Theory of relativity

1. A certain process requires 10−6 sec to occur in an atom at rest in laboratory. How
much time will this process require to an observer in the laboratory, when the atom is
moving with a speed of 5 × 107 m/s.
Soln :

∆t0 = 10−6 Sec, v = 5 × 107 m/s, ∆t =?

We have,

∆t0
∆t = q
2
1 − vc2

∆t = 1.01 × 10−6 Sec

2. A rod has length 100 cm. When the rod is in a satellite moving with a velocity that
is one half of the velocity of light relative to laboratory. What is the length of the rod as
determined by an observer in the laboratory.
Soln :

l0 = 100cm, v = 0.5c, l =?
We have, r
v2
l = l0 1−
c2

l = 86.6cm

3. A beam of particles travels at a speed of 0.9C. At this speed, the mean life time
as measured in the laboratory frame is 5 × 10−6 sec. What is the proper life time of the
particle?
Soln :

∆t = 5 × 10−6 Sec, v = 0.9c, ∆t0 =?

We have,

∆t0
∆t = q
2
1 − vc2
r
0 v2
∆t = ∆t 1 − 2
c

∆t0 = 2.18 × 10−6 Sec

4. How fast must an unstable particle move to travel 20m before it decays. The mean
life time at rest is 2.6 × 10−8 sec.

1
 Soln :

∆t0 = 2.6 × 10−8 Sec, x = 20m, v =?

We have,

∆t0 2.6 × 10−8

∆t = q = q − − − (1)
2 2
1 − vc2 1 − vc2
and

x = v∆t
or
x 20
∆t = = − − − (2)
v v
Compare equation (1) and (2),

20 2.6 × 10−8
= q
v 2
1 − vc2
Squaring and simplifying,

v = 2.8 × 108 m/s

5. What is the velocity of π-mesons, its proper mean life is 2.5×10−8 sec. The measured
life time of π-mesons is 2.7 × 10−8 sec.
Soln :

∆t = 2.5 × 10−7 Sec, ∆t0 = 2.5 × 10−8 Sec, v =?

We have,

∆t0
∆t = q
2
1 − vc2

2.5 × 10−8
2.5 × 10−7 = q
2
1 − vc2

2.5 × 10−7 1
−8
=q
2.5 × 10 1− v2
c2

1
10 = q
v2
1− c2

Squaring on both side, we get

v = 0.99c

2
 6. Two particles came towards each other with speed 0.8C with respect to laboratory.
What is their relative speed?
Soln :

u0 = v = 0.8c, u =?
We have,

u0 + v
u= 0
1 + uc2v

u = 0.975c

7. The rest mass of an electron is 9.1 × 10−31 Kg. What will be its mass, if it moving
with (4/5)th the speed of light.
Soln :

m0 = 9.1 × 10−31 kg, v = (4/5)th c, m =?

We have,
m0
m= q
v2
1− c2

m = 15.16 × 10−31 kg

8. At what speed the mass of an object will be double of its value at rest?
Soln :

m = 2m0 , v =?
We have,
m0
m= q
v2
1− c2

Squaring on both side, we get

v = 2.6 × 108 m/s

3
 Modern Physics
1. Find the change in wavelength of the scattered X-ray photon, when it is scattered
through an angle of 60◦ by a free electron.
Soln :

θ = 60◦ , ∆λ =?
We know, Compton shift,,

h
∆λ = λ0 − λ = (1 − cosθ)
mo c

6.63 × 10−34
∆λ = (1 − cos 60◦ )
9.11 × 10−31 × 3 × 108

∴ ∆λ = 0.01213 × 10−10 m

2. Compute the deBroglie wavelength for a neutron moving with one tenth part of the
velocity of light, given, mass of the neutron = 1.674 × 10−27 kg.
Soln :

1
V elocity of neutron v = c = 3×107 m/s, M ass of the neutron mn = 1.674×10−27 kg
10
The equation for de Broglie wavelength is given by,

h h
λ= =
p mn v

6.63 × 10−34
λ=
1.674 × 10−27 × 3 × 107

∴ λ = 1.314 × 10−14 m

3. A particle of mass 0.5M eV /c2 has kinetic energy of 100eV . Find its de Broglie
wavelength, where c is the velocity of light.
Soln :

0.5 × 106 × 1.6 × 10−19

m = 0.5 M eV /c2 = = 8.89 × 10−31 kg
(3 × 108 )2

Kinetic Energy, KE = E = 100eV = 100 × 1.6 × 10−19 J = 1.6 × 10−17 J

The equation for de Broglie wavelength is given by,

h h
λ= =√
p 2mE

1
 6.63 × 10−34
λ= √
2 × 8.89 × 10−31 × 1.6 × 10−17

∴ λ = 1.24 × 10−10 m.

4. If an electron has a de Broglie wavelength of 2 nm, find its kinetic energy and group
velocity, given that it has a rest mass energy of 511 keV .
Soln :
deBroglie wavelength of electron, λ = 2 nm = 2 × 10−9 m
Rest mass energy of electron, E = 511 keV = 511 × 103 × 1.6 × 10−19 = 8.176 × 10−14 J
Kinetic Energy of the electron, Ek =?
Group velocity of the electron, vg =?
We have the Einstein Mass-Energy relation, E = mc2

E 8.176 × 10−14
∴ m= = = 9.1 × 10−31 kg.
c2 (3 × 108 )2
p2 h2
 
h h
∴ KE = = ∵ λ = ⇒ p =
2m 2mλ2 p λ

6.63 × 10−34
KE =
2 × 9.1 × 10−31 × (2 × 10−9 )2

KE = 6.038 × 10−20 J.

1
∴ mv 2 = 6.038 × 10−20
2

2 × 6.038 × 10−20 2 × 6.038 × 10−20

v2 = = = 1.327 × 1011
m 9.1 × 10−31
p
v = 1.327 × 1011 = 3.64 × 105 m/s.
Here, v is the particle velocity. But, since the particle velocity is same as group velocity,

vg = 3.64 × 105 m/s.

5. Calculate the de Broglie wavelength of a proton whose kinetic energy is equal to rest
mass energy of the electron. Mass of proton is 1836 times that of electron
Soln :
KE of proton = Rest mass energy of electron
Mass of proton mp = 1836× Mass of electron
deBroglie wavelength of proton, λ =?

2
 If m0 is the rest mass of electron, then following Einstein’s mass energy relation,
Rest energy of the electron, E = m0 c2

2
E = 9.11 × 10−31 × (3 × 108 )

E = 8.2 × 10−14 J
From given data we have, mass of the proton, mp = 1836 × me . Therefore,

mp = 1836 × 9.1 × 10−31 = 1.6726 × 10−27 kg.

Also by data,
KE of the proton = Rest energy of electron
If v is the velocity of proton, then the above equation becomes
1
mp v 2 = E
2
s
2E
v=
mp
Therefore, de Broglie wavelength of the proton is,

h h h
λ= = q =p
mp v mp m2E 2mp E
p

6.63 × 10−34
λ= √
2 × 1.6726 × 10−27 8.2 × 10−12

λ = 4 × 10−14 m.

6. Compare the energy of a photon with that of a neutron when both are associated
with wavelength of 1 Å. Given that the mass of the neutron is 1.678 × 10−27 kg
Soln :
Wavelength of the photon = wavelength of the neutron = λp = λn = 1 Å
Ep
Comparison of energy of photon with that of neutron, i.e., En

Energy of the photon is given by,

hc 6.63 × 10−34 × 3 × 108

Ep = hν = = = 19.89 × 10−16 J − − − (a)
λp 1 × 10−10
We have the equation for de Broglie wavelength as,

h h
λn = =√
p 2mEn

3
 2
h2 (6.63 × 10−34 ) −20
En =
2mn λ2
=
−27 −10 2 = 1.31 × 10 J − − − (b)
2 × 1.678 × 10 × (1 × 10 )
Ep 19.89×10−16
From (a) and (b), En = 1.31×10−20
= 1.518 × 105

Ep = 1.518 × 105 En

7. Compare the energy of a photon with that of an electron when both are associated
with wavelength of 0.2 nm. Given that the mass of an electron is 9.11 × 10−31 kg.
Wavelength of the photon = wavelength of an electron = λp = λe = 0.2 nm = 0.2 ×
10−9 m
Mass of the electron, me = 9.11 × 10−31 kg.
Ep
Comparison of energy of photon with that of an electron, i.e., Ee

Energy of the photon is given by,

hc 6.63 × 10−34 × 3 × 108

Ep = hν = = = 9.945 × 10−16 J − − − (a)
λp 0.2 × 10−9
We have the equation for de Broglie wavelength as,

h h
λe = =√
p 2mEe
2
h2 (6.63 × 10−34 ) −18
Ee = 2 =
−31 −9 2 = 6.03 × 10 J − − − (b)
2me λe 2 × 9.11 × 10 × (0.2 × 10 )

Ep 9.945×10−16
From (a) and (b), Ee = 6.03×10−18
= 164.9

Ep = 164.9 Ee

8. A particle of mass 0.65 M eV /c2 has a kinetic energy of 80 eV . Find the de Broglie
wavelength, group velocity and phase velocity of the de Broglie wave.
Soln :
0.65×106 ×1.6×10−19
Mass of the particle m = 0.65M eV /c2 = (3×108 )2
= 1.15 × 10−30 kg

Kinetic Energy E = 80 eV = 80 × 1.6 × 10−19 = 1.28 × 10−17 J

To find: de Broglie wavelength λ =?, Group Velocity, vg =? and Phase Velocity, vp =?
The equation for de Broglie wavelength is given by,

h h
λ= =√
p 2mE
6.63 × 10−34
λ= √
2 × 1.15 × 10−30 × 1.28 × 10−17

4
 ∴ λ = 1.22 × 10−10 m.
We have from data given, Kinetic Energy, E = 21 mv 2 = 1.28 × 10−17 J
1
∴ mv 2 = 1.28 × 10−17
2

2 × 1.28 × 10−17 2 × 1.28 × 10−17

v2 = = = 2.22 × 1013
m 1.15 × 10−30
p
v = 2.22 × 1013 = 4.7 × 106 m/s.
Here, v is the particle velocity. But, since the particle velocity is same as group velocity,

vg = 4.7 × 106 m/s.

We have the relation between phase velocity, group velocity and velocity of light as,

c2
vp =
vg
2
(3 × 108 )
∴ vp =
4.7 × 106

vp = 1.91 × 1010 ms−1

9. The position and momentum of 1keV electrons are simultaneously determined and if
its position is located within 0.1nm, what is the percentage of uncertainty in its momentum?
Soln :
Energy of the electron, E = 1keV = 1 × 103 × 1.6 × 10−19 = 1.6 × 10−16 J.
Uncertainty in the measurement of position, ∆x = 0.1nm = 0.1 × 10−9 m.
∆p
To find: Percentage of uncertainty in the momentum, i.e., p × 100 =?
We have by Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle,

h
∆x.∆p >
4π
h
∴ ∆p =
4π∆x

6.63 × 10−34
∆p =
4π × 0.1 × 10−9

∆p = 5.27 × 10−25 kgm/s.

√
Also, we have equation for momentum p as, p = 2mE
p
p = 2 × 9.1 × 10−31 × 1.6 × 10−16

5
 p = 1.7 × 10−23 kgm/s.
Further,

∆p 5.27 × 10−25
= = 0.031
p 1.7 × 10−23
Therefore the percentage of uncertainty in its momentum is,

∆p
× 100 = 3.1
p

10. The average time that an atom retains excess excitation energy before re-emitting
it in the form of electromagnetic radiation is 10−8 s. Calculate the limit of accuracy with
which the excitation energy of the emitted radiation.
Soln :
Uncertainty in the measurement of time, ∆t = 10−8 s
Maximum accuracy with which the excitation energy of radiation, i.e., ∆E =?
According to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle,

h
∆E.∆t >
4π

h 6.63 × 10−34
∴ ∆E = = = 5.28 × 10−27 J.
4π∆t 4π × 10−8

5.28 × 10−27
∆E = eV = 3.295 × 10−8 eV
1.6 × 1019

11. An electron has a speed of 4.8 × 105 ms−1 accurate to 0.012%. With what accuracy
can be located the position of the electron.
Soln :
Velocity of the electron, v = 4.8 × 105 ms−1 .
Accuracy in the measurement of velocity, ∆v = 0.012% of v
0.012
∴ ∆v = × 4.8 × 105 = 57.6 ms−1
100

∴ ∆p = m × ∆v = 9.1 × 10−31 × 57.6 = 5.24 × 10−29 kgm/s.

To find: Uncertainty in the measurement of position, i.e., ∆x =?
We have by Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle,

h
∆x.∆p >
4π

6
 h 6.63 × 10−34
∴ ∆x = = = 1 × 10−6 m.
4π∆p 4π × 5.24 × 10−29

12. X-rays with wavelength 1Å are scattered from Carbon black. The scattered radiation
is viewed at 90◦ to the incident beam. i) What is the Compton shift? and ii) How much
KE is imparted to the recoiling electron?
Soln :

λ = 1Å = 1 × 10−10 , θ = 90◦ , ∆λ =? and KE =?

We know, Compton shift,

h
∆λ = λ0 − λ = (1 − cosθ)
mo c

6.63 × 10−34
∆λ = (1 − cos90◦ )
9.11 × 10−31 × 3 × 108

∆λ = 2.426 × 10−12 m
KE imparted to the recoiling electron = Energy lost by the photon
c  
0 0 c 1 1
KE = hν − hν = h(ν − ν ) = h − = hc −
λ λ0 λ λ0
where, λ0 wavelength of the scattered X-ray. Therefore,
λ0 = λ + ∆λ = 1 × 10−10 + 2.426 × 10−12 m
Therefore, KE of the recoiled electron
 
−34 8 1 1
KE = 6.63 × 10 × 3 × 10 −10
− −10
10 10 + 2.426 × 10−12

= 1.989 × 10−25 2.3685 × 10−8

 

KE = 4.71 × 10−17 J