HOME ASSIGNEMENT: UNIT-3

SPECIAL THEORY OF RELATIITY

1. Write the basic postulates of the special theory of relativity.
2. Could the speed of light vary?
3. Is the speed of shadow is faster than speed of light.
4. Discuss the Michelson-Morley Experiment.
5. Explain the basic principle of Einstein’s special theory of relativity. Deduce the Lorentz space-
time transformation formulae.
6. Calculate the percentage contraction of a rod moving with a velocity 0.8c in a direction inclined
at 600 to its own length.
7. In the laboratory the life time of a particle moving with a speed 2.8 × 108 𝑚𝑠 −1 is found to be
2.5 × 10−7 𝑠. Calculate the proper life time of the particle.
8. The rest mass of a proton is 1.67 × 10−27 𝑘𝑔 and the rest mass of 𝜋 + meson is 0.25 ×
10−27 𝑘𝑔. At what speed will the mass of 𝜋 + meson become equal to the rest mass of proton?
9. Derive the energy momentum relationship for a particle moving with velocity 𝑣 and rest mass m0.
𝐶
10. A particle of rest mass m0 moves with a speed . Calculate its mass, momentum, kinetic energy
√2
and total energy.
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11. Show that if 𝑙03 is the rest volume of a cube, then 𝑙03 (1 − 𝛽 2 ) ⁄2 is the volume viewed from a
reference frame moving with uniform velocity 𝑣 , in a direction parallel to an edge of the cube,
where 𝛽 = 𝑣⁄𝑐.
12. At what speed should a clock be moved so that it may appear to lose 1 minute in each hour?
13. In Michelson- Morley experiment, the length of arm of interferometer was 11.5 meters. The
wavelength of the light 5.0 × 10−7 𝑚 and earth’s velocity 3 × 104 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐, calculate the fringe
shift.
14. Show that the circle, 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑎2 in the frame S appears to be an ellipse is frame S’ which is
moving with velocity 𝑣 relative to S.
1 𝜕 2 𝜑⁄
15. Show that the wave equation ∆𝜑 − (𝑐 2 ) ( )=0 is invariant under Lorentz transformation,
𝜕𝑡 2
but is not invariant under Galilean transformation.
16. We consider a spaceship the moves away from earth with the velocity 𝑣 = 0.866𝑐. It emits two
light signals to spaced by ∆𝑡 ′ = 4𝑠
(a) What is the time distance ∆𝑇(earth time) between the two signals arriving on earth?
(b) What distance, measured from earth, did the spaceship cover between emitting the two signals?
(c) A body at rest in the spaceship has the mass m0= 1kg. What is its kinetic energy measured from
earth?
17. We observe that in a remote galaxy two events A and B happen at the same position within the
galaxy. In galaxy time the event B happens by 4s later then the event A. further let the distance
between earth and galaxy is practically constant for our problem that is the galaxy shall move
with a constant velocity v perpendicular to the visual line earth-galaxy.
18. On earth the event B is recorded by 6s later then the event A. Find the velocity |𝑣| of the galaxy
relative to earth.
 19. A measuring rule of rest length 𝑙 moves relative to an observer with the velocity 𝑣. The observer
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measures the length of the rule to be 3 𝑙. Find the velocity 𝑣.
20. An object called a K0-meson decays when at rest into two objects called 𝜋 -mesons (0±), each
with a speed of 0.8c. If the K0-meson has a measured speed of 0.9c when it decays, show that the
greatest speed of one of the 𝜋 -mesons is (85/86)c and that its least speed is (5/14)c.
21. The distance between two photons of light that travel along the x-axis of an inertial frame, S, is
always l. Show that, in a second inertial frame, S´, moving at constant speed V = c along the x-
axis, the separation between the two photons is x´ = l{(1 + )/(1 – )}1/2.

NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY
1. Differentiate between elastic and inelastic scattering of electron when it interacts with matter?
2. How the interaction of positron with matter is differ compared to electron interaction?
3. Draw the absorption coefficient vs photon energy curve for any medium and discuss the energy
dependence of various interaction phenomena.
4. Why pair productions always take place in the vicinity of nucleus?
5. Calculate the minimum energy required for the pair production. What happen if the energy of
incident photon exceeds the calculated one?
6. Write a short note on stopping power and energy straggling.
7. What are differences between photoelectric effect in metal and photoelectric absorption in
matter?
8. What are the important required for radioactive loss of energy of electron when it interact with
matter.
9. The energy of positron is slightly more than that of electron in pair production. Why?
10. Discuss different type of interaction of neutron with matter via scattering and absorption.
11. The average energy release per fission of U-235 is 200 MeV. Calculate the amount of energy
released per gram of U-235 fission.
12. Why low Z materials are more suitable for moderator in reactors? Names the few suitable for
moderators.
13. What is significance of critical size of fuel? How it affects the controlled chain reaction
mechanism?
14. Calculate the maximum Compton shift in the wavelength and show that it is independent of
incident photon frequency and nature of scatter.
15. The cross section for atomic absorption coefficient for unknown medium (X) at 20 and 100 MeV
are 108 and 0.75 barns. Identify the target medium (X) and calculate the absorption coefficient
for 60 MeV photon.
16. What are fissile and fertile materials? Which is used for nuclear fuel?