Faculty of Technical Sciences

Institute for Networked and Embedded Systems

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Bettstetter

Sample Exam1 for the lecture

Physics for Engineers:

Electricity and Magnetism
• This examination sheet consists of five tasks printed on six double-sided sheets (including this cover
sheet). Count the sheets and write your name on each sheet.
• No documents are allowed, except a double-sided handwritten sheet of size DIN A4 or the two-sided
formula sheet of the lecture. Furthermore, you can use a non-programmable calculator. Do not use red
pens or pencils!
• The duration of the exam is 100 minutes. It starts after the examination information is read. Do not
write while it is being read.
• The points to be achieved are indicated for each task. To pass the exam, at least 35 points out of
100 points are required.
• Your identity will be verified during the exam. Please provide a valid photo ID or driver’s license.
• Please remain seated until the end of the exam in order to allow all students to concentrate on their
work. When leaving the lecture hall, the complete examination sheet must be handed in.

• Good luck!

Name, matr. num.:

Signature:

Studies, semester:

Task 1 2 3 4 5 Grade
P

Grading: Points
Max. points 25 25 16 24 10 100

Winter semester 2017/18 09 February 2018

1 This is a translation of the exam from Feb 2018 that took place for students of the German-taught program “Informations-
technik” to be used as a sample exam for students in English-taught program “Robotics and Artificial Intelligence”
1 Electric field of a sphere 25 points
A nonconductive sphere of radius r2 with a spherical cavity of radius r1 in its center is located in vacuum.
The sphere has a nonuniformly distributed volume charge density, that is defined by
ρ0 r2
ρ(r) = for r1 ≤ r ≤ r2
r
where ρ0 is a constant, and ρ(r) = 0 elsewhere. A cross section of the arrangement is shown in the following
figure:

ρ=0

ρ=0
ρ>0 r

r1 r2

a) Draw four electric field lines and two equipotential lines in the figure. (2)
b) Which physical unit has the constant ρ0 ? (6)
Calculate ρ0 as a function of Q, r1 and r2 .

1
c) Derive an expression for the electric field strength E
⃗ at an arbitrary point in space. Distinguish between (12)
the following cases:
(a) r < r1
(b) r1 ≤ r ≤ r2
(c) r2 < r
Provide either a written justification or a mathematical derivation.

2
d) Sketch the absolute value of the electric field strength |E|
⃗ as a function of r. (5)

3
2 Real voltage source 25 points
A real voltage source with source voltage V0 and internal resistance Ri is loaded with a load resistance RL .

a) Draw the circuit diagram of the given arrangement. (3)

b) Specify the power PL dissipated in the load resistance as a function of the given quantities. (5)

c) For what value of RL will the the dissipated power be maximal (power adjustment)? What is the value (8)
of this maximum power?

4
Now the load resistance is replaced by the following circuit.

The following relationships apply:

R2 = 3R1
R3 = 2R2

d) Specify the values of the resistors R1 , R2 , and R3 as a function of RL . (3)

e) Now calculate the power dissipated in each of the resistors R1 , R2 and R3 . Assume the performance (6)
adjustment case, i. e. RL has the value determined in subitem c). The result should only contain the
quantities V0 and Ri .

5
6
3 Coil with resistor and capacitor 16 points
Given is coil with neglectable ohmic resistance into which an iron core can be inserted. A battery generates
the voltage V = 20 V.

a) At first the coil is connected in series with a resistor and the given battery. During the switching-on
process, the current is measured over time, at which one measurement is carried out with iron core and
one without. We get the following measurement curves:

1.0 1.0

0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6
I in A

I in A
0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2

0.0 0.0

0 1 2 3 4 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

t in ms t in s
(a) (b)

Briefly explain why in both cases the current does not reach its maximum value immediately. Decide and
justify for what measurement the iron core was used. Use the diagram to determine the value of the used
resistor R. (6)

7
b) The coil with inserted iron core has an inductance of 3 H. Using this coil and a capacitor, an oscillating
circuit with an oscillation duration of 10 ms should be designed. What capacitance must the capacitor
have? (3)

Explain how removing the iron core from the coil qualitatively (no specific numerical values) affects the
frequency of the oscillation. (2)

What is the total energy stored in this LC oscillating circuit? (Use the previously calculated capacitance
of the capacitor. If you were unable to calculate it, use a capacitance of 1 mF) (5)

8
4 Magnetic field of a current-carrying conductor 24 points
An infinitely long, infinitely thin wire carries a constant current I, which produces a magnetic field B.
⃗ In
this task, this magnetic field should be calculated at an arbitrary point P in space. To do so, assume that
⃗
the wire runs directly in the z axis and select an appropriate coordinate system.

a) Sketch a section of the wire including the direction of its current and three exemplary magnetic field lines.
What shape do the magnetic field lines have? (3)

b) At first the magnetic field should be roughly characterized without any calculations. Considering the
symmetries, answer the following questions and justify your answers: (4)
• Of what coordinates of a point P⃗ in space does the absolute value of B
⃗ in that point depend on?

• In which direction does B

⃗ point at each point in space?

9
c) Using the Biot-Sarvart law, derive a mathematical expression for the absolute value of the magnetic field
⃗ at an arbitrary point P⃗ in space.
B = |B| (16)

d) Is an electromagnetic wave emitted from the wire in this arrangement? If yes, draw the propagation
direction of the wave at the above sketch. Explain your answer. (1)

10
5 Mixed questions 10 points
Specify whether the following statements are true (t) or false (f). You will receive the points of a sub-task
only if all statements are classified correctly.

a) Light: (1,5)
• Light is a wave with a frequency of several hundred terahertz.
• Light is a wave with a wavelength of two to five millimeters.
• Light is a radio wave.
• Light needs an ether to spread in space.
• Light is about as fast as sound.
b) Maxwell’s equations: (1,5)
• One of the Maxwell equations is Ohm’s law.
• Each of Maxwell’s equations describes the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
• Coulomb’s law can be derived from Maxwell’s equations.
• If magnetic charges (monopoles) are found, they can be considered by Maxwell’s equations.
c) Electrical devices: (1,5)
• A dynamo generates mechanical forces.
• A transformer is stepping DC voltages up or down.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exposes humans to X-rays.
• In the microwave oven food is heated by microwave radiation.
d) Electrical components: (1,5)
• The capacitance of a capacitor is measured in Coulomb.
• A coil can store magnetic energy.
• A coil can store energy.
• Memristors are described as the fourth fundamental passive component in addition to the resistor,
the capacitor and the coil.
e) Radio waves: (2)
• Radio waves have a shorter wavelength than gamma radiation.
• Radio waves spread slower than light.
• Radio waves are not transverse waves.
• There are radio waves in the 5 GHz range.
• Wi-Fi devices emit radio waves in the 2. 4 µHz range.
f) Relationship between electric and magnetic fields: (2)
• A magnetic field can be produced by electric charges, but only by accelerating them continuously.
• An electric field can be generated by a moving bar magnet.
• A changing magnetic field always produces a changing electric field.
• Moving charges always produce electromagnetic waves.
• Electric charges always produce an electric field.

11