International Physics Olympiad

IPhO 1991

Havana, Cuba · 3 theory problems with complete solutions

  1. Problem 1: Spinning ball bouncing on the floor

    The figure 1.1 shows a solid, homogeneous ball radius \(R\). Before falling to the floor its center of mass is at rest, but the ball is spinning with angular velocity \(\omega_0\) about a horizontal axis through its center. The lowest point of the ball is at a height \(h\) above the floor.

    Figure 1

    Figure 1.1

    When released, the ball falls under gravity, and rebounds to a new height such that its lowest point is now \(ah\) above the floor. The deformation of the ball and the floor on impact may be considered negligible. Ignore the presence of the air. The impact time, although, is finite.

    The mass of the ball is \(m\), the acceleration due the gravity is \(g\), the dynamic coefficient of friction between the ball and the floor is \(\mu_k\), and the moment of inertia of the ball about the given axis is: \[ I=\frac{2mR^2}{5} \]

    You are required to consider two situations, in the first, the ball slips during the entire impact time, and in the second the slipping stops before the end of the impact time.

    Situation I: slipping throughout the impact.
    Find:
    a) \(\tan\theta\), where \(\theta\) is the rebound angle indicated in the diagram;
    b) the horizontal distance traveled in flight between the first and second impacts;
    c) the minimum value of \(\omega_0\) for this situations.

    Situation II: slipping for part of the impacts.
    Find, again:
    a) \(\tan\theta\);
    b) the horizontal distance traveled in flight between the first and second impacts.
    Taking both of the above situations into account, sketch the variation of \(\tan\theta\) with \(\omega_0\).

    Official English text of the problem.

  2. Problem 2: Charged balls moving along a square loop in an electric field (relativity)

    In a square loop with a side length \(L\), a large number of balls of negligible radius and each with a charge \(q\) are moving at a speed \(u\) with a constant separation \(a\) between them, as seen from a frame of reference that is fixed with respect to the loop. The balls are arranged on the loop like the beads on a necklace, \(L\) being much greater than \(a\), as indicated in the figure 2.1. The no conducting wire forming the loop has a homogeneous charge density per unit length in the in the frame of the loop. Its total charge is equal and opposite to the total charge of the balls in that frame.

    Consider the situation in which the loop moves with velocity \(v\) parallel to its side \(AB\) (fig. 2.1) through a homogeneous electric field of strength \(E\) which is perpendicular to the loop velocity and makes an angle \(\theta\) with the plane of the loop.

    Figure 1

    Figure 2.1

    Taking into account relativistic effects, calculate the following magnitudes in the frame of reference of an observer who sees the loop moving with velocity \(v\):

    a) The spacing between the balls on each of the side of the loop, \(a_{AB}\), \(a_{BC}\), \(a_{CD}\), y \(a_{DA}\).

    b) The value of the net charge of the loop plus balls on each of the side of the loop: \(Q_{AB}\), \(Q_{BC}\), \(Q_{CD}\) y, \(Q_{DA}\)

    c) The modulus \(M\) of the electrically produced torque tending to rotate the system of the loop and the balls.

    d) The energy \(W\) due to the interaction of the system, consisting of the loop and the balls with the electric field.

    All the answers should be given in terms of quantities specified in the problem.

    Note. The electric charge of an isolated object is independent of the frame of reference in which the measurements takes place. Any electromagnetic radiation effects should be ignored.

    Some formulae of special relativity

    Consider a reference frame \(S'\) moving with velocity \(V\) with reference to another reference frame \(S\). The axes of the frames are parallel, and their origins coincide a \(t=0\). \(V\) is directed along the positive direction of the \(x\) axis.

    Relativistic sum of velocities

    If a particle is moving with velocity \(u'\) in the \(x'\) direction , as measured in \(S'\), the velocity of the particle measured in \(S\) is given by:

    \[ u=\frac{u'+V}{1+\dfrac{u'V}{c^2}} \]

    Relativistic Contraction

    If an object at rest in frame \(S\) has length \(L_0\) in the \(x\)-direction, an observer in frame \(S'\) (moving at velocity \(V\) in the \(x\)-direction} will measure its length to be:

    \[ L=L_0\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}} \]

    Official English text of the problem.

  3. Problem 3: Cooling Atoms by laser

    To study the properties of isolated atoms with a high degree of precision they must be kept almost at rest for a length of time. A method has recently been developed to do this. It is called “laser cooling” and is illustrated by the problem below.

    In a vacuum chamber a well collimated beam of \(\mathrm{Na}^{23}\) atoms (coming from the evaporation of a sample at \(10^3\ \mathrm{K}\)) is illuminated head-on with a high intensity laser beam (fig. 3.1). The frequency of laser is chosen so there will be resonant absorption of a photon by those atoms whose velocity is \(v_0\). When the light is absorbed, these atoms are exited to the first energy level, which has a mean value \(E\) above the ground state and uncertainty of \(\Gamma\) (fig. 3.2).

    Figure 1

    Figure 3.1

    Figure 2

    Figure 3.2

    For this process, the atom’s decrease in velocity \(\Delta v_1\) is given by \(\Delta v_1=v_1-v_0\). Light is then emitted by the atom as it returns to its ground state. The atom’s velocity changes by \(\Delta v'=v'_1-v_1\) and its direction of motion changes by an angle \(\varphi\) (fig. 3.3).

    Figure 3

    Figure 3.3

    This sequence of absorption and emission takes place many times until the velocity of the atoms has decreased by a given amount \(\Delta v\) such that resonant absorption of light at frequency \(\nu\) no longer occurs. It is then necessary to change the frequency of laser so as to maintain resonant absorption. The atoms moving at the new velocity are further slowed down until some of them have a velocity close to zero.

    As first approximation we may ignore any atomic interaction processes apart from the spontaneous absorption and emission light described above.
    Furthermore, we may assume the laser to be so intense that the atoms spend practically no time in the ground state.

    Questions

    a) Find the laser frequency needed ensure the resonant absorption of the light by those atoms whose kinetic energy of the atoms inside the region behind the collimator. Also find the reduction in the velocity of these atoms, \(\Delta v_1\), after the absorption process.

    b) Light of the frequency calculated in question a) is absorbed by atoms which velocities lie within a range \(\Delta v_0\). Calculate this velocity range.

    c) When an atom emits light, its direction of motion changes by \(\varphi\) from initial direction. Calculate \(\varphi\).

    d) Find the maximum possible velocity decrease \(\Delta v\) for a given frequency.

    e) What is the approximate number \(N\) of absorption-emission events necessary to reduce the velocity of an atom from is initial value \(v_0\)
    -found in question a) above- almost to zero? Assume the atom travels in a straight line.

    f) Find the time \(t\) that the process in question e takes. Calculate the distance \(\Delta S\) an atom travels in this time.

    Data

    \[ \begin{aligned} E&=3{,}36\cdot10^{-19}\ \mathrm{J}\\ \Gamma&=7{,}0\cdot10^{-27}\ \mathrm{J}\\ c&=3\cdot10^8\ \mathrm{ms^{-1}}\\ m_p&=1{,}67\cdot10^{-27}\ \mathrm{kg}\\ h&=6{,}62\cdot10^{-34}\ \mathrm{Js}\\ k&=1{,}38\cdot10^{-23}\ \mathrm{JK^{-1}} \end{aligned} \]

    where \(c\) is speed of light, \(h\) is Planck’s constant, \(k\) is the Boltzmann constant, and \(m_p\) is the mass of proton.

    Official English text of the problem.