2nd Singapore Physics League

Date: 11 June 2022

Website: [Link]
Email: contact@[Link]

Singapore Physics League (SPhL) is strongly supported by the Institute of Physics Singapore (IPS)
and the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE), and is sponsored by Micron.
SPhL 2022 Organising Team:
Christopher Ong Xianbo Brian Siew Jiang Yi Shaun Quek Jia Zhi
Chief Organiser, Problem Setter Chief Editor, Problem Setter Web Developer, Problem Setter
[Link]@[Link] [Link]@[Link] [Link]@[Link]

Ariana Goh Galen Lee Qixiu Luo Zeyuan

Problem Setter Problem Setter Problem Setter
[Link]@[Link] [Link]@[Link] [Link]@[Link]

Paul Seow Jian Hao Tian Shuhao

Problem Setter Problem Setter
[Link]@[Link] [Link]@[Link]

Theodore Lee Chong Jen Man Juncheng

System Engineer Graphic Designer
[Link]@[Link] [Link]@[Link]
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Document version: 1.0 (Last modified: June 28, 2022)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 1: Pulley Pull (2 points)

A block is connected to a light inextensible string that loops over a massless pulley
and is pulled by weight W . As a result, the block travels with acceleration a.
Now, instead of pulling on the string with weight W , we directly exert downward force
F on the string. For the block to travel with the same acceleration a, how must F
and W compare?

(1) F = W
(2) F > W
(3) F < W

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem A: No Speeding! (3 points)

Note: These alphabet problems are additional problems for SPhL (Junior) teams only.
In contrast, numbered problems are for both SPhL (Junior) and SPhL (Senior) teams.
Along a stretch of road of length L = 1.2 km, a maximum speed limit of vs = 100 km h−1
is imposed. Cars must strictly adhere to this at every point along their journey.
To enforce this, two speed sensors are installed, one at the start of the road and one
at the end, each measuring the instantaneous speeds of cars passing by. But does this
really help? Even if a car registers speeds lower than vs at both sensors, we can only
conclude that it was travelling within the speed limit at the start and end of the road.
We still wouldn’t know whether the car complied with the speed limit across its entire
journey.
In view of this, clever engineers decided to reconfigure the sensors to now measure
the time interval T between a car passing the first sensor and the same car passing
the second sensor. If T < Ts , we can be absolutely sure that the car must have been
speeding. Find the maximum value of Ts .
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of s.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem B: Airdrop (3 points)

Note: These alphabet problems are additional problems for SPhL (Junior) teams only.
In contrast, numbered problems are for both SPhL (Junior) and SPhL (Senior) teams.
Two identical crates are each loaded with different masses and sealed. When the loaded
crates are dropped separately from positions high above the ground, the heavier crate
reaches terminal velocity U = 8.0 m s−1 , while the lighter crate reaches terminal
velocity u = 2.0 m s−1 .
The two crates are now joined together by a light rope and, with the heavier crate
dangling by the rope below the lighter one, are dropped once more from a position
high above the ground. What is the new terminal velocity of the joined crates?
Assume the air drag to be linear, and the length of the rope to be much greater than
the size of the crates.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem C: Messing with Springs

Note: These alphabet problems are additional problems for SPhL (Junior) teams only.
In contrast, numbered problems are for both SPhL (Junior) and SPhL (Senior) teams.
Two ideal light springs have the same unstretched length L = 10.0 cm, but different
spring constants k1 = 40 N cm−1 and k2 = 80 N cm−1 .
(a) Each spring is stretched by the same distance of x = 3.0 cm. Find the ratio
E1 /E2 of the energy stored in each spring.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures. (2 points)
(b) Each spring is now stretched with the same force of F = 100 N. Find the ratio
E1 /E2 of the energy stored in each spring.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures. (2 points)
(c) Each spring is now stretched to store the same energy of E = 50 J. Find the
ratio x1 /x2 of the extension of each spring.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures. (2 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem D: A Simple Pulley

Note: These alphabet problems are additional problems for SPhL (Junior) teams only.
In contrast, numbered problems are for both SPhL (Junior) and SPhL (Senior) teams.
Two point masses, m1 = 1.0 kg and m2 = 2.0 kg, are attached to the ends of a light
inextensible string that is threaded over a light frictionless pulley.

(a) Find the upward acceleration a of mass m1 .

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−2 . (2 points)
In the remaining parts, consider the combined system of the two point masses and the
string that connects them, as drawn below.

(b) Find the downward acceleration aCM of the centre of mass of this system.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−2 . (2 points)
(c) By considering the external forces acting on this system, along with your answer
in (b), find the net contact force N exerted on the string by the pulley.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of N. (2 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem E: Conical Flask

Note: These alphabet problems are additional problems for SPhL (Junior) teams only.
In contrast, numbered problems are for both SPhL (Junior) and SPhL (Senior) teams.
A conical flask has the shape of a perfect cone with radius R = 10.0 cm and height
H = 15.0 cm, except that there is a small opening (of negligible size) at the top.
Water is poured into the flask to a depth of h = 5.0 cm.

(a) Find the weight W of the water.

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of N. (2 points)
The water experiences contact forces, both from the circular base of the conical flask,
as well as from the side walls of the conical flask.
(b) Find the net contact force Fb exerted by the circular base of the conical flask on
the water.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of N. (2 points)
(c) Find the net contact force Fs exerted by the side walls of the conical flask on
the water.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of N. (2 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 2: Freefall Photography (3 points)

A ball that is initially at height h above the ground is released from rest. Between
its time of release and its time of landing, a camera is calibrated to capture one
photograph of the ball at a random time. Find the probability that in the captured
photograph, the height of the ball above the ground is smaller than h/2.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.
Your answer should range between 0 and 1.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 3: Springs in Parallel

Two ideal light springs have the same unstretched length, but different spring constants
k1 = 30 N m−1 and k2 = 50 N m−1 . The springs are vertical, with their bottom ends
fixed onto a horizontal table, and their top ends respectively attached to the left and
right ends of a horizontal board of length L = 1.00 m and uniform density, as shown
below. Neglect gravity.

A vertical force F is now applied on the board, causing the board to have displacement
y at equilibrium. Textbooks commonly claim that:

F = keff y, where keff = k1 + k2

However, this will only be true under certain conditions. In particular, force F must
be applied at a specific point X on the board for this relation to be valid.
(a) Point X must be to the of the centre of the board. (1 point)
(1) left (2) right

(b) What must the horizontal distance x between the centre of the board and point
X be?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m. (3 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 4: Dice Roll (3 points)

A uniform cube rests on a surface that is initially horizontal. We slowly increase the
angle of the surface from the horizontal, keeping the cube’s bottom face parallel to
the surface. At some point, the cube starts moving relative to the surface. When that
happens, we see that the cube rolls down rather than slides down the surface.
Find the minimum coefficient of static friction µ between the cube and the surface.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 5: Parabolic Fall (3 points)

A spherical ball of radius r = 0.04 m rests exactly on the rightmost end of a horizontal
platform. The ball is given a quick push that causes it to instantaneously acquire speed
u towards the right. The subsequent trajectory of the ball’s falling motion traces a
perfect parabola if and only if u > umin . Find umin . Neglect friction and air resistance.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 6: Twisted Stick (4 points)

A stick is placed in a transparent rectangular container, and fixed at angle θ = 25◦ from
the vertical. The container is partially filled with water of refractive index n = 1.33,
such that some (but not all) parts of the stick are underwater. If you view the stick
from near the top, what is the acute angle ϕ that you perceive the underwater portion
of the stick to make from the vertical?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of degrees.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 7: Boing Boing (3 points)

Two small identical beads are threaded on a fixed frictionless horizontal circular hoop
of radius r = 0.2 m. One bead is given an initial kick such that it slides with speed
v = 0.8 m s−1 around the hoop. It then collides with the other stationary bead.
Determine the number of collisions that take place between the two beads within time
T = 50 s after the first collision. (Do not count the first collision.) Assume that all
collisions are instantaneous and perfectly elastic.

Leave your answer as an integer.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 8: Light but Powerful

Chris the child prodigy is attempting to build a solar cell. His attempt consists of two
vacuum-sealed, parallel conducting plates with a small separation. When sunlight is
incident upon one of these plates, charges are liberated and travel to the other plate
where they accumulate, thus creating a potential difference between the plates.
(a) Chris uses platinum, with a work function of ΦPt = 6.35 eV, to make the plates.
What is the maximum wavelength, λmax , that would cause a potential difference
to form between the plates?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of nm. (2 points)
(b) Chris then uses a different material, with a work function Φ = 2.00 eV, and light
of wavelength λ = 400 nm. After a long time, what is the final voltage generated
by the solar cell?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of V. (2 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 9: Catch-Up Spring (3 points)

A mass m = 0.10 kg rests attached to the left end of an ideal light spring of relaxed
length l = 0.15 m and spring constant k = 40 N m−1 . You grab the right end of the
spring, and start pulling it with constant velocity v towards the right. The ground is
horizontal and frictionless.

If v is sufficiently large, it is possible for the mass to “catch up” and make contact
with your hand at some point during its subsequent motion. Find the minimum value
of v required for this to happen.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 10: Resistor Squares

(a) 5 identical cells, each with emf ε = 12 V and negligible internal resistance, are
connected to a network of 5 squares comprising 14 identical resistors each with
resistance R = 8.0 Ω, as shown below.

What is the total power supplied by the cells?

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of W. (3 points)
(b) The circuit is now rearranged, with each of the 5 cells replacing each of the 5
resistors on the top branch, as shown below.

What is the total power supplied by the cells?

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of W. (3 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 11: Self-Propelled Flashlight (3 points)

Theoretically, it is possible for a flashlight to propel itself when turned on. For a flash-
light of mass m = 0.8 kg on a frictionless horizontal surface shining light horizontally,
determine the minimum operating power P required for the flashlight to self-propel
with acceleration a = 1.0 m s−2 .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of MW.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 12: Ellipse Halves (3 points)

At distance l = 4 × 107 m to the left of a stationary planet with mass M = 1022 kg,
there is a small projectile of mass m ≪ M . It is launched tangentially with velocity
u, such that the resulting trajectory of its orbit takes the shape of an ellipse.
It is observed that for u < u0 , the planet is always located in the right half of the
elliptical orbit, whereas for u > u0 , the planet always lies in the left half of the elliptical
orbit. Determine the value of u0 .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 13: Country Erasers

A game of “Country Erasers” is played with two identical square-shaped erasers of
length l = 3.0 cm, thickness h = 0.5 cm and uniform mass m = 20 g. They initially
lie flat beside each other on a horizontal table, with their ends a distance d > h
apart. In a winning move, a player flicks one eraser towards the other, such that it
rotates vertically and eventually lands resting flat on the other eraser, as shown below.
Assume that neither of the erasers slip at any point of contact with the table or with
each other throughout their motion.

(a) Find the minimum energy E0 delivered by the flick such that this winning move
can be performed.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of mJ. (2 points)
(b) Find the minimum energy E1 dissipated in the process after the eraser is flicked.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of mJ. (2 points)
(c) Find the maximum value of d such that this winning move is physically possible.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of cm. (3 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 14: Simp (4 points)

Amy has a crush on Jake. Jake runs in a constant direction with speed vJ = 7 m s−1
relative to the ground. Amy chases him with a speed of vA = 2 m s−1 . Jake’s and
Amy’s eye levels are at height hJ = 2.0 m and hA = 1.5 m from the ground respec-
tively. Assume that Earth is a perfect sphere with radius R = 6400 km, and that
there are no obstructions. Given that they start running from the same point at the
same time, find t, the time taken for Jake to disappear from Amy’s view.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of min.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 15: Bending Groove (4 points)

A sphere slides without rolling through a fixed frictionless V-shaped groove. Each side
of the groove makes angle θ = 30◦ with the vertical. The path traced by the groove is
horizontal and bends with radius of curvature r = 0.15 m. Determine the maximum
speed v of the sphere such that it can traverse the bend without straying from the
path of the groove.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 16: Decorating the Future (4 points)

Three identical small spherical ornaments are used to make a futuristic decoration.
All three ornaments have charges of equal magnitude and are perfectly insulating.
The first ornament is suspended from the ceiling by a light string. The second orna-
ment is placed a distance h1 directly below it, and the third is placed a distance h2
directly below the second. Given that the system is in equilibrium, find h1 /h2 .
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 17: Useless Pipe (4 points)

A light U-shaped pipe lies on a horizontal floor. The pipe comprises two straight
sections that are affixed to a vertical wall and connected by a semicircular section
with radius of curvature r = 1.00 m. The pipe has a circular cross-section with
an inner diameter of d = 0.200 m. Water flows in one end at a constant rate of
Q = 0.100 m3 s−1 and out the other. What is the total force F that the semicircular
section of the pipe exerts on the straight sections of the pipe?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of N.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 18: A Swimming Electron (4 points)

Consider a magnetic field which extends infinitely along the vertical y-axis, but has a
finite length l = 900 nm along the horizontal x-axis. The magnetic field has uniform
magnitude B, and points into the page for y > 0, but out of the page for y < 0.
An electron is initially located at y-coordinate y0 = +170 nm. It is propelled horizon-
tally into the magnetic field with a velocity v = y0 eB/me , where e is the elementary
charge, and me is the mass of an electron.

Find the y-coordinate of the electron, y1 , when it exits the field. Neglect gravity.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of nm.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 19: Defying Gravity

A thin uniform hoop of mass M = 50 g has a small bead of mass m = 150 g glued
to a point on its rim. The hoop is placed on a slope inclined at angle θ = 30◦ above
the horizontal, and is initially oriented such that the bead is directly above the hoop’s
centre.

Then, the hoop’s position is slightly adjusted by rotating it by some

◦ ◦
angle 0 < ϕ < 180 . This way, when the hoop is released from rest, it begins rolling
up the slope. Assume that the slope is sufficiently rough such that the hoop never
slips.
(a) Which of the following options correctly fills in the blank above? (You may refer
to the diagram below to visualise the physical setup illustrated by each option.)
(1 point)
(1) up the slope (2) down the slope

(b) The hoop rolls up upon release from rest if and only if ϕ1 < ϕ < ϕ2 , where ϕ1
and ϕ2 are constants to be determined. Find ϕ2 − ϕ1 .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of degrees. (3 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 20: Water Cube (4 points)

What is the work required to deform a spherical water droplet of radius r = 1.0 cm
into the shape of a cube? Take the surface tension of water as γ = 7.2 × 10−2 N m−1 .
Neglect gravity.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of µJ.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 21: Ceiling Fan (3 points)

A ceiling fan comprises three horizontal triangular rigid blades arranged symmetrically,
as drawn below. It rotates with a constant angular speed ω. Each blade has thickness
d = 0.1 m and subtends an angle θ = π/6 rad. Raindrops from above fall through
the ceiling fan with constant velocity v = 8 m s−1 vertically downwards. What is the
minimum ω required for every raindrop to be hit by the fan? Assume that the fan
rotates about a fixed vertical axis without wobbling.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of rad s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 22: Balance Scale (4 points)

The first instrument invented for measuring mass was the balance scale, as drawn
below. It comprises a beam of negligible weight (as shown in the diagram below) whose
point of symmetry is held by a frictionless pivot, with two identical pans attached to
its ends. When the two pans contain different masses, the beam deflects towards the
heavier end.

Let M and m be the masses of each pan and its respective contents. When M/m = 2,
the equilibrium angle of the beam from the horizontal is θ = 25◦ . If this ratio is
doubled to M/m = 4, what is the new value of θ?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in degrees.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 23: Rectangular Cavity (3 points)

Consider a thin charged rectangular plate made of conducting material. A rectangular
cavity of horizontal length a = 12 cm and vertical length b = 5 cm is made at the
centre of the plate.
A probe measures the magnitude |E| of the electric field within the cavity at every point
along the horizontal through the cavity’s centre. The average magnitude measured is
⟨|E|⟩x . Then, the probe measures the magnitude of the electric field within the cavity
at every point along the vertical through the cavity’s centre. The average magnitude
measured is ⟨|E|⟩y . Determine the ratio ⟨|E|⟩y /⟨|E|⟩x .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 24: Uncomfortably Close Mirror (4 points)

A point source that emits monochromatic light of unknown wavelength λ and a pho-
tometer are placed a distance d = 30 cm apart and at some common perpendicular
distance h from an adjacent mirror, as shown in the diagram below.

The mirror is then slowly moved from a distance of h0 = 1.0 mm to a distance of h1 =

1.2 mm from the source and photometer, while the resulting light intensity is recorded
by the photometer. The graph of relative intensity recorded by the photometer is
plotted below.

Deduce the wavelength λ of the source.

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of nm.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 25: To Infinity and Beyond (4 points)

Benson has many light and ideal springs. These springs are identical, each having
spring constant k0 = 1 N m−1 . One day, as Benson was playing around, he accidentally
arranged an extremely large number of them on a table in the following manner:

The arrangement comprises layers of springs separated by light plates. In the ith layer,
there are ni = i2 springs joining the (i − 1)th plate to the ith plate. The spring in the
1st layer joins an immovable wall to the 1st plate.
Benson now attaches a mass m = 10 kg to the last plate. He gives the mass a push
so that it begins to oscillate. What would be the resultant period T of oscillation?
Neglect damping.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of s.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 26: Landing Angles (4 points)

A projectile is launched from the edge of a cliff at angle αi = 30◦ above the horizontal.
At landing, it makes angle αf = 60◦ with the flat horizontal ground below the cliff.
A second projectile is launched from the same point and at the same speed as the first
projectile, but now at angle βi = 45◦ below the horizontal. At landing, what angle βf
does the second projectile make with the ground?
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of degrees.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 27: Take a Chance on Me (3 points)

What is the probability that a sample of uranium-235 with mass M = 15 µg has at
least 1 decay within time T = 0.01 s? You may take the half-life of uranium to be
t1/2 = 703.8 million years.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.
Your answer should range between 0 and 1.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 28: Pushing a Block

A block is placed on a frictionless horizontal table. A finger begins to push the block
from its left side. The displacement of the finger at time t (in s) is x (in cm), where
x is given by x = t2 sin t. (The argument of the sin function is taken to be in units of
radians.) We set the origin x = 0 at the initial position of the block, with x increasing
rightwards.

(a) What is the position x0 of the block when it first loses contact with the finger?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of cm. (3 points)
(b) What is the position x1 of the block when it first regains contact with the finger?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of cm. (3 points)
If you think that the block does not regain contact with the finger, submit your
answer as 0.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 29: Intensity Profiles (3 points)

In a far-field double-slit interference experiment, the two slits are separated by distance
D between their centres, and each slit has finite width D/5. The resulting intensity
profile across the screen I(x) is plotted against position x along the screen, as shown
below.

Another interference experiment is conducted under identical conditions, except that

the separation between the centre of the slits is now 4D/5. The width of each slit is
unchanged. The new intensity profile obtained is given by i(x).
Calculate the ratio R∞
−∞ i(x) dx
R∞
−∞ I(x) dx

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 30: A Water Bubble (4 points)

Conventional wisdom suggests that bubbles float. However, under certain conditions,
it turns out that bubbles can, in fact, sink!
A bubble contains an ideal gas with molar mass µ = 100 g mol−1 and temperature
T = 300 K. Find the minimum depth h of the bubble below sea level such that it sinks.
Assume that Earth’s gravitational field is uniform with magnitude g = 9.81 m s−2 , and
that the density of water is uniform at ρw = 1000 kg m−3 . Neglect any change in state
of the gas, and take the bubble’s radius to be much smaller than h.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of m.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 31: Do You Prefer 2D or 3D?

(a) Consider the planar infinitely-extending circuit as shown below, where each edge
represents a resistor with resistance R = 1 Ω.

Let RAB denote the effective resistance between the points A and B. Find RAB .
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of Ω. (4 points)
(b) Now, consider a similar infinitely-extending circuit that is cuboidal rather than
planar as shown below, with each edge also having resistance R = 1 Ω.

Let RCD denote the effective resistance between the points C and D. Find RCD .
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of Ω. (4 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 32: Strange Pendulum

A mass is suspended from the ceiling by two light inextensible strings of equal lengths
l = 3 m arranged in a “V” shape. The angle between either string and the vertical
is α = π/18 rad. The mass is given a push that causes it to swing rightwards with
an initial velocity v1 = 0.5 m s−1 perpendicular to the left string. Assume that the
small-angle approximation is true, and that all motion takes place in the plane of the
figure below.

(a) Find the time taken for the mass to first return to its starting position, t1 .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of s. (3 points)
(b) Find the time taken for the mass to complete two oscillations, ttotal .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of s. (4 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 33: Don’t Change My Field! (4 points)

A circular loop of radius r = 1.00 m and resistance R = 5.00 × 10−4 Ω is fixed and
prevented from moving or rotating. It is placed in an external uniform magnetic field
Bext that is directed perpendicular to the plane of the loop.
This external field Bext increases with time t as given by Bext (t) = B0 eαt . As such,
the net magnetic field at the loop’s centre Bloop (t) also increases over time, but at a
slower rate due to Lenz’s law. In fact, the ratio Bloop (t)/Bext (t) is always constant for
all time t. Find this ratio.
Take α = 1.00 s−1 ; you may treat this to be sufficiently small for the quasistatic
approximation to be valid.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 34: I Thought Solutions were Unique

Suppose that we have an exotic gas that has the strange property of “reverse drag”
– it increases the velocity of anything in it. A particle of mass m = 1 kg is placed in
this gas. We denote its velocity to be v(t) at time t after entering the gas. The force
exerted by the gas on the particle is given by k |v(t)|, where k = 1 N m−1/2 s1/2 .
q

(a) Given v(0) = 1 m s−1 and v(2) = 4 m s−1 , find v(12).

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 . (2 points)
(b) Given v(0) = 0 m s−1 and v(2) = 1 m s−1 , find v(12).
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 . (2 points)
(c) Given v(0) = 0 m s−1 and v(8) = 4 m s−1 , find v(12).
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 . (3 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 35: Mirror Mirror on the Wall

The curator of the museum Texallate wishes to create a room with mirrors as walls
for a museum installation. The room is a polygon with straight vertical walls of equal
length. The curator stands in the centre of the room and shines his flashlight centered
along a line of symmetry, whose beam can be modelled as a circular sector with beam
angle α. You may take the system to be 2D – the flashlight is shone parallel to the
floor.
(a) The first room the curator makes is a rhombus, with an interior angle of θ = 60◦ .
As the mirrored walls aren’t polished yet, the light from the curator’s flashlight
can be reflected 1 time (totalled across all mirrors) before being fully dissipated.
What is the minimum beam angle α of his flashlight so that light reaches every
part of the room?
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of degrees. (3 points)
(b) To save costs, the museum’s director suggests that the curator build a rectangular
room instead. The room has length l = 2 m and width w = 1 m. With the walls
now polished, each light ray can be reflected n = 100 times (totalled across all
mirrors) before being fully dissipated. What is the minimum beam angle α of
his flashlight so that light reaches every part of the room?
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of degrees. (3 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 36: Oscillating E (4 points)

A few students are given an electrical source that supplies AC voltage at a fixed
amplitude and frequency f = 50.0 Hz. They are tasked to set up an oscillating electric
field whose amplitude is as large as possible. The electric field is to be set up between
the plates of a capacitor with capacitance C = 100 µF.
Shuan says, “The best way to do this would be to directly connect the plates of the
capacitor to the AC source.” This way, he achieves amplitude E for the electric field.
But Chris objects, “No, an increased amplitude E ′ for the electric field could be
achieved by connecting an inductor in series with the capacitor!”
Surprisingly, Chris is right. If he uses an inductor with self-inductance L = 80.0 mH,
what is the ratio E ′ /E? You may neglect any resistance present in the circuit.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 37: Weird Flux But Ok

A point charge Q = +2.5 nC is placed at vertical distance h = 0.15 m above the centre
of a horizontal rectangular insulating plate. Determine the total electric flux through
the plate if...
(a) the plate has infinite length and breadth.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of V m. (2 points)
(b) the plate has infinite length and finite breadth l = 0.10 m.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of V m. (4 points)

(a) spans infinitely in all directions (b) spans infinitely in length but
not in breadth

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 38: Inclined Plane (5 points)

A fixed frictionless plane is inclined at angle θ = 30◦ above the x-axis and angle
ϕ = 60◦ above the y-axis, where the xy-plane is horizontal. Find the acceleration a of
a mass that slides down the inclined plane.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−2 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 39: Strategic Syringe (5 points)

Ideal monatomic gas is contained within a sealed syringe. The piston in the syringe
can be moved such that the volume can be freely varied between V and 4V . Simul-
taneously, valves in the syringe allow the pressure to be freely controlled between P
and 2P .
The gas starts out at pressure 2P and volume V . It is to be brought to final pressure
P and volume 4V . Depending on how the piston and the valves are controlled over
time, the heat absorbed by the gas in the process can range between Qmin and Qmax .
Find the ratio Qmax /Qmin .
Assume that the piston and the valves are controlled such that the process undergone
by the gas is reversible, and that the path traced by the process on the pressure-volume
graph does not self-intersect.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 40: Optimised Backflip (5 points)

Let’s investigate the most efficient backflip physically possible. In a perfect backflip,
the person starts out standing straight on his feet. He jumps, and his body rotates
mid-air such that by the time he returns to the ground, he lands vertically on his feet.
As a toy model of a backflip, consider the person’s body to be a uniform rigid stick
of length l that initially stands on the ground with its axis vertical. Suppose that
the stick is imparted the theoretical minimum energy required to perform a perfect
backflip. As a result, the stick’s centre reaches maximum height h above the ground.
Find the ratio h/l.
Neglect air resistance.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.

46
SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 41: Stop Blocking My View (5 points)

A silicon carbide prism of refractive index np = 2.63 is placed above a tank. The tank
is in the shape of a cuboid, open at the top, and is completely filled with fluid. The
cross section of the prism is in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The outer surface
of the prism-and-tank setup is covered entirely by perfectly absorbing material, except
for one of the slanted faces of the prism. What is the minimum refractive index nf
that the fluid must have such that any observer outside the set-up is unable to see
light from inside the fluid?
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.

47
SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 42: Closing Gate (5 points)

A car has semicircular bumpers on the front and back ends of an otherwise rectangular
body. Each bumper has radius R = 1.0 m. Overall, the car has width 2R and length
L = 4.0 m, as shown below. It drives at a steady speed along the center of a road of
width w = 10 m towards a sliding gate at distance d = 50 m ahead of the car, which
has just started closing at a constant rate. Given that the gate takes time ∆t = 30 s to
close fully, what minimum speed v must the car travel at in order to make it through
the gate without contacting the gate?
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of m s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 43: Solar Eclipse (5 points)

Consider a parallel universe where, just like our own universe, an Earth month is
TM ≈ 30 days long, an Earth year is TS ≈ 365 days long, the Moon has radius
rM ≈ 1, 700 km, and the Sun has radius rS ≈ 700, 000 km. However, in this universe,
the ratio mE /mS (where the Earth’s mass is mE and the Sun’s mass is mS ) is different
from ours. We do not know the precise value of this ratio.
But we do know one thing: While the Earth of this universe can sometimes observe
partial solar eclipses, total solar eclipses can never happen. Using this fact, find the
minimum possible value of ln(mE /mS ).
You may assume the following properties of this parallel universe:
- The same laws of physics apply
- The mass of Moon is very small compared to the mass of Earth, and the mass
of Earth is very small compared to the mass of Sun
- The radius of Earth is very small compared to the Sun-Earth distance and the
Moon-Earth distance
- All orbits are circular
- The centres of the Sun, Earth and Moon always lie on the same plane
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 44: Unbalanced Fall (6 points)

Two point charges +q1 and +q2 , each of equal mass m = 1.0 kg, are joined to opposite
ends of a massless rigid rod. There is a uniform downward electric field that exerts
constant downward forces F1 = 1.0 N and F2 = 5.0 N on charges q1 and q2 respectively.
The charges are simultaneously released from rest with the rod initially horizontal. In
its subsequent motion, find the maximum downward acceleration of charge q1 . Neglect
gravity.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−2 .

50
SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 45: Leonard the Oiler (5 points)

Leonard proposes a machine with a frictionless piston in an infinitely extending cylin-
der, contained in which is an ideal gas.
The piston starts off at infinity, with work W1 done on the gas to compress it isother-
mally until the gas reaches P0 = 120 kPa and a finite volume V0 = 1 m3 . The gas then
undergoes an alternating series of reversible processes: first, an isobaric expansion to
increase the volume by ∆V = +V0 , followed by an isochoric reduction in pressure to
restore it to its initial temperature. These iterations are performed until the piston
returns to infinity, and the total work done by the gas during these iterations is W2 .
Determine the net work done by the gas throughout the entire procedure, W = W2 − W1 .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of kJ.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 46: Rebounding Particles

A neutral atom of unknown rest mass mn is travelling rightwards, towards a positive
ion of unknown rest mass mp and charge +e (where e is the elementary charge) that is
travelling leftwards. There is also an electric field E = 1.0 kV m−1 pointing rightwards.
Both particles collide with each other at the origin, with equal and opposite velocities
of magnitude v0 = 0.50c at the instant of collision.
After the collision, they stick together. The resulting composite particle moves left-
wards for a while, before reversing and returning to the origin at a time ∆t = 15.0 ms
after the collision. If this composite particle is determined to have total (relativistic)
energy ET = 30.0 GeV upon returning to the origin, find
(a) the original rest mass of the neutral atom mn .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of u (atomic mass unit),
where 1 u = 1.66 × 10−27 kg. (3 points)
(b) the original rest mass of the positive ion mp .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of u (atomic mass unit),
where 1 u = 1.66 × 10−27 kg. (3 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 47: Journey to the Centre of the Earth (8 points)

A large spherical hole with radius R/2 = 3200 km is drilled in the Earth such that it
is tangent to the surface of the Earth. A tunnel is then drilled along the common axis
of the Earth and the hole. A stone is dropped from rest into the tunnel from the end
that is further from the hole. Find the maximum distance the stone will fall from its
starting position.
Assume that the Earth is a perfect sphere of uniform density with radius R = 6400 km,
and neglect effects due to friction and the rotation of the Earth.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of km.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 48: Entropic Star (7 points)

Consider n mol of ideal monatomic gas that undergoes a reversible thermodynamic
cycle. Let P and V respectively denote the pressure and volume of the gas at any
point in the cycle. The P − V graph is given by the following parametric equation for
0 ≤ t ≤ 2π:     
1 1
sin 2t cos t sin 2t sin t 3
(P, V ) = e 3 Pa, e 5 m

Suppose that the maximum entropy reached by the gas throughout the cycle is Smax ,
while the minimum entropy it reaches is Smin . Letting R denote the molar gas constant,
compute the dimensionless quantity:
!2
Smax − Smin
nR

Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 49: Strangely Shaped Current Loop (7 points)

A rigid wire loop is made of two semicircular arcs of radius R = 0.50 m, and these
arcs are connected by two horizontal segments of length a = 1.00 m and two vertical
segments of unknown length b, as drawn below. (The loop appears to overlap itself
in the diagram but small bends in the wire outside the plane of the loop ensure it
does not self-intersect. The effect of these bends are negligible beyond preventing
self-intersection, and the loop is otherwise planar.)
A fixed long straight wire coplanar with the loop is located parallel to and a distance
d from a line segment joining the centers of the semicircular arcs. The same current
I = 200 A is passed through both the wire and the loop, as shown below. If the loop
settles into stable equilibrium when d = 1.70 m, find b. Neglect gravity.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of m.

Hint: The following integral might be useful, where |α| < 1:

Z π 1 π
dθ = √
0 1 + α cos θ 1 − α2

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Problem 50: Falling Hinges

A uniform rod of length L = 4.20 m is fixed to a pivot, A, around which it can freely
rotate. Its other end is attached to the end of an identical rod at H, forming a freely
rotating hinge. The remaining end of the second rod, B, carries a ball with the same
mass as a single rod. The ball is constrained to only slide frictionlessly along the
vertical line passing through A. The rods are initially held horizontal and are then
released from rest. Let the angle formed by either rod with the horizontal be θ(t)
where t is the time after release.
(a) At any time, the magnitude v of the velocity of the ball can be expressed as
dθ
v = αL cos θ
dt

where α is a positive numerical coefficient. Find α.

Leave your answers to 3 significant figures. (2 points)
(b) At what angle θ∗ would v be maximal?
Leave your answers to 3 significant figures in units of degrees. (8 points)

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush M1: I Have The High Ground (3 points)

In Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan and Anakin engage in a fierce duel on the
planet Mustafar. When Obi-Wan reaches a position higher than Anakin, he exclaims,
“It’s over Anakin! I have the high ground!” In response, Anakin jumps towards
Obi-Wan.
Based on the movie timestamps, he takes approximately t1 = 1.6 s to reach the peak
of his trajectory, and another t2 = 1.2 s thereafter to reach Obi-Wan’s position.
Use this information to determine the height difference h between Obi-Wan and
Anakin’s initial position. You may assume that the gravitational field on the sur-
face of Mustafar is the same as that on Earth.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush M2: Millennium Falcon (4 points)

In the Star Wars franchise, passengers in the Millennium Falcon appear to experience
gravitational forces similar to those on Earth. While this is explained with fictional
devices, artificial gravity is, in fact, possible in space, through rotation.
Consider the Falcon as a disc with diameter d = 25.6 m, which rotates with con-
stant angular velocity about an axis parallel to the disc’s flat surface at perpendicular
distance r = 50.0 m away from the disc’s centre, as illustrated below.

Luke stands on the flat surface of the disk and releases a ball from his position.
Depending on where he stands, the initial magnitude of acceleration of the ball from
his perspective differs. Denoting the maximum and minimum initial accelerations of
the ball as amax and amin respectively, find the ratio amax /amin .
Assume there are no celestial bodies nearby, and that the ball’s initial height above
the floor is much smaller than r.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush M3: Death Star (4 points)

In the original 1977 Star Wars film, the Death Star, a space station of the Galac-
tic Empire, annihilated a rebellious planet, Alderaan, in a matter of seconds using
a superlaser, reducing it to a cloud of small asteroids scattered very far apart. Sup-
pose that Alderaan was a uniform spherical planet of radius R = 6000 km and mass
M = 6.00 × 1024 kg, similar to our Earth. If the Death Star had completed its deed
within a time period of ∆t = 10.0 s, what was the minimum average power P that
the Death Star had to supply over this period to achieve this feat of destruction?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of L⊙ (solar luminosity), where
1 L⊙ is the power output of a single Sun, or 1 L⊙ = 3.828 × 1026 W.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush M4: I Am The Senate (5 points)

In Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Yoda fights with Palpatine in the Senate chamber.
Assume that the Senate is fixed in place and is circular with diameter D = 100 m.
Yoda stands y = 20 m south of the centre and hurls a spinning platform towards
Palpatine in the x-direction as shown below. Assume the platform is a uniform disc of
mass M = 100 kg and radius R = 1 m, with clockwise spin ω0 = 1 rad s−1 and speed
v0 = 4 m s−1 . However, he narrowly misses, and the platform collides inelastically
with the walls of the Senate. After collision with the walls, the platform rolls along
the walls of the Senate without slipping.

You may assume that all motion takes place in the xy plane, which is horizontal, and
that there is no gravity. Find the time taken t for the platform to complete 1 full
revolution around the Senate. Do not include the time before the collision.
Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of s.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush E1: Cheap Christmas (3 points)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Paul needs to power all n = 30 of
his identical Christmas lights via a constant voltage source. But Paul is broke, and
electricity is expensive, so he seeks the cheapest way to do this!
Depending on how he wires the lights, the total light output may vary, and the total
power they consume may range between Pmin and Pmax . Calculate Pmax /Pmin .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush E2: Cutting Costs (3 points)

Paul needs to build a circuit that ordinarily uses a silver wire of length L = 5.00 m and
resistance R = 0.10 Ω, but Paul switched the wire to copper instead to save on costs,
as he is a very broke man. If the new wire still has the same length and resistance, how
much money did Paul save with this move? Use the properties of silver and copper as
listed below.
Metal Cost c Electrical Resistivity r Density ρ
Silver $722.43 per kg −8
1.63 × 10 Ω m 10490 kg m−3
Copper $9.68 per kg 1.68 × 10−8 Ω m 8960 kg m−3
Leave your answer to 2 decimal places in units of dollars ($).

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush E3: Careful Construction (5 points)

Paul has a large number of R = 1 Ω resistors, which he wants to arrange (using
only series and parallel connections) into a network with an equivalent resistance of
Reff = 13
19 Ω. To save money, he wants to use as few resistors as possible. What is the
minimum number of 1 Ω resistors he needs? You may assume all wires are ideal.
Leave your answer as an integer.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush E4: Capacitor Chaos (4 points)

The following circuit consists of identical capacitors, each of capacitance C0 = 2200 F.
It’s extremely wasteful, and Paul wishes to be prudent. Hence, he replaces this with
a single capacitor of capacitance Ceq between A and B. Find Ceq .

Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of F.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush X1: Shrinking a Grape (3 points)

A spherical grape of radius R = 2 cm is dried in an oven. After a time T = 24 h in
the oven, the grape has turned into a spherical raisin of radius r = 1 cm. Assuming
that the missing volume is due entirely to evaporated water, and that all the energy
from the oven is used to evaporate the water, what is the average power supplied by
the oven?
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of W.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush X2: Throwing a Fish (3 points)

During lunch, Chris was mildly irritated to find that a piece of fish in his food had
already become cold. He grabs the fish and throws it repeatedly against the table
in an attempt to heat it up. If the piece of fish has mass M = 300 g and specific
heat capacity c = 1.67 kJ kg−1 K−1 and it is thrown against the table uniformly at
a speed of v = 3.0 m s−1 each time, what is the minimum number of throws N that
Chris needs to heat the fish from the room temperature of T0 = 25◦ C to a comfortably
warm temperature of T1 = 60◦ C? Assume that the fish remains intact throughout the
throwing process.
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures.

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush X3: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs (3 points)

A meatball of mass m = 60 g and specific heat capacity c = 1670 J kg−1 K−1 is cooked
by dropping it from height h = 830 m onto a plate. The drag force, F , is given by
F = kv 2 where k = 1.18 × 10−3 kg m−1 and v is the velocity of the meatball.
In order to heat the meatball to T = 175◦ C from an initial temperature T0 = 25◦ C,
what initial velocity, v0 , does the meatball have to be dropped with? You may as-
sume that the meatball reaches terminal velocity quickly, and neglect heat loss to
the surroundings. Assume that Earth’s gravitational field is uniform with magnitude
g = 9.81 m s−2 .
Leave your answer to 2 significant figures in units of m s−1 .

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SPhL 2022 11 June 2022

Half Hour Rush X4: Mala Hotpot (5 points)

Shuan is craving for some Mala soup, but he hasn’t cooked in years, so he first checks
that his stove is working. He fills a pot with mass m = 1.0 kg of water initially at
room temperature Ts = 20◦ C. At time t = 0 s, he turns on the stove.
Later on, the moment he notices water coming to a boil, he switches off the stove. The
graph of the water’s temperature against time t is plotted below. Use this information
to find the power P supplied by the stove to the water.
The stove’s power and the mass of water in the pot may be assumed to be constant
over time.

Leave your answer to 3 significant figures in units of W.

68