Physics Challenges for
Teachers and Students
Solutions to May 2005 Challenges
The last contest drew responses from all over the world, from past as well as new contrib-
utors. For the first time, solutions arrived from Romania and Serbia & Montenegro. Below
are the solutions to the May problems.
◗ The Power of One (M1)
Challenge: A loop of copper wire is placed in the vicinity of
a working transformer. As a result of the induced emf, there
is a current in the loop. The phase shift between the current
in the loop and the current in the transformer is π/4. The
power dissipated in the loop is P. What power P  would
be dissipated if the loop were made of nichrome instead?
Assume that wire thickness as well as the size, the shape,
and the location of the loop remain unchanged. (We leave it
to you to locate the relevant reference information.)
Solution: At 300 K, the resistivities of cop-
per and nichrome are 17.1 and 1500 n•m,
respectively. Since the loops are the same size
and shape, the ratio of the resistance of the
copper loop to that of the nichrome loop is
Rn/Rc = 87.7.
Let It and I be the currents in the transformer
and loop, respectively. The equation for the
current in the loop is:
dI dI
RI  + L  = M t ,
dt dt
where L is the self inductance of the loop and
M is the mutual inductance. This can be writ-
ten in phasor notation as:
RI  + i ωLI  = i ω MI t ,
where ω is the angular frequency. The right-
hand side is the induced emf, which is shifted
by a phase of π/2 from the current in the trans-
former. The current in the loop will be shifted
by a phase of π/4 if the impedance related to
the self inductance is the same magnitude as
the resistance. The equation for the copper
loop is:
Rc (1 + i ) I  = i ω MI t = i ε,
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so the magnitude of the current in the loop is:
I = ε 2 Rc .
Since the current in the loop is also shifted by
a phase of π/4 from the emf, the power dissi-
pated by the copper loop is
 π  ε2
P = I ε cos   = .
 4  2 Rc
If the loop were made of nichrome instead, the
impedance due to the loop’s self inductance
would be negligible. The magnitude of the cur-
rent in the loop would be I  /Rn and it
would be in phase with the emf, so the power
would be:
ε2 ε2 P
P′ ≈ = ≈ .
Rn 87.7 Rc 44
(Submitted by Alan J. DeWeerd, University of
Redlands, Redlands, CA)
◗ It Is Crowded at the Bottom
(M2)
Challenge: A research vessel has a round glass window in
the bottom for observing the seabed. The diameter of the
window is 60 cm, the thickness of the glass is 20 mm, and
the index of refraction of water is 1.33; that of the glass is
1.55. The seabed is 6.0 m beneath the window. Estimate
the area of the seabed that can be seen through the win-
dow.
Solution: In the figure I have represented the
limit situation; the ray of light, traveling origi-
nally in water, is refracted twice—at the bound-
ary water-glass (first refraction) and at the
THE PHYSICS TEACHER ◆ Vol. 43, 2005
 with the index of refraction n. Find the new location of the
image. Assume that the diameter of the mirror is much less
than its radius of curvature.

Solution: The star is very distant, so the light

rays will be coming almost straight down on
the mirror. This means that when the mirror is
filled with transparent liquid, the rays will not
refract. They will strike the mirror just as they
do when there is no liquid and will only refract
as they are leaving the liquid back up into the
air.

boundary glass-air (second refraction).

In this limit situation the second refraction
occurs with θ3 = 90 (beginning of total inter-
nal reflection). Snell’s law applied to both
refractions gives
nwater sin θ1 = nglass sin θ2 = nair sin θ3 ⇒ (sin θ1 )max
nair 1.00
= = ⇒ (θ1 )max ≅ 48.8o.
nwater 1.33
Only points with θ1 < (θ1)max are visible from Since we are assuming that the diameter of the
the interior of the research vessel. Also, mirror is much less than its radius of curvature,
x
tan θ1 = ⇒ x max = L tan(θ1 )max tan θ  sin θ.
L
≅ (6.0 m)tan(48.8o ) ≅ 6.84 m.
Without the liquid,
The radius of the visible area is
D x
R = x max + ≅ 6.84 m + 0.30 m = 7.14 m. sin θ ≈ tan β = ,
2 b
The area of the seabed that can be seen through where x is the distance from the center. (I am
the window is A = πR2 ≅ π(7.14 m)2 = 160 m2. also assuming that the distances a and b are
Note that this result does not depend on the much greater than the depth of the liquid in
thickness or the index of refraction of the glass. the mirror, since the radius of curvature is so
large.) With the liquid, the light rays refract at
(Submitted by Fernando Ferreira, Universidade angle α and come together to form an image
da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal) closer to the mirror than b.
n sin θ ≈ 1tan α,
so
◗ The Star and the Imagemaker
n tan β = tan α
(M3)
nx x
Challenge: The image of a star is formed by a spherical =
mirror that lies on a horizontal surface. The star is directly b a
above the mirror. The image is formed a distance b from b
the mirror. The mirror is then filled with a transparent liquid a= .
n

THE PHYSICS TEACHER ◆ Vol. 43, 2005 101

 b
The new image is n
away from the mirror. the second surface. If the distance between the
first and second surfaces of the lens is L, it fol-
(Submitted by Peter Sadowski, student, lows that
Archbishop Murphy High School, Everett, WA)
di + do = L. (3)

◗ Hocus Focus (M4) For a thin lens we must have L  0 ➯ do =

Challenge: A thin glass lens is formed by two convex sur- –di. Substituting this result into Eq. (2) and
faces that have equal radii of curvature. When the lens is in then adding it to Eq. (1) gives
the air, the distance between its foci is 2f1. When the same
lens is immersed in water, that distance changes to 2f2. n1 n2 n − n1 n − n2
What is the distance d between the foci of the lens when + = + . (4)
the lens is placed on the boundary between the water and do di′ R1 R2
the air? The index of refraction of air is 1.00; that of water
is 1.33. This is a generalization of the lensmaker equa-
tion where do is the distance to the thin lens
(made of glass of index n) from an object in
Solution: In the following analysis, I will adopt a medium of index n1, and d i is the distance
the sign convention that the radius of curvature from the lens to the image viewed in a medium
of a spherical surface of a material of index n of index n2.
in a medium of index nsurroundings is positive For the lens with air on both sides, so that
(negative) if the surface is convex (concave) as n1 = n2 = 1, Eq. (4) implies that
viewed from the surroundings. In that case, 1 2
the formula relating the object distance do and = (n − 1) (5)
f1 R
image distance di is
n1 n n − n1 since the two convex surfaces each have radius
+ = (1) R. On the other hand, when the lens is fully
do di R1 immersed underwater, Eq. (4) becomes
if the object is located in the surrounding 1.33 2
medium of index nsurroundings = n1 and the = (n − 1.33) . (6)
f2 R
image is viewed from inside the surface of
radius R1. Simultaneously solving Eqs. (5) and (6) for n
On the other hand, suppose the object is in- and R gives
stead located inside the material at a distance do 0.66 f1 f2
away from a spherical surface of radius R2 and R=
f2 − 1.33 f1
the image is viewed in the surrounding medium (7)
of index n2 at distance di. Then the relation and
analogous to Eq. (1) is 1.33( f2 − f1 )
n= .
n n2 n − n2 f2 − 1.33 f1
+ = . (2)
do′ di′ R2 Now suppose that we have air on one side and
[Equation (2) is obtained from (1) by inter- water on the other side of the lens. Start with
changing the object and image distances and the case where we have an object at infinity (do
adding primes to them, and replacing subscript = ) on the air side (n1 = 1). Then the image on
“1” by “2”.] the water side (n2 = 1.33) is located at the focal
Now we can construct a lens by choosing the point, d i = fwater say, such that
image from the first surface to be the object for

102 THE PHYSICS TEACHER ◆ Vol. 43, 2005

 1.33 n − 1 n − 1.33
= + (8)
fwater R R
from Eq. (4). On the other hand, if we have
an object at infinity on the water side, then the
image on the air side is located at d i = fair say,
where now
1 n − 1.33 n − 1
= + . (9)
fair R R
(Note that the two focal points are no longer
located symmetrically on either side of the
lens, as they are when a lens is immersed in a
single medium. Instead, the focal point on the
water side is located 33% farther away from
the lens than the focal point on the air side.)
Substituting Eq. (7) into (8) and (9) and rear-
ranging leads to
4.66 f1 f2
d ≡ fwater + fair = . (10)
f2 + 1.33 f1
(Submitted by Carl E. Mungan, U.S. Naval
Academy, Annapolis, MD)
The following participants were recognized as
the winners of the May contest:
• Craig Caylor (Westminster College, New
Wilmington, PA) – faculty
• Fernando Ferreira (Universidade da Beira Inte-
rior, Covilhã, Portugal) – faculty
• Alan J. DeWeerd (University of Redlands, Red-
lands, CA) – faculty
• Carl E. Mungan (U. S. Naval Academy, An-
napolis, MD) – faculty
• Peter Sadowski (Archbishop Murphy High
School, Everett, WA) – high school student
Congratulations!
We would also like to recognize the following
contributors:
Erick Blomberg, student (Bradley University,
Freeport, IL)
THE PHYSICS TEACHER ◆ Vol. 43, 2005
James Brimhall, retired (Institute, WV)
Phil Cahill (Lockheed Martin Corp., Rosemont,
PA)
Michael C. Faleski (Delta College, Midland,
MI)
John F. Goehl, Jr. (Barry University, Miami
Shores, FL)
Art Hovey (Amity Regional High School,
Woodbridge, CT)
Miloš Kneževic, student (Mathematical High
School, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro)
Demetris Nicolaides (Bloomfield College,
Bloomfield, NJ)
Bayani I. Ramirez (San Jacinto College South,
Houston, TX)
Scott Saltman (Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter,
NH)
Asif Shakur (Salisbury University, Salisbury,
MD)
Leo H. van den Raadt (Heemstede, The Neth-
erlands)
Don Wallace, retired (Minneapolis, MN)
John S. Wallingford (a hillside in the Western
NC Mountains)
Overall, the World Year of Physics–05 Physics
Challenges Contest was a great success, thanks
to enthusiastic participation of faculty and
students from all over the world. The detailed
results of the contest will be presented in the
September issue of The Physics Teacher. Many
thanks to all participants.
–Boris Korsunsky
Contest Coordinator
If you have any comments or questions about
the contest, please email Boris Korsunsky at
korsunbo@post.harvard.edu
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