RAJIV GANDHI INSTITUTE OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY, JAIS AMETHI

CLASSICAL PHYSICS 2021-2022 PY-111

MID SEMESTER EXAM
Max. Marks: 60 Time: 120 Minutes

PART-A (30 Marks)

1. (a) Draw a three-dimensional rectangular cartesian coordinate and spherical coordinate systems
with their coordinates (x y z) and (r  ). [1 mark]
(b) Consider a solid sphere of radius R whose centre is at the origin of the coordinate system.
This sphere can be broken in two hemispheres in different ways. Define an infinitesimal surface
area and calculate the surface area of a hemisphere for different configurations as shown below:
(i) Calculate the area of the below lower hemisphere of both curved surface and circular
flat face (Fig. 1a). [1 + 1 marks]
(ii) Calculate the area of the below upper hemisphere of curved surface (Fig. 1b).
[1 mark]
(iii) Calculate the area of the below hemisphere of curved surface as shown in Fig.1c.
Consider the radius is R. [1 mark]
[You must explicitly show the limit of all-coordinates while integrating to find out the whole
area of above configurations]

z
z y z

y x
y
x
x

⃗
𝒓 1
2. A vector ⃗𝑭= 3+ Cos 𝛉̂ + r3 Sin Cosφ 𝛗
̂ 𝒓 = 𝒊̂x + 𝒋̂ y + 𝒌̂ z;
 where, ⃗⃗
𝑟 𝑟3
̂ are unit vectors along x, y, z respectively, of a rectangular Cartesian coordinate (x y z).
𝒊̂, 𝒋̂, 𝒌
𝒓̂, 𝛉̂, 𝝋̂ are the unit vectors of (r  𝛗) in spherical coordinates, where 𝒓 is the radial distance,  is
the polar angle with positive z-axis and 𝛗 is the azimuthal angle with positive x-axis in xy-
plane.

⃗⃗ × 𝑭
Calculate the curl of this vector field 𝛁 ⃗ [for r ≠ 0]. [5 Marks]

[You can calculate in any coordinate systems, either Cartesian or spherical. You can
directly use the formula for divergence, curl, any transformation formula of coordinates
and its unit vectors]

3. Calculate the divergence of vector 𝐴 = (𝑥 + 3𝑦)𝑖̂ + (𝑦 − 2𝑧) 𝑗̂ + (𝑥 + 𝐶𝑧)𝑘̂ .

Find the value of C if the vector 𝐴 is solenoidal.
[3+2 Marks]
Or
Consider an S’-coordinate (x’ y’ z’) system rotating with an angular velocity 𝝎⃗⃗⃗ with respect
to a fixed coordinate system S (x y z). Let’s consider position vector of a moving insect is 𝒓 ⃗ = 5t
-t ̂
𝒊̂ + 3𝑪𝒐𝒔(𝒕) 𝒋̂+ 4e 𝒌 with respect to the rotating frame S’. If the angular velocity 𝝎 ⃗⃗⃗ = 2𝒊̂ + 3𝒋̂,
what is the velocity of the insect with respect with respect to (a) S’-coordinate system and (b) S-
 ̂ are the respective unit vectors of usual
coordinate system. Here, t-denotes time and 𝒊̂, 𝒋̂, 𝒌
meaning. [2+3 Marks]

4. Identify the set of generalized coordinates needed to completely specify the motion of each of
the following:
(i) A particle is constrained to move on the surface of the circle in the x-y plane as
shown in Fig. 2 a. [1 mark]
(ii) A circular cylinder rolling down an inclined plane as shown in Fig. 2b. [1 Mark]
(iii) A block on a frictionless ramp, which is itself free to slide on a frictionless surface as
shown in Fig. 2c [1 Mark]

5. A bead of mass m slides without friction on a frictionless wire in the shape of cycloid (Fig. 3)
with equations 𝑥 = 𝑎 (𝜃 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃), 𝑦 = 𝑎 (1 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃), Where 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2π.
Find the following:
(a) The Lagrangian function [4 Marks]
(b) The equation of motion [4 Marks]
[Take x-axis as reference level for Potential energy]

Or

A bead of mass ‘m’ slides on a smooth rod (Fig. 4) which is rotating about one end in a vertical
plane with uniform angular velocity ω, Find the following:
(a) The Lagrangian function [4 Marks]
(b) The equation of motion [4 Marks]
6. Find the Hamiltonian corresponding to the Lagrangian
1 1
𝐿= 𝑥̇ 2 − 2 𝜔2 𝑥 2 − 𝛼𝑥 3 + 𝛽𝑥𝑥̇ 2 [4 Marks]
2

PART – B
Answer all the questions [5 x 6 = 30 Marks]

7. The 32P1/2 first excited state in Sodium (Na) is 2.093 eV above the 32S1/2 ground state. Find the
ratio between the number of atoms in each state in Na-vapor at 1200 K. Note that the number of
states in the ground and first excited states of Na are 2 and 6, respectively. [6 Marks]

8. Verify that the most probable speed and most probable energy of an ideal-gas molecule are
(2kT/m)0.5 and 0.5kT, respectively. [6 Marks]

9. Compare Maxwell Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac, and Bose-Einstein statistics. [6 Marks]

10. At what frequency do molecules (diameter 290 pm) collide in (an ideal) oxygen gas (O2) at tem-
perature 1000 K and pressure 4.00 atm? [6 Marks]

11. The atomic weight of He and Ar are respectively 4 g/mol and 40 g/mol. The measured viscosi-
ties at 273 K are respectively 1.87 × 10-5 Kg m-1s-1 and 2.105 × 10-5 Kg m-1s-1. Calculate the scatter-
ing cross section of He and Ar atoms. If the atoms are considered to scatter like hard spheres, esti-
mate the diameter of He and Ar atoms. [6 Marks]

Bolzmann Constant k = 1.380649 × 10−23 J/K = 8.617 × 10-5 eV/K