Downloaded From : http://cbseportal.

com/

Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Physics (IOQP) 2020-2021

conducted jointly by
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE-TIFR)
and
Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT)

Part II: Indian National Physics Olympiad (INPhO)

Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE-TIFR)

Date: 07 February 2021

Time: 10:15-12:15 (2 hours) Maximum Marks: 50
Instructions

1. This booklet consists of 4 pages and total of 5 questions. Write roll number at the top wherever
asked.

2. Booklet to write the answers is provided separately. Instructions to write the answers are on the
Answer Booklet.

3. Marks will be awarded on the basis of what you write on both the Summary Answer Sheet and
the Detailed Answer Sheets in the Answer Booklet. Simple short answers and plots may be
directly entered in the Summary Answer Sheet. Marks may be deducted for absence of detailed
work in questions involving longer calculations.

4. Strike out any rough work that you do not want to be considered for evaluation. You may also
use the space on the Question Paper for rough work – this will NOT be evaluated.

5. Non-programmable scientific calculators are allowed. Mobile phones cannot be used as calcula-
tors.

6. Last page of the question paper can be used for rough work.

7. Please submit the Answer Booklet at the end of the examination. You may retain the
Question Paper.

Table of Constants
Speed of light in vacuum c 3.00 × 108 m·s−1
Planck’s constant h 6.63 × 10−34 J·s
Magnitude of electron charge e 1.60 × 10−19 C
Rest mass of electron me 9.11 × 10−31 kg
Value of 1/4πϵ0 9.00 × 109 N·m2 ·C−2
Acceleration due to gravity g 9.81 m·s−2

Downloaded From : http://cbseportal.com/ Courtesy : CBSE

 Page 2
Downloaded Code Questions
From65: http://cbseportal.com/Last six digits of Roll No.:

1. The ammeter-voltmeter method is widely used for measuring electrical resistances in the physics
laboratory. In this method, the resistance R is always derived from the readings V and I from a
voltmeter and an ammeter respectively, using Ohm’s law: R = V /I. While using this method, it
is assumed that the ammeter and voltmeter used in the setup are ideal. In this problem, we will
find the pitfalls of this assumption and devise a new setup with a better performance.
The standard ammeter-voltmeter setup consists of a DC voltage source (ε) maintained at a con-
stant voltage, a protection resistance (Rp ), an ammeter (A), and a voltmeter (V). The unknown in-
ternal resistances of the ammeter and the voltmeter are RA and RV , respectively. Also, RV ≫ RA .
We aim to measure the true value R of an unknown resistor.

We consider a two commonly used circuit configurations (1) and (2)

indicated by the two possible positions of the switch in the circuit
diagram shown below. Let the measured values of the resistance
R be Rm1 and Rm2 in the setups (1) and (2), respectively. The
relative error, ∆, is defined as the ratio of the absolute error of the
measurement to the actual value: ∆ = (Rm − R)/R.

(a) [2 marks] Obtain the relative errors in the measurements (∆1 and ∆2 ) for each of the above
configurations.
(b) [4 marks] Using exactly the same circuit elements, can you suggest a step by step procedure,
with the necessary circuit diagram(s), to measure the true value of the resistance R, regardless
of the values of the internal resistances of the ammeter and the voltmeter? You may use the
measurements made in part (a).

2. [8 marks] Prof. Saha gave the following problem to four students.

In this problem work done by a system on its surroundings is taken as positive. A non-ideal gas
follows the Van der Waals equation of state
( )
n2 a
P + 2 (V − nb) = nRT
V

where P , V , and T denote the pressure, volume, and temperature, respectively; n is the number of
moles; R is the universal gas constant and a, b are dimensional positive constants. This gas expands
adiabatically from an initial temperature Ti and volume Vi to a final temperature Tf and volume
Vf . The adiabatic process is described by an equation of the form f (P, V ; n, a, b, α) = constant,
where α is a dimensionless number which is greater than 1. It is given that α → γ in the ideal gas
limit, where γ is the adiabatic exponent. What is the work (W ) done by the gas in the process?
The four students solved the problem independently and gave four different answers. Their answers
were:
nR
nR
(Ti − Tf ) + n2 a(Vf−1 − Vi−1 ) (c) W = (Ti − Tf ) + n2 a(Vfα−1 − Viα−1 )
(a) W = α − 1 [
α−1 ( )α−1 ]
nR nR V − nb
(Tf − Ti ) + n2 a(Vf−1 − Vi−1 )
f
(b) W = (d) W = (Ti − Tf ) 1 −
α−1 α−1 Vi − nb

Now, Prof. Saha had actually provided the exact expression of f (P, V ; n, a, b, α) to the students,
but could not remember it during evaluation. Still, he could determine that some or all of the
four answers above must be incorrect, based on general physical arguments alone.
Consider each of the four answers and give at least one reason for each of them showing why it is
wrong, or possibly correct. Note that you are not required to give a correct expression for W or a
detailed derivation for it in this question.

Downloaded From : http://cbseportal.com/ Courtesy : CBSE

 Page 3FromCode
Downloaded 65 Questions
: http://cbseportal.com/
3. Consider an electron (mass m, magnitude of charge e) moving initially around a nucleus of charge
2e in a circular orbit of radius 10−10 m. In this problem we use SI units throughout and neglect
all relativistic effects.
(a) [2 marks] Obtain the expression for the frequency, f , of the electron in the circular orbit
(numerical value is not required).
From classical electrodynamics, we know that an accelerated electron radiates energy. The expres-
sion for the power P of this radiation is given by
P = Kϵw x y z
0e a c
where a is the acceleration, c is the speed of light, ϵ0 is the permittivity of free space, and K is a
dimensionless constant.
(b) [2 marks] Obtain {w, x, y, z} using dimensional analysis.
Due to the loss of energy through radiation, the electron does not remain in the circular orbit,
and gradually spirals into the nucleus. Take the constant K to be 5.31 × 10−2 .
(c) [5 marks] Let T be the time it takes for the electron to reach the nucleus. Calculate T if
the radius of the nucleus is 10−14 m.

4. [12 marks] Three thin convex lenses L1 , L2 , and L3 with focal lengths f1 , f2 , and f3 , respectively,
are arranged in order (L1 followed by L2 , followed by L3 from left to right) with their principal
axes coincident. The distance d12 between L1 and L2 , and the distance d23 between L2 and L3 are
such that d12 + d23 ≥ f1 + 4f2 + f3 . If a parallel beam of light incident on L1 at a small angle to
the principal axis remains parallel to itself when leaving the system after passing through L2 and
L3 , draw the appropriate ray diagram and determine d12 and d23 in terms of f1 , f2 , and f3 .

5. Two friends, Amina (A) and Beena (B), are sitting at diametrically opposite points of a merry-
go-round (taken as a circular disk in the horizontal plane) of radius R that is rotating at constant
angular speed ω in the anticlockwise direction, when viewed from the top (see figure below).
D
When Amina is at the position A (as shown in the figure), C
ω
she throws a ball with velocity ⃗u (relative to the merry-
go-round) in such a manner that Beena catches it when
she reaches the position C (∠BAC = α). Here ⃗u makes 90◦
α
an angle θ with respect to the horizontal, and ϕ is the A B
R O
angle made by the horizontal projection of ⃗u with respect
to the line AB. Neglect air resistance, friction, and the
effect of throwing or catching the ball on the speed of
the merry-go-round.
Top view
(a) [6 marks] Determine u, θ and ϕ, in terms of R, ω, α, and other relevant quantities.
(b) [3 marks] If Amina throws the ball with ϕ = 60°, and appropriate values of θ and u such
that Beena can catch it, what is the magnitude of the displacement, s, of the ball when it is
caught by Beena? For this part only, take R = 1.5 m, and it is enough to state your answer
within a range of 0.5 m.
(c) [0.5 marks] Determine the speed of throwing uD if Beena catches the ball at the point D
(∠BOD = 90◦ ), instead of C.
(d) [3 marks] What should be the angular speed ωm of the merry-go-round for which the speed
of throwing uD will be minimum for Beena to catch the ball at the position D? What is this
minimum speed of throwing um ?
(e) [2.5 marks] Consider the case when Amina throws the ball when she is at A, and catches it
herself when she reaches the point B (Beena
√ is not involved in this case). Take the angular
speed of the merry-go-round to be ω = g/R. Find u, θ and ϕ in this case.
**** END OF THE QUESTION PAPER ****

Downloaded From : http://cbseportal.com/ Courtesy : CBSE

 Page 4
Downloaded Code Questions
From65: http://cbseportal.com/Last six digits of Roll No.:

Space for rough work — will NOT be submitted for evaluation

Downloaded From : http://cbseportal.com/ Courtesy : CBSE