Exercise 1

1. The time period can be written down:

a b c
T1 = m l g f (θ0 )
1 1

which in terms of dimensions reads:

a b −2 c
[T ] = [M ] [L] [LT ]

Given that the function f (θ 0) is adimensional, it does not appear in the dimensional equation. The only way of constructing a time is
then with the following constraints:

⎧a = 0

⎨b + c = 0
⎩
−2c = 1

The further we can go without solving entirely the problem is (with a=0,b=1/2 and c=-1/2):

l1
T1 ∝ f (θ0 )√
g

2. It represents the period of oscillation, the time taken by any variable associated to the simple pendulum to be back to its initial value.

3. Answer C. The mass is irrelevant in the problem of finding the time period. Only the length of the string, the strength of the
acceleration field and the initial angle θ are relevant. 0

4. Answer B. The period is inversly proportional to the square-root of the acceleration field. Hence, as it gets larger, the time period gets
shorter.

Exercise 2
It is clear that N is larger than N . From the figure, it is clear than the length of the rope of the first pendulum is shorter than the second
1 2

one. This means that T 1 < T2 (because √l 1 < √l2 . Let us note the amount of time between the start of your clock and the lighting as T .
The numbers that the clocks counted are the integer part (e.g. int(3.5)=3) of the ratios between T and the different periods. We have:

T T
N1 = int ( ) > N2 = int ( )
T1 T2

Exercise 3
NASA rejected your proposal because the acceleration field causing the oscillation of your pendulum is changing a lot depending of where
you are in the Universe. The amount of time spent between 1 and 2 could be different than the one between 3 and 4 etc. Moreover, there
are regions where the acceleration field is zero (when there are no massive bodies nearby). In such situation, the pendulum doesn't even
oscillate...

Exercise 4
1. A priori, the different relevant quantities can be listed as follow:

the mass m [M ] of the thrown object.

the initial velocity v [LT 0
−1
] of the object
the initial angle measured from the horizontal axis θ [-] 0

the local acceleration field g [LT −2

]
2. Without any loss of generality, one can write the following product of power laws (to account for "scaling") for the range.
a b c
R ∝ m v g f (θ0 )
0

where f is an unknown function of θ . The dimensional analysis equation is the following:

0

a −1 b −2 c
[L] = [M ] [LT ] [LT ]

The only way of constructing a range is then with the following constraints:

⎧a = 0

⎨b + c = 1
⎩
−b − 2c = 0

The further we can go without solving entirely the problem is (with a=0,b=2 and c=-1):

2
v
0
R ∝ f (θ0 )
g

1. Answer C. Thanks to the dimensional analysis, the range is proportional to the square of the initial velocity v . Doubling v quadruples 0 0

the range.

1. Without any loss of generality, one can write the following product of power laws (to account for "scaling") for the time of flight.

d e f
T ∝ m v g g(θ0 )
0

where g is an unknown function of θ (probably related to f but a priori different). The dimensional analysis equation is the following:
0

d −1 e −2 f
[T ] = [M ] [LT ] [LT ]

The only way of constructing a time is then with the following constraints:

⎧d = 0

⎨e + f = 0
⎩
−e − 2f = 1

The further we can go without solving entirely the problem is (with d=0,e=1 and f=-1):

v0
T ∝ g(θ0 )
g

1. Answer B. The time of flight is directly proportional to the initial velocity v . Doubling v doubles the time of flight. 0 0

Exercise 5
Since "force equals mass times acceleration", we have [F ] = [M ] × [LT
−2
] = [M LT
−2
] .

Exercise 6
1. A force has the physical dimension [M LT −2
] . A force per length has then the dimension [M T −2
] .
2. Without any loss of generality, one can write the following product of power laws (to account for "scaling") for the oscillation period:

a b c
T ∝ R ρ σ

The dimensional analysis equation is the following:

a −3 b −2 c
[T ] = [L] [M L ] [M T ]

The only way of constructing a time is then with the following constraints:

⎧ a − 3b = 0

⎨b + c = 0
⎩
−2c = 1

The further we can go without solving entirely the problem is (with a=3/2, b=1/2 and c=-1/2):

3
R ρ
T ∝ √
σ

Note that the mass m [M ] of the drop is given by , so we can also write
4π
3
R ρ
3

m
T ∝ √
σ

1. The frequency of oscillation is defined as

1 σ
f = ∝ √
T m

Smaller droplets have a smaller mass (m ) than bigger ones (m ). Since m

1 2 1 < m2 we have that f 1 > f2 . The smaller droplets oscillate at a
higher frequency.

Exercise 7
An acceleration has the dimension [LT −2
] . The relevant quantities are: the mass [M ], the velocity [LT −1
] and the radius [L]. No other
quantities seem to be relevant in this problem. Without any loss of generality, one can write the following product of power laws (to
account for "scaling") for the centripedal acceleration:

a b c
a ∝ m v R

The dimensional analysis equation is the following:

−2 a −1 b c
[LT ] = [M ] [LT ] [L]

The only way of constructing an acceleration is then with the following constraints:

⎧a = 0

⎨b + c = 1
⎩
−b = −2

The further we can go without solving entirely the problem is (with a=0, b=2 and c=-1):
2
v
a ∝
R

For this particular motion, we will show later in the course that the actual formula is:
2
v
a =
R

Make sure that you understand the nuance between the two former equations.

Exercise 8
1. A velocity has the dimension [LT −1
] . The relevant quantities are given: the string linear mass [M L −1
] and the tension in the string
[M LT
−2
] . No other quantities seem to be relevant in this problem. Without any loss of generality, one can write the following
product of power laws (to account for "scaling") for the velocity:

a b
v ∝ μ T

The dimensional analysis equation is the following:

−1 −1 a −2 b
[LT ] = [M L ] [M LT ]

The only way of constructing an acceleration is then with the following constraints:

⎧a + b = 0

⎨ −a + b = 1
⎩
−2b = −1

The further we can go without solving entirely the problem is (with a=-1/2 and b=1/2):

T
v ∝ √
μ

1. A frequency has the dimension T −1

. Thanks to a dimensional analysis, we have:

v 1 T
f ∝ ∝ √
L L μ

1. Suppose that a C has a frequency f and an A, a frequency f . From the wording of the problem, one knows that
1 2

f1 < f2

To go from a C to an A, wxe need to increase the frequency. Thanks to the formula,

1 T
f ∝ √
L μ

We can see that shortening l OR increasing T would do the job!

The correct answer is answer B.

We encourage you to test this finding if you happen to have a guitar at your disposal. Note that higher frequency means that you should
hear a higher-pitched note.

Exercise 9
Without any loss of generality, one can write the following product of power laws (to account for "scaling") for the Planck's mass (m ): p

a b c
mp ∝ G h c

The corresponding dimensional analysis equation is:

−a 3a −2a b 2b −b 0 c −c
[M ] = [M L T ][M L T ][M L T ]

Leading to following system of equations:

⎧ −a + b = 1

⎨ 3a + 2b + c = 0
⎩
−2a − b − c = 0

which gives (a, b, c) and so, m

hc
= (−1/2, 1/2, 1/2) ∝ √
G

With the same reasoning, we get for the length : (a, b, c) = (1/2, 1/2, −3/2) and l p ∝ √
hG
3
; and for the time
c

and t
hG
(a, b, c) = (1/2, 1/2, −5/2) p ∝ √
5
c