Phase 2 Selection Test 4
Phase 2 Selection Test 4
Phase 2 Selection Test 4
Enhancement Programme for Gifted Students in Physics
Phase II Selection Test 4
Rules and Regulations
1. Answer all the questions in the answer book provided.
2. The selection test is a 3‐hour written test.
3. You are not allowed to leave the exam venue within the first 90 minutes.
4. Consent of the invigilators must be obtained for early leave. Early leavers are not allowed to take away
the question papers.
5. You have to stay at your seat within the last 15 minutes before the end of the exam.
Useful Constants
Unless specified otherwise, the following symbols and constants will be used in this exam paper.
Astronomical Unit, 1 AU = 1.496×108 km
Mass of the Sun, mSun = 1.991030 kg
Radius of the Earth, RE, 6378 km
Gravitational Constant G = 6.6710‐11 m3 kg‐1 s‐2
Acceleration due to Gravity, g = 9.8 ms‐2
Velocity of Light in Vacuum, c = 3108 ms‐1
Specific Heat of Water, CW = 4200 J/(kgK)
Planck Constant, h = 6.63×10‐34 Js
Charge of Electron, e = 1.6×10‐19 C
Mass of Electron, me = 9.1×10‐31 kg
Mass of Neutron, mn = 1.68×10‐27 kg
Coulomb Constant, ke = 8.988109 N m2/C2
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Physics Enhancement Programme for Gifted Students in Physics
Phase II Selection Test 4
1. [ 15 Marks ] A conical pendulum with an 80 kg bob on a 10 m wire makes an angle of = 5° with the
vertical, as shown in the diagram.
(a) Determine the horizontal and vertical components of the force
exerted by the wire on the pendulum.
(b) Find the radial acceleration of the bob.
(c) Find the period of the motion.
2. [ 5 Marks ] A paraboloid (base flat radius r and width d) is exhibited in the following figure. In terms of
r and d, calculate the total electric flux through the paraboloidal surface due to a uniform electric field
of magnitude Eo in the direction shown in the figure.
3. [ 10 Marks ] A binary system consists of two stars that revolve in a circular orbit about a center of mass
midway between the two stars. Assume the orbital speed of each star is 220 km/s and the orbital
period of each is 14.4 days. Find the mass of each star in terms of solar mass.
4. [ 5 Marks ] A dam (height H and width w) is filled with water (density ). Determine the resultant force
exerted by the water on the dam. Express your answer in terms of , g (acceleration due to gravity), w,
and H.
5. [ 10 Marks ] The wave function for a wave on a taut string is given by
where x is in meters and t in seconds.
(a) If the linear mass density is 75 g/m, find the average rate of energy transport along the string.
(b) Find the energy contained in each cycle of the wave.
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Physics Enhancement Programme for Gifted Students in Physics
Phase II Selection Test 4
6. [ 10 Marks ] The following hollow cylinder is maintained at Ta on the inner wall, whereas the outer
surface is maintained at Tb (Ta > Tb). The wall of the cylinder has a thermal conductivity k. With the
given dimensions and ignoring the end effects, find the rate of energy transfer from the inner wall to
the outer surface.
7. [ 15 Marks ] Solar Sail is an idea to use the reflection from the sunlight to generate acceleration to
push the sail. A perfectly reflecting aluminized sheet (area 6105 m2) is used for the sunlight reflection,
and the total mass of the sail is 6000 kg. The sail is put into the orbit around the Earth.
(a) Find the force exerted on the sail.
(b) Find the acceleration of the Solar Sail.
(c) How long does it take the sail to reach the Moon, where the Moon is 3.84108 m away?
Hints: (i) Ignore all gravitational effects; (ii) the acceleration is assumed to be constant; (iii) solar intensity equals
1340 W/m2.
8. [ 20 Marks ] An electric motor is constructed with a flat rectangular coil (80 turns of wires, and
dimensions 2.5 cm by 4 cm). The rotor rotates in a uniform magnetic field of 0.8 T. When the plane of
the rotor is perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field, it carries a current of 10 mA. In this
orientation, the magnetic moment of the rotor is directed opposite the magnetic field. The rotor then
turns through one‐half revolution. This process is repeated to cause the rotor to turn steadily at 3600
rev/min.
(a) Find the maximum torque acting on the rotor.
(b) Find the peak power output of the motor.
(c) Determine the amount of work performed by the magnetic field on the rotor in every full
revolution.
(d) Find the average power of the motor.
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Physics Enhancement Programme for Gifted Students in Physics
Phase II Selection Test 4
9. [ 10 Marks ] As illustrated below is an apparatus to measure the speed of light. The apparatus consists
of 2 slotted rotating disks separated by a distance d, and the slots displaced by an angle . The speed
of light is measured by sending a light beam from the left.
(a) Find the relationship of the speed of light when the light beam reaches the detector. Express
your answer in terms of the experimental parameters , d, and ; where is the angular speed
of the disks and is measured in radians.
(b) Find the speed of light according to the following experimental parameters:
d = 2.5 m; = 1 arcminute; = 5500 rev/s and then the light beam is able to reach the detector.
~~~ THE END ~~~
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