Candidate’s Name : ____________________________ CT Group : 09S_____

HWA CHONG INSTITUTION

H3 ESSENTIALS OF MODERN PHYSICS 9811

Preliminary Examinations

C2 22 Sep 2010 Duration: 3 hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Do Not Open This Booklet Until You Are Told To Do So.

Write your name and CT class clearly on the top of this cover
SECTION A
page and all answer sheets which you hand in.

Write in dark blue or black pen. Q1 /7

You may use a soft pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough Q2 /8
working.
Q3 / 11
Check that you have 13 printed pages (including this page).
Q4 /8
Section A
Answer all questions. Q5 /6
You are advised to spend about 1 hr 50 min on Section A.
Q6 / 20
Section B
Answer any two questions. SECTION B

Q7 / 8 / 9 / 10* / 20
Write your answers on the foolscap paper provided.
Begin each answer on a fresh sheet of paper. Q7 / 8 / 9 / 10* / 20

DEDUCTIONS

Total / 100

* delete question number as appropriate

Write the calculator brand and model in the box on the right.
Calculator
If you are using a graphing calculator, you are to clear the
Model
memory of your graphic calculator.

This paper contains 13 printed pages, including this cover page.

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

Data
3.00 × 10 m s
8 -1
speed of light in free space c =
permeability of free space µ0 = 4π × 10 H m
-7 -1

ε0 = 8.85 × 10 F m
-12 -1
permittivitty of free space
(1/(36π)) × 10 F m
-9 -1
=
1.60 × 10 C
-19
elementary charge e =
6.63 × 10 J s
-34
the Planck constant h =
1.66 × 10
-27
unified atomic mass constant u = kg
9.11 × 10
-31
rest mass of electron me = kg
1.67 × 10
-27
rest mass of proton mp = kg
-1 -1
molar gas constant R = 8.31 J K mol

6.02 × 10 mol
23 -1
the Avogadro constant NA =

1.38 × 10
-23 -1
the Boltzmann constant k = JK
6.67 × 10 N m kg
-11 2 -2
gravitational constant G =
-2
acceleration of free fall g = 9.81 m s

Formulae
γ
2 -1/2
Lorentz factor = (1 – (v/c) )
length contraction L = L0 / γ
time dilation T = γ T0
x’ = γ (x – vt)
Lorentz transformation equations (1 dimension)
t’ = γ (t – vx/c2 )
mass-energy equivalence
E = γ m0 c2
2 2 2 2
E = (pc) + (m0 c )
Wien’s displacement law λpT = 2.898 × 10 m K
-3

Compton shift formula ∆λ = h

mc (1 – cos θ)
population distribution of atoms with energy Ex Nx = N0 exp (-(Ex – E0) / kT)

time-independent Schrödinger equation Eψ = − mc

h 2
( ) + Uψ
d 2ψ
dx 2
2 2 2
allowed energy states for a particle in a box En = (n h )/(8mL )

ψ sin(nπx/L)
1/2
normalized wave function for a particle in a box = (2/L)

8π 2 m(U −E)
transmission coefficient T α exp (-2kd) where k =
h2

m <v >
Drude model of electrical resistivity ρ = nq 2 λ

Fermi energy for metals EF = h2

8m
(3nπ ) 2
3

4π (2m)
3
2

density of energy states for electrons in a metal ρ(E) = E

h3
Fermi function f(E) = 1/(1 + exp((E-EF)/kT))
refractive index n = v1/v2
phase difference of circularly polarised light
δ
2π = d
λ ∆n
Brewster’s angle tan θB = n2/n1
attenuation of light intensity I = I0 exp (-µx)

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -2-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

Section A
Answer all questions in this Section.
You are advised to spend about 1 hour and 50 minutes on this section.

1 Comment on the validity of the following statements.

(a) Tom is standing in a railway carriage traveling at constant speed towards the right while
Jerry is standing on the ground (Fig 1.1). Jerry observed lightning striking both ends of
the carriage simultaneously and thus notes that the time interval between the strikes is
zero. Jerry claimed that he has measured the proper time between the strikes since
Tom’s measurement of the time interval cannot possibly be smaller than his. [2]

Fig. 1.1

(b) A dish that is elliptical when observed at rest may be perceived as a circular dish by any
observer moving along any of the two directions as shown in Fig. 1.2. [3]
direction 1

Fig. 1.2
direction 2

(c) Since moving clocks run slower, it will be possible for an astronaut in a spacecraft that is
moving fast enough to survive a trip to any corner of the universe no matter how far
away. [2]

2 (a) Population inversion and metastable level are two important terms in the lasing process.
Explain what are meant by population inversion and metastable level. [2]

(b) Explain, with the aid of an energy level diagram, how the helium-neon laser achieves
population inversion. Identify the metastable levels in your diagram. [5]

(c) It has been found that the efficiency of the lasing process depends on the diameter of
the tube containing the helium and neon gases. Suggest a possible reason for this effect.
[1]

3 (a) The resolving power of a microscope depends on the wavelength used. If one wished to
‘see’ an atom, a resolution of approximately 1.00 × 10-11 m would be required.

(i) If electrons are used (in an electron microscope), what minimum kinetic energy is
required for the electrons? [2]

(ii) If photons are used, what minimum photon energy is needed to obtain the required
resolution? [1]

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -3-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

(b) The arrangement of sodium and chloride ions in rock salt can be based on the simple
cubic lattice, as shown in Fig. 3.1. A unit cell of this arrangement is shown in Fig. 3.2.

Fig. 3.1 Fig. 3.2

One set of atomic planes contributing to X-ray diffraction are planes such as AHF. Find
the inter-plane distance for this set of atomic planes. [4]

(c) A monochromatic laser beam is reflected off a normal table surface and the reflected
beam is allowed to fall on a screen. The image on the screen (Fig. 3.3) showed a
shimmering pattern of tiny bright and dark spots known as laser speckle.

Fig. 3.3

(i) Give a possible explanation for the cause of the laser speckle. [3]

(ii) Suggest one usage for the laser speckle. [1]

4 (a) According to some early (erroneous) speculations on nuclear structure, the nucleus was
supposed to contain a number of electrons.

(i) If we treat such an electron as a particle in a one-dimensional box of nuclear size

about 1.0 × 10−14 m, what would be the ground state energy of the electron in eV? [2]

(ii) What would be the energy difference between the ground state and first excited
state? [1]

(iii) Typical nuclear energy differences are of the order of 1 MeV. Is this consistent with
the existence of electrons in the nucleus? [1]

(b) An atom of mass 9.4 × 10−26 kg vibrates with simple harmonic motion in a crystal lattice.
The atom absorbs a photon of wavelength 525 µm when it makes a transition from the
ground level to the first excited level.

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -4-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

(i) What is the force constant associated with the vibration? [2]

(ii) What is the energy of the first excited level in eV? [1]

(iii) Fig. 4.1 shows the potential energy of the lattice. Copy Fig. 4.1 and sketch the wave
function of the first excited state on the copy. [1]

Energy Potential energy

Fig. 4.1

distance

5 A 0.70 W ideal Zener diode has a breakdown voltage of 5.0 V. It is connected to a protective
resistor RP of 40 Ω, a resistive load RL and a d.c. power supply of 12.0 ± 2.0 V, as shown in
Fig. 5.1

RP

RL Fig. 5.1

(a) Calculate the maximum safe current through the Zener diode, [1]

(b) Hence find a possible range of resistive load RL, where its voltage can be maintained at
5.0 V and the Zener diode will not be damaged. [5]

6 (a) In a Pulfrich refractometer (Fig 6.1), the refractive index n of a liquid is found by
measuring the emergent angle e from the prism whose refractive index is N.

i liquid of refractive index, n

e Fig. 6.1
prism of refractive
index, N

(
Show that if i is nearly 90° , n ≈ N 2 − sin 2 e )
1/ 2
. State an assumption made. [5]

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -5-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

(b) Fig. 6.2 shows a cross-section along the axis of a straight optical fibre.

Fig. 6.2

The core has diameter d and refractive index n1. The cladding has refractive index n2.
ABC is a ray that is reflected at the core-cladding interface at B, and again at C. It is
required to find the conditions for this ray to continue to propagate from left to right along
the fibre.

Fig. 6.3 shows details of the geometry of the reflections.

Fig. 6.3

The wavefront associated with the wave reflected at C is P. When the line of this
wavefront is extended, it is found that it is in line with the wavefront Q of the ray at X.

(i) State what can be deduced from this alignment of wavefronts about the phase of the
wave at X relative to the phase of the wave at C. [1]

(ii) The geometrical path length ∆ between X and C is equal to the length (XB + BC).
Show that ∆ = 2d cos θ . [4]
(You will need to use the relation cos 2θ = 2 cos 2 θ − 1 or sin 2 θ + cos 2 θ = 1. )

(iii) When a ray undergoes total internal reflection, it experiences a phase change of
+ φ , where φ depends on the refractive indices of the media and the angle of
incidence θ .

From this information, it can be shown that one of the conditions for the ray XBC to
propagate from left to right by two internal reflections is

4πn1d
cosθ − 2φ = 2mπ
λo
Where m is an integer and λo is the wavelength of the light in vacuum.

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -6-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

4πn1d
1. Explain how the term ( cos θ ) arises. [2]
λo
2. State why the phase change term φ is multiplied by 2. [1]

3. Explain why the right-hand side of the equation must be an integral multiple of
2π . [1]

(iv) A graphical method can be used to solve the condition in (iii) to find the values of θ
for which the wave will propagate.
2πn1d
Fig. 6.4 shows graphs against θ of y = cos θ and of y = mπ + φ for different
λo
values of m for a particular optical fibre. The points of intersection of these graphs
give values of m, and hence of θ , which are solutions of the condition in (b)(iii).

Fig. 6.4

For this fibre, the refractive indices of the core and cladding are 1.48 and 1.28
respectively. The fibre is being used with infrared radiation of wavelength
λo = 1.20 µm.

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -7-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

1. Use the points of intersection of the graphs and other appropriate information to
deduce any values of m for which the wave will propagate. Explain your
reasoning. [3]

2. Also, using the graph, obtain a value for the diameter d of the fibre. [3]

End of Section A

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -8-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

Section B

Answer two questions from this Section.

You are advised to spend about 35 minutes on each question.

7 (a) The quantity ∆s for two events separated spatially by ∆x and temporally by ∆t as
observed in an inertial frame is defined as (∆s)2 = (∆x)2 - c2(∆t)2. Show that ∆s is invariant
(the same) for all inertial frames. [3]

(b) Two particles with rest masses m1 and m2, moving linearly in the same direction with
speeds u1 and u2 respectively, collide to form a new particle. Show that the rest mass m3
and speed u3 of the new particle are [3]
(
m32 = m12 + m22 + 2m1 m2 γ 1γ 2 1 − u1u 2 / c 2 )
m1γ 1u1 + m2 γ 2 u 2
u3 =
m1γ 1 + m2 γ 2

(c) In earlier models of fixed target accelerators, a beam of protons moving at high
velocities is impacted on stationary protons, where part of the kinetic energy of the
incoming proton is used to generate new particles. This process is expressed in the
following equation,

p + p = p + p + x, where p is proton and x is the new particle

This reaction is only possible if the proton beam has sufficient kinetic energy. The
minimum kinetic energy needed for such a reaction is given by the threshold energy ET,
calculated in the laboratory frame of reference as
 m 
ET = m X c 2  2 + X 
 2m p 
 

In one such reaction, a pion π is created with rest mass energy of 135 MeV. Take the
rest mass energy of a proton to be 938 MeV.

(i) Calculate the threshold energy ET needed to create a pion. Hence find the
percentage of the threshold energy that goes to the stationary pion. [2]

In colliding beam accelerators, two proton beams of the same energy are made to
collide with each other from the opposite directions.

(ii) Find the minimum kinetic energy of the protons in each beam needed to create a
pion. [1]

(iii) Calculate the speed of a proton with this minimum kinetic energy. [2]

To improve the chances of collision, the protons are concentrated within the beam into
bunches. In the laboratory frame of reference, each bunch is about 16.0 µm long with an
interval of 7.00 m between each bunch.

(iv) What is the length of a bunch as seen by a proton from another beam? You may
want to use the relativistic velocity transformation formula v' = (v − u ) /(1 − uv / c 2 ) . [5]

(v) How long does it take for protons from one beam to pass by a bunch of photons
from the opposite beam? [2]

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit -9-

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

(vi) Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using colliding beam accelerators
compared to fixed target accelerators. [2]

8 (a) The Compton Effect is explained by considering the interaction between the incident X-
ray and the graphite target as a collision between an X-ray photon and a stationary
electron.
Scattered X-ray
photon
y
θ
x
φ
Incident X-ray photon
Scattered electron

Fig.9.1
Fig. 8.1

Fig. 8.1 above shows an X-ray photon, initially moving in the x direction, colliding with a
stationary electron. After the collision, the X-ray photon is scattered through an angle θ
while the electron is scattered through an angle φ. The wavelength of the incident X-ray
is λ0 and that of the scattered X-ray is λ. The scattered electron has momentum p.

(i) In terms of p, λ0 , λ , θ , φ and h (Planck’s constant), write down the equations for
the principle of conservation of momentum applied to the collision in the
1. y direction,
2. x direction. [2]

h
(ii) Using the Compton shift formula, λ − λ0 = ∆λ = (1 − cos φ ) , where m is the mass
mc
of the electron, and the equations you have written down in (a)(i), show that the
scattering angles of the photon and the electron are related by
θ  h
cot  = (1 + ) tan φ
2 mc λ0
[5]
You may want to use the following identities:
cos 2 A= 1 − 2 sin2 A
sin 2 A = 2 sin A cos A

(b) Electrons are accelerated from rest in an X-ray tube operating at 18.0 kV. X-rays with the
minimum wavelength emerge from the tube, strike a target and are Compton-scattered
through various angles.

(i) Why does X-ray tube use electrons rather than protons to produce X-rays? [2]

(ii) What is the original X-ray wavelength? [3]

(iii) What is the fractional shift in wavelength for a scattering angle of 45°? [3]

(c) (i) Comment on the statement : “Blackbodies are black.” [2]

(ii) The temperature of the skin is approximately 35 °C.

1. At what wavelength does the radiation emitted from the skin reach its peak?
2. In which region of the electromagnetic spectrum is this peak radiation? [3]

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit - 10 -

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

9 (a) Explain what is meant by “quantum tunneling”. [2]

(b) A uranium-238 nucleus can spontaneously emit an alpha particle with energy
Eα = 4.2 MeV. The alpha particle is contained inside the nuclear radius R ≈ 7 × 10−15 m
and the potential energy can be represented by Fig. 9.1.
potential energy

Vo
Fig. 9.1

Eα
radius
R r’

(i) Assuming that the barrier is given by coulomb potential energy, show that the barrier
height Vo is 37 MeV. [2]

(ii) Show that the tunneling distance, r '−R = 5.5 × 10−14 m. [2]

(iii) The potential barrier can be approximated by a rectangular potential barrier of height
18 MeV for 7 × 10−15 m ≤ radius ≤ 34 × 10−15 m. Given that the mass of an alpha
particle is 3727 MeV c-2, find the transmission coefficient, T. Assume T = e-2kd. [2]

(iv) The time taken, τ, for an alpha particle to tunnel out of the Uranium-238 nucleus is
given by
t
τ=
T
where t is the time it takes to travel the diameter of the nucleus once, and T is the
transmission coefficient calculated in (b)(iii).

Assuming that the kinetic energy of the alpha particle inside the nucleus is also 4.2
MeV, determine τ. Is your results of the same order of magnitude as compared with
the half-life of Uranium-238 which is about 4.5 × 109 years? [2]

(c) In most metals, the atomic ions form a regular arrangement called a crystal lattice. The
conduction electrons in the sea of electrons move through this lattice. Fig. 9.2 shows a
one-dimensional model of a crystal lattice. The ions have mass m, charge e, and an
equilibrium separation b.
+ + + Fig. 9.2
b b
Assuming that the middle ion is displaced by a very small distance (x << b) from its
equilibrium position while the outer charges remain fixed, the net electric force on the
middle charge can be approximated by a linear restoring force given by
e2
F =− 3 x
b πεo

Consider a crystal consisting of aluminium ( 27

13 )
Al ions with an equilibrium spacing of
0.30 nm.

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit - 11 -

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

(i) Find the energies of the 2 lowest vibrational states of these ions. [4]

(ii) What is the wavelength of a photon emitted by a transition from a quantum jump
between these two levels? [1]

(iii) Is this wavelength in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum? [1]

(d) The general expression for the energy En of a harmonic oscillator in the state of quantum
number n is
 hω 
En = (n − 12 ) , where n = 1, 2, ...
 2π 
Suppose that, in a particular oscillator, the angular frequency ω is so large that the
kinetic energy of the particle is comparable to m c 2 . Obtain the relativistic expression for
the energy En of the state of quantum number n. [4]

10 (a) Atoms in a copper block are arranged on a ‘face-centred cubic’ lattice as shown in
Fig.10.1.

Fig. 10.2
Fig. 10.1

An atom is centered at each corner of the cube (i.e., A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) and at the

centre of each face (i.e., P, Q, R, S, T, U). The atoms in one face of the cube are shown
Fig. 10.2; they may be assumed to be hard spheres in contact along the diagonals APC,
BPD. All atoms associated with the cube shown are shared with neighbouring cubes. X-
ray diffraction measurements show that the cube side a is 0.36 nm.

(i) Find the diameter of a copper atom. [1]

(ii) What is the effective number of whole atoms within the cube? [2]

(iii) Determine the fraction of the volume of the cube occupied by copper atoms. [2]

(iv) Assume that each copper atom contributes two conduction electrons. Calculate the
Fermi energy of copper. Give your answer in eV. [4]

(b)

Fig. 10.3

The Fermi function as given in your Formula List can be applied to semiconductor as
well as to metals. In pure semiconductors, the Fermi energy is assumed to be at the

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit - 12 -

H3 Essentials of Modern Physics 9811 2010 Preliminary Examinations

midpoint of the band gap between the valence band and the conduction band. For pure
germanium, the band gap is 0.67 eV as shown in Fig. 10.3.

(i) For pure germanium, calculate the probability that a state at the bottom of the
conduction band is occupied at a temperature of
(1) 290 K, and [2]
(2) 300 K. [2]

(ii) Hence, comment with an explanation on the effect of constant rate of rise in
temperature on the electrical conductivity of semiconductors. [2]

(c) The density of energy states in a semiconductor near the bottom of a conduction band is
similar to that of a free electron gas in a metal. The probability of occupation of these
energy states is governed by Fermi function.

The density of energy states above the bottom E c of the conduction band is
3
4π (2m) 2 1
g (E) = 3
( E − Ec ) 2
h

and the Fermi function is

1
f (E) =
( E − E F ) / kT
1+ e

(i) Sketch a graph of the energy E against the density of energy states g(E) of
electrons in the conduction band and label it ‘G’. Draw solid lines to represent the
bottom of the conduction band and the top of the valence band. Label them ‘C’ and
‘V’ respectively. [2]

(ii) On the same sketch, draw a line to represent the Fermi function f(E) at room
temperature and a dotted line to represent the Fermi level. Label them ‘F’ and ‘M’
respectively. [2]

(iii) On the same sketch, draw a line to represent the energy of states function in the
conduction band at room temperature and label it ‘N’. [1]

End of Paper

2010 HCI (College) Physics Unit - 13 -