ADVANCED PHYSICS & MATHEMATICS
Tutorial 03: Statics, Rotational Equilibrium, Hydrostatics & Optics
Time Allowed: 2 Hours | Total Marks: 100
Instructions to Candidates: Take the acceleration due to gravity, g = 10 m s−2. Density of pure water = 1000 kg
m−3. The speed of light in a vacuum/air can be assumed to be 3 × 108 m s−1.
01. A perfectly uniform rigid beam of total longitudinal length 4 m and total mass 15 kg is balanced horizontally
on a knife-edge pivot placed exactly at its geometric center. A discrete point mass of 10 kg is positioned on the
beam at a distance of 1.2 m to the left of the pivot. Determine the exact spatial position relative to the pivot
where a second point mass of 6 kg must be placed to maintain static horizontal equilibrium.
02. A solid cubical block of wood with a uniform edge length of 0.1 m floats freely in a container of pure water
such that exactly 60% of its total volumetric bulk remains submerged beneath the water surface. Calculate the
structural density of this wooden block.
03. A vertical cylindrical storage tank featuring a flat circular baseline area of 0.05 m2 is filled completely with a
specific industrial oil of uniform density 850 kg m3 to a vertical depth of 1.5 m. Calculate:
a. The hydrostatic fluid pressure exerted exclusively by the oil column at the bottom surface of the tank.
b. The absolute magnitude of the total normal force exerted by the fluid fluid column onto the container
baseline.
04. A monochromatic ray of light traveling through air impinges upon the smooth, planar boundary surface of a
dense glass block at an incident angle of 45°. Given that the absolute refractive index of this glass medium is
exactly 1.5, calculate the precise angle of refraction formed inside the glass medium.
05. The critical threshold angle for total internal reflection within a specific transparent optical polymer in contact
with the atmosphere is determined to be 42°. Evaluate the absolute refractive index of this polymer material.
06. A narrow beam of light transfers from air into an unknown liquid medium at an angle of incidence of 35°,
resulting in a refracted internal beam angle of 24° relative to the surface normal. Determine the phase velocity
of light propagation as it moves inside this liquid medium.
07. A uniform ladder of mass 20 kg and total length 6 m rests securely against a perfectly smooth, frictionless
vertical wall, with its lower base positioned on a rough horizontal floor. The ladder is inclined at a stable angle
of 60° relative to the horizontal floor. Compute the exact magnitude of the normal reaction force exerted by
the smooth vertical wall onto the top of the ladder.
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08. A solid homogeneous metallic sphere has a mass of 2 kg and a materials density of 8000 kg m−3. If the sphere
is suspended and lowered until it is completely submerged within an oil liquid of density 1200 kg m−3,
compute the total magnitude of the upward buoyant force acting on the sphere.
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