they are available, in principle, in appropriate proceedings" ;In principle< as the proceedings !s!ally were p!blished in a small n!mber o$ copies, not eno!gh to satis$y present needs o$ people interested in o!r competition" It is tr!e that every year the organi4ers provide the permanent )ecretariat with a n!mber o$ copies o$ the proceedings $or $ree dissemination" 8!t the needs are contin!ally growing !p and we have disseminated practically all what we had" The competition problems were commonly available (at least $or some time =!st only $rom the ''(I IPhO in 7anberra (#!stralia as $rom that time the organi4ers started p!tting the problems on their home pages" The Olympic home page www"=y!"$i>ipho contains the problems starting $rom the ''(III IPhO in )!db!ry (7anada " %n$ort!nately, the problems given in 7anberra (''(I IPhO and in Oslo (''(II IPhO are not present there" The net res!lt is s!ch that $inding the competition problems o$ the Olympiads organi4ed prior to )!db!ry is very di$$ic!lt" It seems that the best way o$ improving the sit!ation is p!blishing the competition problems o$ the older Olympiads in o!r =o!rnal" The &!estion arises, however, who sho!ld do it" #ccording to the )tat!tes the problems are created
1 5

This is somewhat e:tended version o$ the article sent $or p!blication in Physics Competitions in ?!ly 5@@/" eAmailB gor4-Ci$pan"ed!"pl

by the local organi4ing committees" It is tr!e that the te:ts are improved and accepted by the International 8oard, b!t always the organi4ers bear the main responsibility $or the topics o$ the problems, their str!ct!re and &!ality" On the other hand, the glory res!lting o$ high level problems goes to them" 9or the above it is absol!tely clear to me that they sho!ld have an absol!te priority with respect to any $orm o$ p!blication" )o, the best way wo!ld be to p!blish the problems o$ the older Olympiads by representatives o$ the organi4ers $rom di$$erent co!ntries" Poland organi4ed the IPhOs $or thee timesB I IPhO (1967 , (II IPhO (197+ and '' IPhO (19*9 " )o, I have decided to give a good e:ample and present the competition problems o$ these Olympiads in three s!bse&!ent articles" #t the same time I as- o!r 7olleag!es and 9riends $rom other co!ntries $or doing the same with respect to the Olympiads organi4ed in their co!ntries prior to the ''(III IPhO ()!db!ry " I IPhO (Warsaw 1967) The problems were created by the Organi4ing 7ommittee" #t present we are not able to recover the names o$ the a!thors o$ the problems" $heoretical problems Problem 1 # small ball with mass M D @"5 -g rests on a vertical col!mn with height h D Em" # b!llet with mass m D @"@1 -g, moving with velocity v@ D E@@ m>s, passes hori4ontally thro!gh the center o$ the ball (9ig" 1 " The ball reaches the gro!nd at a distance s D 5@ m" Where does the b!llet reach the gro!ndF What part o$ the -inetic energy o$ the b!llet was converted into heat when the b!llet passed tro!gh the ballF Geglect resistance o$ the air" #ss!me that g = 1@ m>s5" m v M

m v

9ig" 1

Solution M

v I hori4ontal component o$ the velocity o$ the b!llet a$ter collision ! I hori4ontal component o$ the velocity o$ the ball a$ter collision

d We will !se notation shown in 9ig" 5"

9ig" 5

#s no hori4ontal $orce acts on the system ball H b!llet, the hori4ontal component o$ moment!m o$ this system be$ore collision and a$ter collision m!st be the sameB
mv@ = mv + M! "

)o,
v = v@ M !" m

9rom conditions described in the te:t o$ the problem it $ollows that

v >! "

#$ter collision both the ball and the b!llet contin!e a $ree motion in the gravitational $ield with initial hori4ontal velocities v and !, respectively" .otion o$ the ball and motion o$ the b!llet are contin!ed $or the same timeB
t= 5h " g

It is time o$ $ree $all $rom height h" The distances passed by the ball and b!llet d!ring time t areB

s = !t

and d = vt ,

respectively" Th!s
! =s g " 5h

There$ore
v = v@ M g s " m 5h

9inallyB
d = v@ 5h M s" g m

G!mericallyB d = 1@@ m" The total -inetic energy o$ the system was e&!al to the initial -inetic energy o$ the b!lletB
5 mv@ " "@ = 5

Immediately a$ter the collision the total -inetic energy o$ the system is e&!al to the s!m o$ the -inetic energy o$ the b!llet and the ballB
"m = mv 5 , 5 "M = M! 5 " 5

Their di$$erence, converted into heat, was

" = "@ ( "m + " M "

It is the $ollowing part o$ the initial -inetic energy o$ the b!lletB

" + "M " =1 m " "@ "@ 8y !sing e:pressions $or energies and velocities (&!oted earlier we get p=
p= M s 5 g v@ 5 5 m v@ 5h s 5h M + m " g m

G!mericallyB p D 95,*J"

Problem % 7onsider an in$inite networ- consisting o$ resistors (resistance o$ each o$ them is r shown in 9ig" /" 9ind the res!ltant resistance $ A# between points # and 8" # # r r 8
9ig" /

r r

r r

Solution It is easy to remar- that a$ter removing the le$t part o$ the networ-, shown in 9ig" + with the dotted s&!are, then we receive a networ- that is identical with the initial networ- (it is res!lt o$ the $act that the networ- is in$inite "

r r

r r

r r

8
9ig" +

Th!s, we may !se the e&!ivalence shown graphically in 9ig" E" r $A#

$A#

9ig" E

#lgebraically this e&!ivalence can be written as

$ A# = r + 1 1 1 " + r $ A#

Th!s

5 $ A# r$ A# r 5 = @ "

This e&!ation has two sol!tionsB

$ A# = 1 5 (1 E r "

The sol!tion corresponding to ;A; in the above $orm!la is negative, while resistance m!st be positive" )o, we re=ect it" 9inally we receive
$ A# = 1 5 (1 + E r "

Problem & 7onsider two identical homogeneo!s balls, # and 8, with the same initial temperat!res" One o$ them is at rest on a hori4ontal plane, while the second one hangs on a thread (9ig" 6 " The same &!antities o$ heat have been s!pplied to both balls" #re the $inal temperat!res o$ the balls the same or notF ?!sti$y yo!r answer" (#ll -inds o$ heat losses are negligible"

# 8
9ig" 6

Solution

# 8
9ig" 7

#s regards the te:t o$ the problem, the sentence ;The same &!antities o$ heat have been s!pplied to both balls"< is not too clear" We will $ollow int!itive !nderstanding o$ this sentence, i"e" we will ass!me that both systems (# I the hanging ball and 8 I the ball resting on the plane received the same portion o$ energy $rom o!tside" One sho!ld reali4e, however, that it is not the only possible interpretation"

When the balls are warmed !p, their mass centers are moving as the radii o$ the balls are changing" The mass center o$ the ball # goes down, while the mass center o$ the ball 8 goes !p" It is shown in 9ig" 7 (scale is not conserved " Kisplacement o$ the mass center corresponds to a change o$ the potential energy o$ the ball in the gravitational $ield" In case o$ the ball # the potential energy decreases" 9rom the 1 st principle o$ thermodynamics it corresponds to additional heating o$ the ball" In case o$ the ball 8 the potential energy increases" 9rom the 1 st principle o$ thermodynamics it corresponds to some ;losses o$ the heat provided< $or per$orming a mechanical wor- necessary to rise the ball" The net res!lt is that the $inal temperat!re o$ the ball 8 sho!ld be lower than the $inal temperat!re o$ the ball #" The above e$$ect is very small" 9or e:ample, one may $ind (see later that $or balls made o$ lead, with radi!s 1@ cm, and portion o$ heat e&!al to E@ -cal, the di$$erence o$ the $inal temperat!res o$ the balls is o$ order 1@AE 1" 9or spatial and time $l!ct!ations s!ch small &!antity practically cannot be meas!red" 7alc!lation o$ the di$$erence o$ the $inal temperat!res was not re&!ired $rom the participants" Gevertheless, we present it here as an element o$ disc!ssion" We may ass!me that the wor- against the atmospheric press!re can be neglected" It is obvio!s that this wor- is small" .oreover, it is almost the same $or both balls" )o, it sho!ld not a$$ect the di$$erence o$ the temperat!res s!bstantially" We will ass!me that s!ch &!antities as speci$ic heat o$ lead and coe$$icient o$ thermal e:pansion o$ lead are constant (i"e" do not depend on temperat!re " The heat !sed $or changing the temperat!res o$ balls may be written as
%i = mct i , where i = A or # ,

LereB m denotes the mass o$ ball, temperat!re o$ ball"

c A the speci$ic heat o$ lead and

t i A the change o$ the

The changes o$ the potential energy o$ the balls are (neglecting signs B
"i = mgrt i , where i = A or # "

LereB g denotes the gravitational acceleration, r A initial radi!s o$ the ball, A coe$$icient o$ thermal e:pansion o$ lead" We ass!me here that the thread does not change its length" Ta-ing into acco!nt conditions described in the te:t o$ the problem and the interpretation mentioned at the beginning o$ the sol!tion, we may writeB
% = % A A" A , $or the ball A , % = %# + A" # , $or the ball # "

A denotes the thermal e&!ivalent o$ wor-B A @"5+

cal " In $act, A is only a conversion ?

ratio between calories and =o!les" I$ yo! !se a system o$ !nits in which calories are not present, yo! may omit A at all" Th!s
% = (mc Amgr t A , $or the ball A , % = ( mc + Amgr t # , $or the ball #

and
t A = % , mc Amgr t # = % " mc + Amgr

9inally we get
t = t A t # = 5 Agr c ( Agr
5 5

% 5 A%gr " m mc 5

(We neglected the term with 5 as the coe$$icient

is very small"

m
(g1 ,

Gow we may p!t the n!merical val!esB % =E@ -cal, A @"5+ cal>?, g 9"* m>s5, +7 -g (mass o$ the lead ball with radi!s e&!al to 1@ cm , r = @"1 m, c @"@/1 cal>

591@

A6

1A1" #$ter calc!lations we get

t 1"E1@

AE

1"

Problem ' 7ommentB &he 'rgani(ing Committee prepared three theoretical pro)lems* +nfortunately, at the time of the ,st 'lympiad the $omanian students from the last class had the entrance e-aminations at the universities* .or that $omania sent a team consisting of students from younger classes* &hey were not familiar with electricity* &o give them a chance the 'rgani(ers /under agreement of the International #oard0 added the fourth pro)lem presented here* &he students /not only from $omania0 were allowed to chose three pro)lems* &he ma-imum possi)le scores for the pro)lems were1 ,st pro)lem 2 , points, 2nd pro)lem 2 , points, 3rd pro)lem 2 , points and 4th pro)lem 2 5 points* &he fourth pro)lem was solved )y 6 students* 'nly four of them solved the pro)lem for 5 points* # closed vessel with vol!me ! D 1@ l contains dry air in the normal conditions ( t D @7, p D 1 atm " In some moment / g o$ water were added to the vessel and the system was warmed !p to t D 1@@7" 9ind the press!re in the vessel" Kisc!ss ass!mption yo! made to solve the problem" Solution The water added to the vessel evaporates" #ss!me that the whole portion o$ water evaporated" Then the density o$ water vapor in 1@@ 7 sho!ld be @"/@@ g>l" It is less than the density o$ sat!rated vapor at 1@@7 e&!al to @"E97 g>l" (The st!dents were allowed to !se physical tables" )o, at 1@@7 the vessel contains air and !nsat!rated water vapor only (witho!t any li&!id phase " Gow we ass!me that both air and !nsat!rated water vapor behave as ideal gases" In view o$ Kalton law, the total press!re p in the vessel at 1@@7 is e&!al to the s!m o$ partial press!res o$ the air pa and !nsat!rated water vapor pvB
p = p a + pv "

#s the vol!me o$ the vessel is constant, we may apply the 6ayAM!ssac law to the air" We obtainB
57/ + t p a = p@ " 57/

The press!re o$ the water vapor may be $o!nd $rom the e&!ation o$ state o$ the ideal gasB
pv!@ m = $, 57/ + t

where m denotes the mass o$ the vapor, A the molec!lar mass o$ the water and $ I the !niversal gas constant" Th!s,
pv = m

57/ + t !@

and $inally
p = p@ 57/ + t m 57/ + t + $ " 57/ !@

G!mericallyB
p = (1"/66 + @"E16 atm 1"** atm"

()perimental problem The $ollowing devices and materials are givenB 1" 8alance (witho!t weights 5" 7alorimeter /" Thermometer +" )o!rce o$ voltage E" )witches 6" Wires 7" ,lectric heater *" )topAwatch 9" 8ea-ers 1@" Water 11" Petrole!m 15" )and ($or balancing Ketermine speci$ic heat o$ petrole!m" The speci$ic heat o$ water is 1 cal>(g 7 " The speci$ic heat o$ the calorimeter is @"@95 cal>(g7 " Kisc!ss ass!mptions made in the sol!tion" *ol#tion

The devices given to the st!dents allowed !sing several methods" The st!dents !sed the $ollowing three methodsB 1" 7omparison o$ velocity o$ warming !p water and petrole!mN 5" 7omparison o$ cooling down water and petrole!mN /" Traditional heat balance" #s no weights were given, the st!dents had to !se the sand to $ind portions o$ petrole!m and water with masses e&!al to the mass o$ calorimeter" .irst method1 comparison of velocity of warming up I$ the heater is inside water then both water and calorimeter are warming !p" The heat ta-en by water and calorimeter isB
%1 = mw c w t1 + mc cc t1 ,

whereB mw denotes mass o$ water, mc A mass o$ calorimeter, c w A speci$ic heat o$ water, cc t1 A change o$ temperat!re o$ the system water H calorimeter" A speci$ic heat o$ calorimeter, On the other hand, the heat provided by the heater is e&!alB
%5 = A +5 1 , $

whereB A I denotes the thermal e&!ivalent o$ wor-, + I voltage, $ I resistance o$ the heater, , I time o$ wor- o$ the heater in the water" O$ co!rse,
%1 = %5 "

Th!s
A +5 1 = mw c w t1 + mc cc t1 " $

9or petrole!m in the calorimeter we get a similar $orm!laB

A +5 5 = m p c p t 5 + mc cc t 5 " $

t 5 A change o$ whereB m p denotes mass o$ petrole!m, c p A speci$ic heat o$ petrole!m, temperat!re o$ the system water H petrole!m, 2 I time o$ wor- o$ the heater in the petrole!m"

8y dividing the last e&!ations we get

m c t + mc cc t 1 = w w 1 " 5 m p c p t 5 + mc cc t 5

It is convenient to per$orm the e:periment by ta-ing masses o$ water and petrole!m e&!al to the mass o$ the calorimeter ($or that we !se the balance and the sand " 9or
mw = m p = mc

the last $orm!la can be written in a very simple $ormB

1 cw t1 + cc t1 = " 5 c p t 5 + cc t 5
Th!s
cc = t1 5 t1 5 cw 1 t cc 1 t 5 1 5

or
cc = 71 7 cw 1 1 75 75 cc ,

where
71 = t1

and

75

t 5

denote ;velocities o$ heating< water and petrole!m, respectively" These &!antities can be t1 and t 5 on time determined e:perimentally by drawing graphs representing dependence ( " The e:periment shows that these dependences are linear" Th!s, it is eno!gh to ta-e slopes o$ appropriate straight lines" The e:perimental set!p given to the st!dents allowed meas!rements o$ the speci$ic heat o$ petrole!m, e&!al to @"E/ cal>(g 7 , with acc!racy abo!t 1J" )ome st!dents !sed certain m!tations o$ this method by per$orming meas!rements at t1 D t 5 or at 1 = 5 " Then, o$ co!rse, the error o$ the $inal res!lt is greater (it is t1 D t 5 or at 1 = 5 " additionally a$$ected by acc!racy o$ establishing the conditions Second method1 comparison of velocity of cooling down )ome st!dents initially heated the li&!ids in the calorimeter and later observed their cooling down" This method is based on the GewtonOs law o$ cooling" It says that the heat % trans$erred d!ring cooling in time is given by the $orm!laB
% = h(t s ,

whereB t denotes the temperat!re o$ the body, A the temperat!re o$ s!rro!nding, s I area o$ the body, and h I certain coe$$icient characteri4ing properties o$ the s!r$ace" This $orm!la is correct $or small di$$erences o$ temperat!res t only (small compared to t and in the absol!te scale " This method, li-e the previo!s one, can be applied in di$$erent versions" We will consider only one o$ them"

7onsider the sit!ation when cooling o$ water and petrole!m is observed in the same calorimeter (containing initially water and later petrole!m " The heat lost by the system water H calorimeter is
%1 = (m w c w + m c c c t ,

t denotes a change o$ the temperat!re o$ the system d!ring certain period 1 " 9or where t the system petrole!m H calorimeter, !nder ass!mption that the change in the temperat!re is the same, we have
%5 = (m p c p + mc c c t "

t in the second case will be di$$erent" Met it be 5 " O$ co!rse, the time corresponding to 9rom the GewtonPs law we get

%1 1 = " %5 5

Th!s
1 m w c w + mc cc = " 5 m p c p + mc c c

I$ we cond!ct the e:periment at

mw = m p = mc ,

then we get
cp = &5 &5 cw 1 & &1 1 c c "

#s cooling is rather a very slow process, this method gives the res!lt with de$initely greater error" &hird method1 heat )alance This method is rather typical" The st!dents heated the water in the calorimeter to certain temperat!re t1 and added the petrole!m with the temperat!re t 5 " #$ter reaching the thermal e&!ilibri!m the $inal temperat!re was t" 9rom the thermal balance (neglecting the heat losses we have
( m w c w + m c c c (t1 t = m p c p (t t 5 "

I$, li-e previo!sly, the e:periment is cond!cted at

mw = m p = mc ,

then

c p = (c w + c c

t1 t " t t5

In this methods the heat losses (when adding the petrole!m to the water always played a s!bstantial role" The acc!racy o$ the res!lt e&!al or better than EJ can be reached by !sing any o$ the methods described above" Lowever, one sho!ld remar- that in the $irst method it was easiest" The most common mista-e was neglecting the heat capacity o$ the calorimeter" This mista-e increased the error additionally by abo!t *J" +ar!s Go mar-ing schemes are present in my archive materials" Only the mean scores are available" They areB Problem Q 1 Problem Q 5 Problem Q / ,:perimental problem $han!s The a!thor wo!ld li-e to e:press deep than-s to Pro$" ?an .ostows-i and Kr" Rohanes )!rya $or reviewing the te:t and $or val!able comments and remar-s" ,iterat#re 213 -. /#nfal0i, Collection of Competition &as7s from the Ist trough 8!th International Physics 'lympiads, ,95: 2 ,964, 0oland ,otvos Physical )ociety and %G,)7O, 8!dapest 19*E 253 $ade#s Pniews!i, 'limpiady .i(yc(ne1 8! i 8!I, PSW), Wars4awa 1969 2/3 Waldemar Gor !ows!i, ;adania ( fi(y7i ( ca<ego =wiata /( ro(wi>(aniami0 ? 2 lat Mi@d(ynarodowych 'limpiad .i(yc(nych, WGT, Wars4awa 199+ 2I)8G */A5@+A169*A13 7"6 points 7"* points (witho!t the 0omanian st!dents E"9 points 7"7 points