PHYSICS 2D03 INSTRUCTOR: Brian King DAY CLASS DURATION OF EXAMINATION: 3 Hours MCMASTER UNIVERSITY FINAL EXAMINATION April, 2003 THIS EXAMINATION PAPER INCLUDES 6 PAGES AND 7 QUESTIONS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT YOUR COPY OF THE PAPER IS COMPLETE. BRING ANY DISCREPANCY TO THE ATTENTION OF YOUR INVIGILATOR. Special Instructions: DO ALL QUESTIONS. Read the exam questions carefully. If anything is unclear to you, ask me about it! Write all answers in pen in the examination booklet - not on these sheets of paper! Note: this includes the answers to the multiple choice questions! Explain your work as clearly as possible! The number of points which each part of each question is worth is given in parentheses after that part of the question. The whole exam is worth 75 points. Use of any calculator is allowed. 1) (10 pt.) For the following multiple-choice questions, demonstrate your understanding of the course material by writing down the best answer in vour examination booklet. i) ii) iii) Which of the following statements is true? (1 pt.) (a) Finite rotations do not act like vectors, but infinitesimal ones do. (b) Finite rotations act like vectors, but infinitesimal ones do not. F (©) Both finite rotations and infinitesimal rotations act like vectors.* (@ Neither finite rotations nor infinitesimal rotations act like vectors. 1 Let the total energy of a system be E, its kinetic energy T, and its potential energy V. Let q, be the generalized coordinates and p, the canonical momenta, and let L be the Lagrangian. Ih ‘general, the Hamiltonian for the system is given by: (1 pt.) Se () =(« PrP, a) © D4a- ‘A damped driven harmonie oscillator with natural frequency i is driven at frequency « by a cosine force F cos(«at), resulting in a term A cos(wt) = F/m cos(«ot) in the equation of motion. The damping coefficient is << wy. The particle's response is to oscillate. Ar long times, the frequency of its oscillation is:(1 pt.) (@) B-w. e. ©) ae. @ None of the above. Conhoilen tageiv) Chaotic systems are characterized by: (1 pt.) (i) extreme sensitivity to initial conditions. (b) periodic motion (©) strong damping. @) None of the above. y) Newton's Third Law: (1 pt.) ‘oa states that £,, =f, . (b) holds for central forces. fe) holds for magnetic forces. -(@) is always true. vi) Fora given set of initial conditions: (1 pt.) )) An underdamped oscillator approaches equilibrium faster than a critically damped oscillator. WY An overdamped oscillator approaches equilibrium faster than a critically damped oscillator. A critically damped oscillator approaches equilibrium more slowly than an underdamped or an overdamped oscillator. (@ None of the above. vii) For the general solution to the equations of motion of a single particle obeying Newton's laws in one dimension, how many constants of integration are there? By way of example, give two such sets of integration constants (ie. give two different ways of specifying the intial conditions). (2 pt.) viii) State (using words and/or equations) Hamilton's variational principle. (2 pt.) A freight car of mass M contains a mass of sand ma, At 1=0 a constant horizontal force of magnitude F is applied in the direction of rolling, and, at the same time, a port in the bottom of the car is opened to let the sand fall out (vertically) at the constant rate din/dt = ot, Find the speed of the freight car when all the sand is gone. Assume the freight car is at rest at time t = 0. (9 pt.)) Sketch a phase space diagram for a system having the indicated potential energy function, for each of the indicated energies. Indicate the direction in which the particle moves on the phase- space trajectories. (7 pts.) Ue) ) (14 pt.) A panticle is dropped into a hole passing obliquely through the Earth from one side to another (ie. the hole does not pass through the centre of the Earth). The hole does, however, pass through the axis of rotation of the Earth. (a) Neglecting rotational effects, show that the particle's motion is simple harmonic if you assume the Earth has a uniform density. Calculate the period of the oscillation. (8 pt.) (b) (Rotational effects - Coriolis force) If the hole passes through the centre of the Earth, the oscillation frequency is the same as in part (a). Calculate the magnitude of the Coriolis “force” on the particle if the hole passes through the centre of the Earth. This “force” drives the particle into the walls of the hole. Assuming a coefficient of friction 1, write down the equation of motion for the particle, taking into account the Coriolis “force.” (Neglect the centrifugal “force.”). Write down the general form of the solution to this equation of motion. Do not evaluate any of the constants of integration - just write down the general form! Also remember that 0¢# ©, the frequency of oscillation of the particle in the hole! (6 pt.)