Physics Enhancement Programme Phase 2

Selection Test 2 (Total 100 points)

18 January 2020

1. A perfectly flexible string with uniform linear mass density 𝜌 and length 𝐿 is hanging from a fixed support with
its bottom end free.
! "

(a) What is the tension 𝑇(𝑥) in the string at 𝑥 due to the gravity?
(b) A partial differential equation (PDE) which describes small transverse (in one plane) oscillations of the string
can be written as
'( ) ' ')
=𝑔 𝑢 𝑥 [1]
'* ( '. '.
Find 𝑢 𝑥 .

(c) The PDE can be solved using the separation of variables by putting
𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝜉 𝑥 𝜏(𝑡) [2]
where 𝜉(𝑥) and 𝜏(𝑡) are single-variable functions. Substituting Eqtn [2] into the PDE [1], we have
1 𝑑8 𝜏 1 𝑑 𝑑𝜉
= 𝑢 𝑥
𝑔𝜏 𝑑𝑡 8 𝜉 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
The functions 𝜉(𝑥) and 𝜏(𝑡) which satisfy the PDE for all 𝑥 and 𝑡 must obey
1 𝑑8 𝜏
= −𝜆
𝑔𝜏 𝑑𝑡 8
and
1 𝑑 𝑑𝜉
𝑢 𝑥 = −𝜆
𝜉 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
for some number 𝜆. Find the general solution of 𝜏(𝑡). Should 𝜆 be positive or negative?

(d) It is known that the solution 𝜉(𝑥) has the form

∞
<
𝜉 𝑥 = 𝑎< 𝑥 − 𝐿
<=>
Find 𝑎? and 𝑎8 in terms of 𝑎> and 𝜆.

(e) If the solution of 𝜉(𝑥) can be approximated by

𝜉 𝑥 = 𝑎> + 𝑎? 𝑥 − 𝐿 + 𝑎8 𝑥 − 𝐿 8
where 𝑎? and 𝑎8 are found in part (d). Find the value of 𝜆 and the angular frequency of the oscillation of the
transverse wave.

Solution:
(a) The tension 𝑇 is
D
𝑇 𝑥 = 𝜌𝑔𝑑𝑥 = 𝜌𝑔(𝐿 − 𝑥)
.
(b) For a section 𝛥𝑥 of the string, we have
 𝜕8𝑦 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 𝜕 𝜕𝑦
𝜌𝛥𝑥 8
= 𝑇 − 𝑇 = 𝑇 𝛥𝑥
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 .GH. 𝜕𝑥 . 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
𝜕8𝑦 𝜕 𝜕𝑦
⇒ 8 =𝑔 (𝐿 − 𝑥)
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
Hence 𝑢 𝑥 = 𝑔 𝐿 − 𝑥 .

(c) The solution of 𝜏 is

𝜏 𝑡 = 𝐴 cos 𝑔𝜆 𝑡 + 𝐵 sin( 𝑔𝜆𝑡)
where 𝐴, 𝐵 are some constants depends on the initial condition.
(d) The DE of 𝜉 is
𝑥 − 𝐿 𝜉 PP + 𝜉 P − 𝜆𝜉 = 0
It is given that
∞
<
𝜉 𝑥 = 𝑎< 𝑥 − 𝐿
<=>
∞ ∞

𝜉P . = 𝑛𝑎< 𝑥 − 𝐿 <S?
= (𝑛 + 1)𝑎<G? 𝑥 − 𝐿 <

<=? <=>
∞ ∞

𝑥 − 𝐿 𝜉 PP . = 𝑛 𝑛 − 1 𝑎< 𝑥 − 𝐿 <S?
= 𝑛 𝑛 + 1 𝑎<G? 𝑥 − 𝐿 <

<=8 <=?
By substitution, the DE becomes
∞

𝑎? − 𝜆𝑎> + 𝑛 + 1 8 𝑎<G? − 𝜆𝑎< 𝑥 − 𝐿 <

=0
?
The equation should be correct for all 𝑥 ∈ 0, 𝐿 . We have
𝑎? = 𝜆𝑎>
𝜆
𝑎<G? = 𝑎
𝑛+1 8 <
𝜆 𝜆8
⇒ 𝑎8 = 𝑎? = 𝑎>
4 4
(e)
𝜆8 8
𝜉 𝑥 = 𝑎> 1 + 𝜆 𝑥 − 𝐿 + 𝑥−𝐿
4
The boundary condition is 𝜉 𝑥 = 0 = 0
1
⇒ 1 − 𝐿𝜆 + (𝐿𝜆)8 = 0
4
⇒ 𝐿𝜆 = 2
2
⇒𝜆=
𝐿
The angular frequency of the oscillation is
2𝑔
𝜔= 𝑔𝜆 =
𝐿

2. A device consisting of a thin vertical tube and wide horizontal tube of length 𝐿 joined together is immersed in a
fluid of density 𝜌X . The density and pressure of the external atmosphere are 𝜌Y and 𝑃Y respectively. The end of the
horizontal tube is then sealed, and subsequently the device is rotated as shown with constant angular velocity 𝜔.
You may treat the air everywhere as an ideal gas of molecular weight 𝑀 at fixed temperature 𝑇 and you may
ignore the variation of density with altitude and surface tension of the fluid.

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ℎ

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(a) Find the pressure, 𝑃 𝑥 , of the air inside the horizontal tube which is at distance 𝑥 from the rotation axis.
Express your result up to second order in 𝜔.
(b) Find the height ℎ to which the fluid rises in the vertical tube to second order in 𝜔. Express your answer in
terms of 𝜌Y , 𝜌X , 𝐿 and 𝜔.

Solution:
Consider a vertical layer of the air of thickness 𝑑𝑥 at distance 𝑥 from the rotation axis, we have
𝑃 𝑥 + 𝑑𝑥 − 𝑃 𝑥 𝐴 = 𝐴𝑑𝑥𝜌(𝑥)𝜔8 𝑥
Treat air as an ideal gas,
𝑚 𝑚 𝑀
𝑃𝑉 = 𝑅𝑇 ⇒ 𝜌 = = 𝑃
𝑀 𝑉 𝑅𝑇
Hence
1 𝑑𝑃 𝑀𝜔8
= 𝑥
𝑃 𝑑𝑥 𝑅𝑇
ab ( ( (
⇒𝑃 𝑥 =𝑃 0 𝑒 8cd .
= 𝑃 0 𝑒 Y.
To determine the pressure at 𝑥 = 0, we have
(
𝜌 𝑥 = 𝜌(0) 𝑒 Y.
And the total mass of the air in the tube is
D D
𝑎
𝜌Y 𝑆𝐿 = 𝑆 1 + 𝑎𝑥 8 𝑑𝑥 = 𝜌 0 𝑆(𝐿 + 𝐿h )
𝜌 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ≈ 𝜌 0 𝑆
> > 3
𝑎 8
𝜌 0 ≈ 𝜌Y 1 − 𝐿
3
𝑅𝑇 𝑅𝑇 𝑎 8 Y. ( 𝑎 (
⇒𝑃 𝑥 = 𝜌 𝑥 = 𝜌Y 1 − 𝐿 𝑒 = 𝑃Y 1 − 𝐿8 𝑒 Y.
𝑀 𝑀 3 3
𝑎 8 8
𝑀 8
𝐿8
𝑃 𝑥 ≈ 𝑃Y 1 − 𝐿 1 + 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑃Y 1 + 𝑥 − 𝜔8
3 2𝑅𝑇 3

(b) Now consider the liquid in the thin vertical tube. For equilibrium, we have
𝑃Y = 𝑃> + 𝜌X 𝑔ℎ
𝑀𝑃Y 𝐿8 8
⇒ 𝜔 = 𝜌X 𝑔ℎ
6𝑅𝑇
𝐿8 𝑀𝑃Y 1 𝜔8 𝐿8 𝜌Y
⇒ℎ= =
6𝑔 𝑅𝑇 𝜌X 6𝑔 𝜌X
3. Consider a hot-air balloon with fixed volume 𝑉j = 1.1 𝑚h . The mass of the balloon-envelop, whose volume is
negligible in comparison with 𝑉j , is 𝑚k = 0.187 𝑘𝑔. The balloon is initially on the ground, where the external air
temperature is 𝑇? = 20 ∘ C and the external air pressure is 𝑝> = 1.013×10s Pa. Under these conditions, the density
of air is 𝜌? = 1.2 kg/m3 .

(a) Find the temperature 𝑇8 of the warmed air inside the balloon when the balloon starts to float?
(b) The balloon is first fasten to the ground with a rope and the internal air is heated to a steady-state temperature
𝑇h = 100∘ C. Calculate the tension of the rope.
(c) Now the balloon being tied up at the bottom such that the density of the internal air remains constant. With the
steady-state temperature 𝑇h = 100∘ 𝐶 of the internal air, the balloon rises in an isothermal atmosphere of 20∘ 𝐶 and
a ground pressure of 𝑃> = 1.013×10s Pa.
(ci) What is the density 𝜌 𝑧 of the external air at the height 𝑧 above the ground? Express your answer in terms of
𝜌? , 𝑃> , 𝑅 and 𝑔.
(cii) What height ℎ can be gained by the balloon under these conditions?
(An isothermal atmosphere is an idealized atmosphere in hydrostatic equilibrium in which the temperature is
constant with height.)
(d) In fact the temperature changes with altitude. It is described by a temperature lapse rate 𝐿 such that
𝑇(𝑧) = 𝑇? + 𝐿𝑧
where 𝑇? is the temperature on the ground and 𝑧 is the altitude (height) above the ground.
(di) What is the pressure 𝑃 𝑧 and the density 𝜌 𝑧 of the external air at the height 𝑧 above the ground? Express
your answers in terms of 𝑃> , 𝑇? , 𝐿, 𝑅, 𝑔 and the molar mass of the air 𝑀.
(dii) What height ℎ can be gained by the balloon in this case? Express your answers in terms of
𝑃> , 𝜌? , 𝑇? , 𝑇h , 𝑚k , 𝑉j , 𝐿, 𝑅, 𝑔 and the molar mass of the air 𝑀.

Solution:
(a) The total mass of the balloon, consisting of the mass of the envelop 𝑚k and the mass of the air at temperature
𝑇8 must equal the mass of the displaced air with temperature 𝑇? .
𝑉j 𝜌8 + 𝑚k = 𝑉j 𝜌? ⇒ 𝜌8 = 𝜌? − 𝑚k /𝑉j
Also, we have (at the same pressure)
𝜌? 𝑇8
=
𝜌8 𝑇?
𝜌?
⇒ 𝑇8 = 𝑇? = 341.53𝐾 = 68.38∘ 𝐶
𝜌8

(b) The tension of the rope is

𝐹 = 𝑉j 𝜌? 𝑔 − (𝑉j 𝜌h + 𝑚k )𝑔
Since 𝜌h 𝑇h = 𝜌? 𝑇? , we have
𝑇?
𝐹 = 𝑉j 𝜌? 𝑔 1 − − 𝑚k 𝑔 = 121 𝑁
𝑇h

(ci) For the isothermal atmosphere, the temperature is independent of height. Ideal gas law gives
𝑃(𝑧) 𝑃>
= 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡. =
𝜌(𝑧) 𝜌?
and the density of air 𝜌(𝑧) satisfies
𝑃 𝑧 + 𝑑𝑧 − 𝑃 𝑧 = −𝜌 𝑧 𝑔𝑑𝑧
𝑑𝑃 𝑃> 𝑑𝜌 𝑑𝜌 𝑔𝜌?
⇒ = −𝜌𝑔 ⇒ = −𝜌𝑔 ⇒ =− 𝜌
𝑑𝑧 𝜌? 𝑑𝑧 𝑑𝑧 𝑃>
‚ „
S ƒ ‡
⇒ 𝜌 𝑧 = 𝜌? 𝑒 …†

since 𝜌 0 = 𝜌? .
(cii) At the height ℎ, the mass of the balloon is balanced by the buoyancy,
𝜌 ℎ 𝑉j = 𝜌h 𝑉j + 𝑚k
 𝑚k
‚ „ˆ 𝜌h +
S ƒ 𝑉j
⇒ 𝑒 ‰† =
𝜌?
⇒ ℎ = 843 𝑚.
(di) Ideal law gives
𝜌𝑅𝑇
𝑃=
𝑀
where 𝑀 is the molar mass of the gas. Assuming that all pressure is in hydrostatic,
𝑀𝑔
𝑑𝑃 = −𝜌𝑔𝑑𝑧 = − 𝑃𝑑𝑧
𝑅𝑇
𝑑𝑃 𝑀𝑔 𝑑𝑧
⇒ =−
𝑃 𝑅 𝑇> + 𝐿𝑧
a„
𝑇? Dc
⇒ 𝑃(𝑧) = 𝑃>
𝑇? + 𝐿𝑧
a„ a„
G? G?
𝑀 𝑀𝑃> 𝑇? Dc 𝑇? Dc
⇒𝜌 𝑧 = 𝑃 𝑧 = = 𝜌?
𝑅𝑇 𝑅𝑇? 𝑇? + 𝐿𝑧 𝑇? + 𝐿𝑧
(dii)
𝑚k
𝜌 ℎ = 𝜌h +
𝑉j
a„
G?
𝑇? Dc 𝜌h 𝑚k
= +
𝑇? + 𝐿ℎ 𝜌? 𝑉j 𝜌?
? a„
Define = + 1, we have
Š Dc
𝑇? 𝜌h 𝑚k Š
= +
𝑇? + 𝐿ℎ 𝜌? 𝑉j 𝜌?
𝑇? 𝜌h 𝑚k SŠ
⇒ℎ= + −1
𝐿 𝜌? 𝑉j 𝜌?
𝑇? 𝑇? 𝑚k SŠ
⇒ℎ= + −1
𝐿 𝑇h 𝑉j 𝜌?

N.B. When 𝐿 ≪ 1,
1 𝑀𝑔 + 𝐿𝑅 𝑀𝑔
= ≈
𝛼 𝐿𝑅 𝐿𝑅
and
𝑇? 𝜌h 𝑚k 𝑇? 𝑅 𝜌h 𝑚k 𝑃> 𝜌h 𝑚k
ℎ≈
−𝛼 ln + =− ln + =− ln +
𝐿 𝜌? 𝑉j 𝜌? 𝑀𝑔 𝜌? 𝑉j 𝜌? 𝜌? 𝑔 𝜌? 𝑉j 𝜌?
𝐴nd we recover the result as in part (c).

4. Heat Exchange with Environment

A heater, with a power output 𝑃> = 400 𝑊, is placed into a container with a water-ice mixture at 𝜏 = 0 min. The
mixture is being vigorously stirred. The plot shows a mixture temperature 𝑇 versus time 𝜏. A heat exchange 𝑄 with
an environment is proportional to a temperature 𝛥𝑇 = 𝑇 − 𝑇> , where 𝑇> is the ambient temperature. Assume that
𝑇> = 0∘ C, so 𝑄 = 𝛼𝑇, where 𝛼 is a temperature independent factor. Using the plot of 𝑇(𝜏), determine:
(a) the initial mass 𝑚˜ of ice in the mixture;
(b) the net mass 𝑀 of the mixture;
(c) the factor 𝛼;
(d) the maximum power output 𝑃max of the heater, such that water would never boil;
(e) a time 𝜏? from the beginning of ice melting to the beginning of water boiling for the heater power output 𝑃? =
300 W.

The specific heat capacity of water is 𝑐œ = 4200 J/(kg ⋅ K); the latent heat of fusion of ice is 𝜆 = 3.2×10s J/kg.
 !,∘ $

Solution:
(a) The first horizontal segment of the plot corresponds to the period 𝜏> of ice fusion.
𝑚˜ 𝜆 = 𝑃> 𝜏> ⇒ 𝑚˜ = 0.15 kg
(b) The net mass of the mixture can be determined from the slope at 𝑇> = 0∘ 𝐶
𝑃>
𝑐œ 𝑀𝛥𝑇 = 𝑃> 𝛥𝜏 ⇒ 𝑀 =
𝑘? 𝑐œ
Hd ∘
The slop 𝑘? = ≈ 0.20 𝐶/𝑠, the mass is 𝑀 = 0.48 𝑘𝑔
H d=d†

(c) The factor 𝛼 can be determined from the slope 𝑘8 at 𝑇 = 𝑇? = 100∘ 𝐶,

𝑐œ 𝑀𝛥𝑡 = 𝑃> − 𝛼𝑇? 𝛥𝜏
Hd
where 𝑘8 = ≈ 0.10 𝐶 ⇒ 𝛼 = 2.0 𝑊/∘ 𝐶.
∘
H d=dƒ

(d)The maximum output at which water does not boil is determined by the condition:
𝑃¡Y. − 𝛼𝑇? = 0 ⇒ 𝑃¡Y. = 200 𝑊.

(e) To calculate the time of water temperature rising from 0∘ 𝐶 to 100∘ 𝐶, we have
𝑃 − 𝑄 𝑑𝜏 = 𝑃 − 𝛼𝑇 𝑑𝜏 = 𝑐¢ 𝑀𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝜏 𝑑𝑇
⇒ =
𝑐¢ 𝑀 𝑃 − 𝛼𝑇
𝑐œ 𝑀 𝑃
⇒𝜏= ln
𝛼 𝑃 − 𝛼𝑇
The total time from the beginning of ice melting to the boiling at 𝑃? = 300 𝑊 equals
𝜆𝑚˜ 𝑐œ 𝑀 𝑃?
𝜏*£* = + ln = 21 min
𝑃? 𝛼 𝑃? − 𝛼𝑇

5. Consider the steady flow of an ideal gas enter an insulated nozzle (噴嘴) under the frictionless condition. The
ideal gas at the inlet has pressure 𝑃? , velocity 𝑣? , mass density 𝜌? and cross-sectional area 𝐴? ; while the gas at the
outlet has pressure 𝑃8 , velocity 𝑣8 , mass density 𝜌8 and cross-sectional area 𝐴8 . It is given that the heat capacity
¦
ratio is 𝛾 = § .
¦¨
(a) Find the change of the kinetic energy per unit mass of the ideal gas between the outlet and the inlet. Express the
answer in terms of 𝛾, 𝑃? , 𝑃8 , 𝜌? .
The Bernoulli’s equation of the incompressible fluid at constant temperature is given by
1 1
𝑃? + 𝜌? 𝑣?8 + 𝜌? 𝑔ℎ = 𝑃8 + 𝜌8 𝑣88 + 𝜌8 𝑔ℎ
2 2
In this problem, the temperature and density of the ideal gas are varied and the Bernoulli’s equation should be
modified.
©ƒ
(b) Assuming that the velocity ratio ≪ 1, and the gas pressure 𝑃8 at the outlet can be tuned. Find the outlet
©(
pressure 𝑃8¦ such that the mass of the ideal gas passes through the nozzle per unit time becomes maximum.

(c) If the inlet of the nozzle is connected to a combustion chamber of a rocket. Find the thrust acting on the rocket
due to the exhaust gas through the nozzle. Express the answer in terms of 𝛾, 𝑃? , 𝑃8 , 𝐴8 .

!" , $" , %" !& , $& , %&

'" '&
cross
cross
section 2
section 1

Solution:
(a) Ideal gas law gives
𝑃 𝑅𝑇
=
𝜌 𝑀
where 𝑀 is the molar mass of the gas. We have
𝑃? 𝑃8 𝑅
− = 𝑇 − 𝑇8
𝜌? 𝜌8 𝑀 ?
Let 𝑢? , 𝑢8 be the internal energies per unit mass of the gas. Under the isolated condition, the energy-work theorem
gives
𝑃? 𝑃8 1
𝑚 − = 𝑃? 𝑉? − 𝑃8 𝑉8 = 𝑚(𝑢8 − 𝑢? ) + 𝑚(𝑣88 − 𝑣?8 )
𝜌? 𝜌8 2
By the 1st law, the change of internal energy during an adiabatic compression is
1 𝑃8 𝑃?
𝑢8 − 𝑢? = 𝐶ª 𝑇8 − 𝑇? = −
𝛾 − 1 𝜌8 𝜌?
1 𝑃? 𝑃8 𝛾 𝑃? 𝑃8
⇒ 𝑣88 − 𝑣?8 = − − 𝑢8 − 𝑢? = −
2 𝜌? 𝜌8 𝛾 − 1 𝜌? 𝜌8
During the adiabatic process, we have
𝑃8 𝜌8 «
=
𝑃? 𝜌?
We get the final result
«S?
1 8 𝛾 𝑃? 𝑃8 «
𝑣8 − 𝑣?8 = 1−
2 𝛾 − 1 𝜌? 𝑃?
(b) The mass of gas pass through the outlet per unit time is
𝑚 = 𝜌8 𝐴8 𝑣8
©
If ƒ ≪ 1, we have
©(
 «S?
2𝛾 𝑃? 𝑃8 «
𝑣8 ≈ 1−
𝛾 − 1 𝜌? 𝑃?

and
«S? «S?
8 8/«
2𝛾 𝜌8 𝑃8 « 2𝛾 𝑃8 𝑃8 «
𝑚 = 𝐴8 𝑃? 𝜌? 1− = 𝐴8 𝑃? 𝜌? 1−
𝛾−1 𝜌? 𝑃? 𝛾−1 𝑃? 𝑃?

For max. mass 𝑚, we have

8 «S? 8 «G?
𝑑 𝑃8 « 𝑃8 « 𝑑 𝑃8 « 𝑃8 «
1− = −
𝑑𝑃8 𝑃? 𝑃? 𝑑𝑃8 𝑃? 𝑃?
8 ?
S?
2 𝑃8 « 𝛾 + 1 𝑃8 «
⇒ − =0
𝛾 𝑃? 𝛾 𝑃?
«
𝑃8¦ 2 «S?
⇒ =
𝑃? 𝛾+1

(c) The thrust given by the exhaust gas is (𝑚 is the mass of the exhaust gas per uint time)
«S? ?
2𝛾 𝜌8 𝑃8 « 2𝛾 𝑃8 « 𝑃8
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑣8 = 𝜌8 𝐴8 𝑣88 = 𝐴8 𝑃? 1− = 𝐴8 𝑃 −
𝛾−1 𝜌? 𝑃? 𝛾−1 ? 𝑃? 𝑃?
«S?
2𝛾 𝑃? «
= 𝐴8 𝑃 −1
𝛾−1 8 𝑃8