Physics — Solved Problems (Notes style, step-by-step)
This document gathers the questions and their step-by-step solutions from our conversation,
formatted as concise notes.
1. Magnetic dipole moment of a circular coil
Problem: A circular coil of radius 5 cm and 50 turns carries a current of 3 A. Calculate the
magnetic dipole moment of the coil.
Given:
- Radius: r = 5 cm = 0.05 m
- Number of turns: N = 50
- Current: I = 3 A
Solution (steps):
1. Area of one turn: A = π r^2 = π(0.05)^2 = π×0.0025 ≈ 0.007854 m^2.
2. Magnetic dipole moment of the coil: µ = N I A.
3. Substitute values: µ = 50×3×0.007854 ≈ 1.1781 A·m^2.
Answer: µ ≈ 1.18 A·m^2.
2. Magnetic flux through a circular antenna
Problem: A circular antenna of area 3 m² is installed at a place in Madurai. The plane of the
antenna is inclined at 47° with the direction of Earth's magnetic field. If the magnitude of
Earth's field at that place is B = 4.1×10^-5 T, find the magnetic flux linked with the antenna.
Given:
- Area: A = 3 m²
- Angle between plane and field: theta_plane = 47°
- Magnetic field: B = 4.1 × 10^-5 T
Note: Flux formula uses the angle between the field and the normal to the surface. If plane
makes 47°, the normal makes 90°-47° = 43° with the field.
Solution (steps):
1. Angle between field and normal: theta = 43°.
2. Flux: Phi = B A cos(theta) = 4.1×10^-5 × 3 × cos 43°.
3. cos 43° ≈ 0.7314.
4. Compute: Phi ≈ 4.1×10^-5 × 3 × 0.7314 ≈ 8.996×10^-5 Wb.
Answer: Phi ≈ 9.0×10^-5 Wb.
3. Drift velocity of free electrons in copper wire
Problem: A copper wire of cross-sectional area 0.5 mm^2 carries a current of 0.2 A. If the free
electron density of copper is n=8.4×10^28 m^-3, compute the drift velocity of free electrons.
Given / Assumption:
- Area: A = 0.5 mm^2 = 0.5 × 10^-6 m^2
- Current: I = 0.2 A
- Free electron density: n = 8.4 × 10^28 m^-3
- Charge of electron: e = 1.6 × 10^-19 C
Solution (steps):
1. Drift velocity formula: v_d = I / (n e A).
2. Substitute numbers: v_d = 0.2 / ((8.4×10^28)(1.6×10^-19)(0.5×10^-6)).
3. Compute denominator stepwise:
- n e = 8.4×10^28 × 1.6×10^-19 = 13.44×10^9 = 1.344×10^10.
- Multiply by A: 1.344×10^10 × 0.5×10^-6 = 6.72×10^3.
4. Therefore v_d = 0.2 / (6.72×10^3) ≈ 2.976×10^-5 m/s.
Answer: v_d ≈ 3.0×10^-5 m/s.
4. Focal length and power of two lenses in contact
Problem: A lens of focal length -70 cm is brought in contact with a lens of focal length +50
cm. Find the focal length of the combination and its power.
Given:
- f1 = -70 cm = -0.70 m
- f2 = +50 cm = 0.50 m
Solution (steps):
1. For two thin lenses in contact: 1/F = 1/f1 + 1/f2.
2. Substitute (in metres): 1/F = 1/(-0.70) + 1/0.50 = -1.428571 + 2.0 = 0.571429 m^-1.
3. Thus F = 1/0.571429 ≈ 1.75 m = 175 cm.
4. Power of combination: P = 1/F (in dioptres) ⇒ P ≈ 1/1.75 ≈ 0.571 D.
Answer: F ≈ 1.75 m (175 cm), P ≈ 0.57 D.
5. Electric flux through a rectangle
Problem: Calculate the electric flux through a rectangle of sides 5 cm and 10 cm kept in a
region of uniform electric field E = 100 N/C. Angle between field and area vector is 60°. If
the angle becomes 0°, what is the flux?
Given:
- Sides: 5 cm = 0.05 m and 10 cm = 0.10 m
- Area: A = 0.05 × 0.10 = 0.005 m²
- Electric field: E = 100 N/C
- Angle between field and area vector: θ = 60°, then θ = 0°
Solution (steps):
1. Flux: Phi = E A cosθ.
2. For θ = 60°: Phi = 100×0.005×cos60° = 100×0.005×0.5 = 0.25 N·m^2/C.
3. For θ = 0°: Phi = 100×0.005×1 = 0.50 N·m^2/C.
Answer: Phi(60°)=0.25 N·m^2/C, Phi(0°)=0.50 N·m^2/C.
6. Moving-coil galvanometer — current sensitivity and voltage sensitivity
Problem: The coil of a moving coil galvanometer has 5 turns and each turn has an effective area
of 2×10^-2 m^2. It is suspended in a magnetic field of strength 4×10^-2 T. If the torsional
constant of the suspension fibre is given (interpreted here as) K=4×10^-6 N·m deg^-1 and one
division = 1°, then:
(a) Find its current sensitivity in divisions per microampere.
(b) Calculate the voltage sensitivity of the galvanometer if it has full-scale deflection of 50
divisions for 25 mV.
Given / Assumptions:
- N = 5 turns
- A = 2 × 10^-2 m^2
- B = 4 × 10^-2 T
- K = 4 × 10^-6 N·m per degree (assumption)
- 1 division = 1°
Solution (steps):
1. Torque produced by current I: τ = N I A B.
2. At equilibrium, restoring torque = torsional torque: Kθ = N I A B. So θ = (N A B / K) I (θ
in degrees).
3. Current sensitivity (deg per ampere): θ/I = N A B / K.
4. Substitute: θ/I = (5×2×10^-2×4×10^-2) / (4×10^-6) = 1000 deg/A.
5. For 1 µA = 10^-6 A: sensitivity = 1000 × 10^-6 = 1.0 × 10^-3 division/µA.
(a) Answer: 1.0×10^-3 division per µA (0.001 div/µA).
6. For part (b): Required full-scale current for 50 divisions: I_FS = 50 / (0.001 div/µA) =
50,000 µA = 50 mA.
7. Given full-scale voltage V_FS = 25 mV, the effective input resistance is R = V_FS / I_FS =
0.025 V / 0.05 A = 0.5 Ω.
8. Voltage sensitivity (divisions per volt): 50 / 0.025 = 2000 div/V = 2 div/mV. Volts per
division = 0.025/50 = 0.0005 V = 0.5 mV/div.
(b) Answer: 2000 div/V = 2 div/mV = 0.5 mV/div.
End of document.