Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
RUSSIAN PHYSICS OLYMPIADS
2005 — 2017
Executive Editors
Aleksandr M. Kiselev, Valery P. Slobodyanin
Moscow
MIPT
2018YIIK 53(079)
BBK 22.387
R95
Executive Editors
A.M. Kiselev, V.P. Slobodyanin
Translator
Mikhail A. Savrov
Scientific Editors
A.N. Apolonskii, M.L. Karmanov, A.M. Kiselev, V.P. Slobodyanin,
8.D. Varlamov, I. I. Vorob’ev, I. A. Barygin, D. A. Aleksandrov
R95 Russian Physics Olympiads
Exec, editors: A.M. Kiselev, V.P. Slobodyanin.
— Moscow, MIPT, 2018. — 152 pages.
This book presents theoretical assignments of Russian
National Physics Olympiads given in 2005-2017.
ISBN 978-5-00077-733-6
If you want to order this book or report a typo, please, contact us at
[email protected]
ISBN 978-5-00077-733-6
i Signed to publication on 25.05.2018.
Paper size 60x90/16. Paper type Mondi Maestro 80gms.
Printed digitally. Order #76384.
Printed at “OneBook.ru” of JSC “SAM Poligraphist”
Russia 109316, Moscow, Volgogradsky prospekt,
9 oo0l777336ll>
dom 42, korp. 5, “Technopolis Moskva”.
www.onebook.ruPreface
Russian National Olympiad is the major event for high school students
participating in subject Olympiads in Russia.
Russian Physics Olympiad (RPhO) includes four stages.
The first (school) and the second (local district) stages take place in
November-December. About 200 thousand high school students partic-
ipate in the contest at the first stage.
The third regional stage is held in the regions of Russian Federation
at the end of January. About six thousand students participate in the
contest at this stage.
The fourth stage is the final. It takes place in the middle of April.
The best three hundred physics students from all over Russia gather
for the contest every year. The final stage is held separately for 9th-,
10th-, and 11th-graders.
Before 2008 RPhO included five stages, the fourth federal stage was held
in seven Federal Districts of Russia in the middle of March. The federal
stage was canceled after 2008. Since then, the selection of contesters
for the final is made after the regional stage.
The regional, federal, and final stages consist of experimental and theo-
retical contests. During the theoretical contest, five problems are given
to be solved in five hours. The experimental contest includes two as-
signements, a student has two and a half hours to finish each of them.
The previous set of problems given at RPhO was published in 2004 (in
Russian only). The present set is its follow-up containing the prob-
lems of theoretical contest given to 11th-graders at the federal and final
stages in 2005-2017.We want to express our sincere gratitude to all authors of the problems,
to the members of jury, and to the students who prepared assignments
and experimental equipment for the Physics Olympiad over the course
of years.
We must especially remember two persons whose work shaped the
course of the Physics Olympiad in our country for years to come.
Alexander Rafailovich Zilberman, who passed away in 2010, directed
Soviet Union National Physics Olympiad and trained the USSR team
for the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) for many years.
Stanislav Mironovich Kozel passed away in 2015. He directed RPhO
and trained the national team for more than 20 years.
Among their students there are several absolute winners of IPhO and
dozens of gold medalists.
‘We dedicate this book to their memory.
Executive Editors
A.M. Kiselev
V.P. SlobodyaninProblems
Federal stage 2005
41. A Fly Page 48
A fly is flying between a lens and a plane mirror parallel to the mirror.
The lens is located at a distance L = 20 cm from the mirror, its optical
axis is perpendicular to the mirror. When the fly is crossing the optical
axis, the velocities of its images formed by the lens and by the mirror-
Jens system are equal in magnitude. Determine the focal length F
of the lens and the distance a between the lens and the fly.
42. Boat Page 48
A round rubber boat was pushed off from a lake shore at a speed vo
and traveled a distance Sg until stopped. An identical boat was pushed
off from a river bank so that its initial velocity was equal to vp and
orthogonal to the current. This boat traveled a distance S; = aSg
in the reference frame of water until it stopped relative to the wa-
ter. What was a boat velocity V relative to the bank when it reached
the middle of the river which width is H = aSo? Assume that a = 5/4,
the water drag is directly proportional to boat velocity, and the river
current is uniform.
43. Variable Equilibrium Page 50
A mixture of gases X2, Yo, and X2Y are confined in a cylinder under
a piston. A chemical reaction 2X2 + Y2 «+ 2X2Y proceeds in the cylin-
der. In equilibrium (when the reaction proceeds at the same rate in
both directions) the system occupied a volume V under a pressure p
5while the amount of substances X2, Y2, and X2Y ,was 1, v2, and v3,
respectively. Then the pressure was changed by, a small amount Ap.
Determine the volume increment AV and the increments Av, Ave,
and Avg when new equilibrium had been reached. The temperature
was maintained constant during the process.
Note. It is known that a chemical reaction rate is proportional to
the product of concentrations 1;/V of participating substances. There-
fore, the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are proportional
to
y\2 (V2 3 \2
(7) (F) am GH)
The proportionality factors can be different but depend on temperature
only. A gas is considered to be ideal.
4. Electric Charge, Hollow Sphere, and Dielectric Page 51
A small sphere, which carries a charge Q, is located at the centre
of a fixed uncharged conducting hollow sphere with outer and inner
radii Ri and Rz (Ra < Ri). The sphere is enclosed by a concentric
dielectric layer of permittivity « and the outer radius Rs (fig. 1).
What is the minimum work required to move away a small sphere
to a distance much greater than R3 through a narrow channel inside
the conductor and the dielectric?
5. Three Batteries Page 51
Experimentalist Glitch assembled an electric circuit (fig. 2) by mistak-
enly connecting a battery in parallel, rather than in series, to the rest.
two ones. Determine the currents via the resistors of the assembled cir-
cuit. Each resistor has a resistance R. All three batteries are identical
with an emf @ and an internal resistance which is small compared to R.os
+ el a
R
fy Foy
e
I
Figure 2
Final stage 2005
46. Something Fictional Page 58
Suppose that the Moon suddenly stopped orbiting the Earth because
of a cosmic cataclysm. Determine the time 7 in which the Moon will
fall on the Earth and a relative velocity v of the planets just before
the impact. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is
LI = 3.84-10° km, the Earth radius is R = 6370 km. Both the mass and
the radius of the Moon can be neglected compared to those of the Earth.
@7. Not Quasistatic Cyclic Processes
An ideal diatomic gas being in thermal equilibrium oc-
cupies precisely one half of an adiabatically isolated con-
tainer under a massive piston which does not conduct
heat. A weight was placed on the piston (fig. 3). When
the system reached a new equilibrium state, the gas pres-
sure turned out to increase by 25%. Then the weight was
quickly removed and new equilibrium state had settled.
How many such cycles n will be performed until the pis-
ton is pushed out of the cylinder during a next weight
HY]
y
j
LZ
LLEL LL,
Figure 3
removal? A friction between the piston and the cylinder is negligible.
There is no external pressure.@8. Clausius’ Gas a Page 54
When developing the kinetic theory of gases, Clausius corrected
the ideal gas law by introducing a parameter b, the proper volume of gas
molecules (per mole):
pV —b) = RT.
Process 1-2 (fig. 4) is performed over one
mole of ideal gas and then over one mole of
Clausius’ gas. Determine a difference AT
of the maximum gas temperatures in these
experiments and indicate the highest one.
Tt is known that po = 1.51 MPa,
b = 44 cm’/mol «< Vo, and
Figure 4 R= 8.314 J/(mol - K).
#9. Superconducting Solenoid and Power Source Page 55
There is a superconducting solenoid 1 = 10 cm long with N = 1000
turns and a cross-sectional area S = 1.6 cm’. At some moment
the solenoid is connected to a power source with an emf & = 24 V
and an internal resistance r = 0.2 9. It is known that a magnetic in-
duction exceeding By = 1.26 T destroys the solenoid superconducting
state.
Determine whether the solenoid coil switches from the superconducting
state to the normal one in this experiment and, if so, at which time to
after connecting to the power source this happens. Otherwise, find out
for which emf & of the source the transition would occur. The magnetic
constant is jig = 4m - 10-7 SI units.
410. Photoelectric Effect Page 56
‘A zinc ball of a radius R = 1 cm is located in vacuum far away from
other bodies and is charged to a potential yo = —0.5 V (assuming
y = 0 at infinity). The ball is being illuminated by a monochromatic
ultraviolet light with a wavelength A = 290 nm.
1. What is the maximum velocity v; of photoelectrons flying out
of the ball?2. What is the maximum velocity v2 of a photoelectron, which left
the ball at the beginning, far away from the ball?
3. Determine a ball potential y; after a prolonged exposure to the UV.
4. Determine the net number N of photoelectrons escaped from
the ball after a prolonged exposure to the UV light.
The photoelectric threshold for zinc is Ap = 332 nm.
The speed of light is c = 3.0- 108 m/s, the Planck constant is
h = 6.63 - 10~*4 J/s, the electric constant is ¢9 = 8.85 - 10-2 F/m,
the electron charge is e = —1.6- 10~!® C, and the electron mass is
m=9.1- 107%! kg.
Federal stage 2006
$11. A Fly in Web Page 57
A spider made a web shaped as a regular
hexagon with a side 1 = 45cm (fig. 5) and
fixed the endpoints of radial threads of radius 7]
r = 0.01 mm so that their tension turned out
to be Fy) = 6mN. Assume a thread deforma-
tion to be elastic and its Young’s modulus to be
E=2.-108 Pa, A thread breaks when its strain
exceeds Emax = 0.2.
1. Determine the maximum mass M of a fly Figure 5
which does not break the web by hitting it at a speed v = 2 m/s.
The fly hits at the web centre pependicular to the web plane.
2. A fly of a mass m = 0.1 g gets stuck at the web centre. Determine
the period T of its small oscillation perpendicular to the web plane.
Once in the web, a fly cannot wave its wings.
#12. Work Done by Gas Mixing Page 58.
There are vx moles of an ideal gas X and vy moles of an ideal
gas Y in a cylinder which temperature T is maintained constant.
There are two semitransparent pistons inserted in the cylinder (fig. 6).The first piston: lets through only
molecules of gas X and the second
one only the molecules of gas Y. Ini-
tially the pistons are in contact and
the pure gases X and Y occupy vol-
Figure 6 umes Vxo and Vyo, respectively. Then
the pistons are slowly moved apart un-
til the mixture of gases X and Y occupies the volume Vx0+Vyo. What
is the net work A done by the gases in this process?
Note. The area of the curvilinear trapezoid bounded by the curve
y = 1/2 and straight lines y = 0, = 2; and x = 22 is S(a1, 22) =n 2.
413. Soap Bubble Page 59
Determine a rate u of the radius R of a soap bubble decreasing when
being deflated via a tube of a radius r << R. The tube volume is
negligible compared to the bubble volume, the air inside the bubble
can be regarded as being still. ‘The surface tension of the soap solution
is o. The air flowing out of the bubble can be considered as an ideal
incompressible liquid of a density p.
414. Conducting Sphere Page 59
‘A point charge is located at a distance R/3 from the centre O of a con-
ducting sphere of radius R (fig. 8). A point charge Qz is located outside
the sphere at a distance 22. The sphere is connected to the ground via
aswitch K and a battery of an emf &. A separation between the sphere
and the ground is much greater than R. Assume the Barth potential
to be zero.
1. Determine the potential y at the sphere centre when the switch K
is open.
2. Determine the charge Q accumulated on the sphere after the switch
had been closed and the system attained equilibrium.
10415. Circuit and Solenoid Page 60
An electric circuit consists of two resistors Ry
and Rp and a capacitor C (fig. 7). The con-
ducting wire AB passes along a diameter
of a loop of a long solenoid in which the cur-
rent linearly increases with time. Determine
the charge q stored by the capacitor in a sta-
tionary regime if the current flowing through
AR, in this regime equals J;.
Final stage 2006
416. Capacitor Parameters Page 61
The Wheatstone bridge circuit (fig. 9) is used to determine a capac-
itance and a leakage resistance (C2, rg) of a capacitor. The bridge
is balanced when a harmonic alternating voltage is applied. It turns
out, the balance persists even under variations of the voltage frequency.
Determine C2 and rz providing rj = 2500 2, rg = 10 2, L3 = 1H,
and 74 = 800 Q.
2k
Figure 8
ay417. Exploded Projectile ‘ Page 61
A projectile of mass M = 100 kg was fired from a cannon. At some
point of its trajectory the projectile exploded and split in two fragments
with initial momenta p; = 36-10? kg «m/s and pz = 24- 108 kg» m/s.
The angle between the momenta was @ = 60°. Determine the ratio
of the fragment masses which minimises a change AE of the kinetic
energy due to the explosion. Determine AEjnin-
418. Tethered Puck Page 62
‘A round vertical cylinder of a radius R
is fixed on a horizontal plane (fig. 10).
‘An inextensible thread of a length L
is attached at the cylinder side near
the bottom, initially the thread is tan-
gent to the side. A small puck (of neg-
ligible size) is attached to the other end of the thread. The puck is
given an initial velocity vo perpendicular to the thread, so the puck
starts sliding on the plane.
Figure 10
1. How long will the puck motion (winding the thread around the cylin-
der) last if there is no friction?
2. How long will the puck motion last if there is a friction between
the puck and the plane? The coefficient of friction is p.
419. Two Thermodynamic Processes Page 64
A diagram (fig. 11) shows a container B
connected to a cylinder under a piston.
The container volume is Vy = 0.2 m’,
the initial net volume of the cylinder and
the container is Vi = kVo where k = 2.72.
The system contains air (a diatomic gas)
under a pressure pp = 10° Pa and at the ambient temperature. The air
from the cylinder is then displaced to the container by moving the pis-
ton. Determine a heat transferred to the system surroundings during
the process. Consider two possibilities:
Figure 11
121. The piston is moving slowly (quasistatically), so at any moment
the system remains in equilibrium with its surroundings.
2. The piston is moving fast enough, so that a heat exchange between
the system and the surroundings can be neglected while the air inside
the system can be considered as being in thermal equilibrium at any
moment. After the process is completed the temperature in the con-
tainer gradually equilibrates with the ambient temperature.
Note. An adiabatic process is described by the equation
pV” = const,
where y = C,/Cy.
420. At Solenoid Butt Page 65
Figure 12
A thin round superconductor ring lies on a thin non-magnetic sheet
upon a butt of a long vertical solenoid (fig. 12). The ring is coax-
ial with the solenoid. Initially, a current I, through the solenoid and
a current J in the ring are zero. A non-uniform magnetic field is pro-
duced near the solenoid butt for a nonzero I,. The vertical B, and
the radial B, components of the magnetic induction B near the butt
can be approximated by
B, = Bo(1— a2),
B, = Bor,
13where a and # are constants and Bo is determined by I,. At some mo-
ment, the current J, starts flowing and gradually increases. Determine:
1, the critical value I of the current J, at which the superconductor
ring starts levitating above the sheet;
2. the ring clevation above the sheet when I, = 20;
3. the frequency of small oscillations of the ring at I. = 2Jo (assuming
the ring is displaced along the solenoid axis by a small distance Az
from the equilibrium position).
Numerical data: a = 36 m}, 6 = 18 m™|, the ring mass is
m—100 mg, the ring coefficient of self-inductance is L = 1.8 - 10-8 H,
the number of turns of the solenoid is n = 10° per meter, the ring area
is S$ = 1 cm?, and the magnetic constant is ju = 1-257 - 10-8 H/m.
Federal stage 2007
421. Slipping Rope Page 66
A firmly fixed symmetric tube consists of three parts:
B C. two straight vertical segments AB and CD and a semi-
circle BC (fig. 13). A heavy uniform rope is threaded
through the tube, the rope can slide within the tube
A D_ without friction. Initially, both ends of the rope are
at the same height and the rope is at rest. Then the rope
has been slightly pushed and started sliding.
Determine the rope acceleration a and a fraction k
Figure 13 of the rope length traveled by the lower end to the mo-
ment when the vertical component of the force exerted on the rope
by the tube vanishes. At any time the length of the bent part BC is
negligible compared to the length of a vertical part of the rope.
422. Pair of Unequal Lenses Page 68
Two thin lenses L; and L2 with focal lengths F, and F) are separated
by adistance L. A thin lens Lg is placed between Ly and Lo, so that any
beam coming to the optical system at a small angle to the optical axis
remains parallel to itself when leaving the system. Determine a focal
length F3 of Ls, the distance 1; between Lg and Ly, and the distance ly
between D3 and Ly. Optical axes of all three lenses coincide.
14@23. «Running Away» Liquid Page 69
One side of a tall symmetric U-shaped tube with a cross-
sectional area S is open to the atmosphere, the other
side is sealed. The tube is filled with a liquid of a den-
sity p, so that the open side is filled to the brim while
the liquid level in the sealed side is lower by h because of
air left under the lid (fig. 14). The tube is being heated
from the initial room temperature T} to the liquid boiling
temperature TJ) at an atmospheric pressure Po.
Determine the volume AV of the liquid spilled out
of the open side before the boiling, provided the liquid
level in the sealed side remained above the horizontal part of the tube.
Evaporation from the open side and the pressure of saturated vapour
at room temperature can be neglected.
Figure 14
$24. Particle and Variable Capacitor Page 70
One plate of a plane capacitor is fixed while the other one can move.
A distance between the plates can be varied between 0 and d. A power
source maintains a constant voltage U across the capacitor regardless
of the distance between the plates. The task is to accelerate a particle
with a charge q > 0, which initially stays at rest between the plates,
to the maximum kinetic energy possible. In so doing, the particle should
not approach a plate to a distance less than a. Determine this energy,
the polarity of the power source, the initial particle position, and how
one should move the plate in order to attain the maximum energy.
The force of gravity and edge effects can be ignored.
Note. The indefinite integral of 1/(# + k) is In(x + k).
25. Electromagnetic Gun Page 71
A long solenoid of a radius r produces a uniform magnetic field By along
its axis O (fig. 15). A straight tube AM made of a dielectric is fixed in
a plane perpendicular to the axis at a distance Ro from it. The angle
AOM equals a = x/3. The tube is much shorter than the solenoid.
A small sphere of a mass m, which carries a positive charge q, is placed
inside the tube. Determine the sphere velocity at the moment of de-
parture from the tube. Consider the following cases:
151. The magnetic field quickly vanishes, so the sphere travels a distance
much less than Ro during this time. .
2. The magnetic field decreases at a constant rate dB/dt = —k < 0
during the time of sphere motion inside the tube.
A friction and an electromagnetic force exerted by the tube on the sphere
are negligible.
Figure 15
Final stage 2007
426. Particle Annihilation Page 72
A proton pt and an antiproton p~ are separated by a distance
L = 10 cm in vacuum. Both particles have the same mass
m = 1.67- 10-27 kg and the same absolute value of electric charge
e = 1.602-10-19 C. Initially, the particles are at rest. When a distance
between the particles becomes less than | = 10-38 m, they annihilate
and produce 7-quanta.
1. What velocities will the particles have at this separation?
2. What time it will take the particles to approach?
3. Is it necessary to take into account the gravitational force between
the particles? Justify your answer with a calculation.
Electric constant is €9 = 0.885 - 10~!! C?/(N- m2).
Gravitational constant is G = 6.67 - 1071! N-m*/kg?.
16427. Colliding Disks Page 74
Two small disks with smooth lateral sides lie on horizontal plane with
a coefficient of friction y. Initially, the first disk was at rest and the sec-
ond one collided with it at a velocity %. Determine the distance between
disks when they stopped moving, providing the first disk has traveled
the distance x. Assume the collision to be elastic but not necessarily
central. What is the maximum and minimum finite distance between
the disks for a given absolute value of velocity v and the coefficient
of friction 44? Neglect the disk size. The free fall acceleration is g.
428. Heating Main Page 74
Heating plant supplies a residential district by water at high pressure
and an output temperature Zp = 120°C. Water flows inside a steel pipe
of a radius R = 20 cm insulated with a h = 4 cm layer of mineral wool,
the pipe is located in the open air. The water flow rate is 4 = 100 kg/s.
The ambient temperature is T, = —20°C. The coefficient of thermal
conductivity of the wool is x = 0.08 W/(m-K). The coefficient of ther-
mal conductivity of steel is several orders of magnitude higher than that
of the wool.
Determine the temperature T at the pipe other end in two cases:
1. The heating pipe length is L; = 10 km.
2. The heating pipe length is Lj = 100 km.
The specific heat capacity of water is c = 4200 J/(kg + K).
Note. The amount of heat Ag passing through a layer with an area S
and a thickness h per a time At for a temperature gradient AT is given
by the equation Aq = x($/h)ATAt, where x is a coefficient of thermal
conductivity.
429. Parametric Oscillations Page 76
A diagram (fig. 16) shows a circuit with a capacitor C(t)
C which capacitance is varied by moving its plates.
Suppose that a minor disturbance initiated small os-
cillations with a capacitor voltage amplitude of several L A
millivolts. At the moment of maximum voltage the ca-
pacitance is sharply reduced by a factor ¢ = |AC|/C. .
In a quarter of the period VLC the capacitance is Figure 16
17Figure 17
sharply increased to the original value; in the next quarter the capaci-
tance is again reduced by € etc. Under certain conditions this process
can induce undamped electric oscillation in the circuit.
The circuit contains a nonlinear element (incandescent light bulb A)
which I-V curve is shown in the diagram (fig. 17).
1. Determine the minimum value émin required to initiate nondamped
oscillations in the circuit provided L = 0.1 H and C = 10-7 F.
2. Determine the amplitude of stationary oscillations across the bulb,
ife=3%.
$30. Light Emitting Diodes Page 78
A metal rod is traveling at a constant velocity between poles of a large
round electromagnet of a radius R = 5 cm. The magnetic induction
between the poles is uniform and equals B = 1 T, the rod velocity is
perpendicular to the field lines (fig. 18).
18The rod length exceeds 2R, its ends are
connected via flexible wires to a cir-
cuit containing a battery with an emf
& = 0.5 V and two LEDs Cj and C2.
An LED emits light if a voltage across
it exceeds U > 0.25 V for the polarity
shown in the diagram. Suppose the rod
initially touches the magnet circumfer-
ence, ie. begins to cross the magnetic
induction lines. Determine the voltage U(t) across the LEDs and
the moments of their turning on and off during the rod field crossing
(0 << 2R/v). Sketch the dependence U(t) and indicate the intervals
of LED ©; and C, lighting.
Figure 18
Federal stage 2008
31. Insulated System Page 80
A cylinder with a metal bottom and
dielectric walls is under a thin mas-
sive metal piston located at a height h
which is much smaller than the cylin-
der diameter. A resistor, which is much
smaller than the cylinder, is placed in- Figure 19
side; the resistor is connected to an electric circuit (fig. 19). The lat-
ter is connected with the piston and the cylinder bottom with light
flexible wires. Initially, the cylinder is filled with helium at a pres-
sure p >> e9&?/h?. The system is thermally insulated, placed in vac-
uum, and stays in thermal equilibrium.
Then the switch K is closed. Determine the maximum height H the pis-
ton is able to reach when the system attains an equilibrium.
Heat: capacity of the cylinder and piston is negligible. The resistance r
can be considered constant. A friction between the piston and the cylin-
der can be neglected. Helium is considered as an ideal gas. The electric
permittivity of helium is taken to be eye = 1.
19432. Which Efficiency is Greater? : Page 81
‘An ideal monoatomic gas undergoes a cyclic
process C’ which consists of two isochors and
two isobars. The same gas undergoes a sim-
ilar process D (fig. 20). Which process has
a greater efficiency? Evaluate np providing
the efficiency of C equals nc. For both processes
Apn = Aps2 = Ap and AVa, = AV32 = AV,
y_ although their numerical values are unknown.
Figure 20
433. Very Thick Lens Page 82
A transparent plate with a refractive index n is bounded by two spher-
ical surfaces of curvature radii R and r < R.
1, What should a plate thickness L be in order to transform a paral-
lel beam incident on the surface with the curvature radius R into
a parallel one?
2. By which factor does the beam intensity increase (the energy trans-
ferred per unit area per unit time) after it passes through the plate?
Neglect a loss of the beam energy inside the plate.
3. What is the angular magnification of a distant object by the plate?
934. Athlet Ant Page 84
An ant is sliding on a smooth straw starting from a point A without
an initial velocity; the sloping straight segment AB is smoothly joined
to an arc BC with a curvature radius R, and the arc is smoothly joined
to a horizontal straight segment CD (fig. 22).
It is given that AB: BO: CD =1: 2: 3 and the total length
of the path is much smaller than R. Evaluate the time of ant sliding
on the straw from the point A to the point D.
435. Massive Rope Page 86
A weight, is held at rest by means of a massive uniform rope, a mov-
ing pulley of radius R, and a pulley attached to a fixed mounting
20Figure 22
Figure 21
point (fig. 21). The rope mass is m, its length is 1, and a net mass
of the weight and the moving pulley is M. Vertical distances H, and
Hg are known.
1. Determine the rope tension at a point B.
2. Determine the force F applied to the rope at a point K.
Neglect a friction in the pulley axes.
Final stage 2008
$36. Rotation of Charged Cylinder Page 86
A long dielectric thin-wall cylinder
of a radius R, a length L > R,
and a mass M carries an electric
charge of a uniform surface den-
sity ¢ (C/m?). The cylinder can ro-
tate without friction around its axis
under a force exerted by a weight
of a mass m suspended by a light
thread wound around the cylin-
der (fig. 23).
Determine the weight acceleration. The magnetic constant jug is known.
Figure 23
21$37. Weight and Springs ‘ Page 87
4 A weight of @ mass m lies at rest
I on asmooth horizontal table; two iden-
Lowry & | tical springs with the same spring con-
v stant k are attached to it (fig. 24).
. 0 The left end of the spring I is attached
Figure 24 to a wall. The right end of the spring II
starts to be slowly pulled at t = 0 at a constant velocity u.
1. In what time will the weight have the velocity u at the first time?
2. At what distance from the initial position will the weight be
at, this moment?
Directive. Consider the motion in the frame moving at a velocity u/2.
38. Utilisation of Wave Power Page 88
to turbine
working
cavity
Figure 25
The first device utilising the power of sea waves was engineered in 1964
to produce electricity for a beacon. The design is shown in the figure 25.
When the piston goes down, a portion of air is pumped in through
a valve Ko, then it is compressed and enters a working cavity through
a valve K;. When the water level goes down, the valve Ki closes and Ky
opens. The volume of air pumped in for a single cycle is Vj = 0.233 m3,
the pressure p; = 1.0- 10° Pa, and the temperature t1 = 7°C.
22When the water level begins to rise, the valve K2 closes and the piston
adiabatically compresses the air to a pressure p2 = 6.0- 10° Pa. Then
the valve K; opens and the piston goes upward until all air is expelled
into the working cavity. On the way, the air rotates a turbine and
an electric generator. After the valve K) opens, the air pressure under
the piston remains approximately constant.
Determine the work done by water per a cycle. Neglect the piston mass
and a friction between the piston and the walls. Air can be considered
as an ideal diatomic gas for which y = Cp/Cy = 7/5. The universal
gas constant is 2 = 8.31 J/(mol- K).
439. Charged Soap Bubble Page 89
A soap bubble of a mass m = 0.01 g
has a coefficient of surface tension
a = 0.01 N/m, the bubble has
been inflated through a short thin
tube (fig. 26).
The bubble is then charged with an
electric charge Q = 5.4- 1078 C.
The tube remains open.
1. Determine an equilibrium radius Ro of the bubble.
2. Determine a period of small spherical oscillations of the bubble.
3. The bubble suddenly receives a charge Q; = 10Q, estimate a speed
of the spray.
Electric constant is ¢9 = 8.85 - 10-1? C?/(J-m).
Figure 26
440. Optical System Page 90
There is a rumour that Snell’s archive contains
a drawing of some optical system. The ink a|
has faded with time and the only sketches re- bf
mained are those of a converging lens, an object,
and its real image; all of them are being paral-
lel (fig. 27). From the comments to the drawing,
it is clear that there was a plane mirror behind
the lens. Using the drawing, restore the mirror
position and locate the lens focal points. Figure 27
23Final stage 2009 ‘
441. Bungee Jumping Page 92
In a dizzy sport, a person of a mass m = 70 kg jumps from a platform
to a laket. A rubber cord of a length L and with a spring constant
k is fastened to person’s legs. The other end of the cord is attached
to the platform. Near the water surface the person must have zero
velocity and an acceleration a9 = 2g. Assume g = 10 m/. 's? and that
the cord obeys Hooke’s law. Neglect person’s dimensions, a cord mass,
air drag, and energy losses.
Determine:
1. the length L of unstretched cord and its spring constant k;
2. the cord length at the equilibrium position;
3. the person maximum speed Umax}
4. in what time 7 the person reaches the water surface.
Attention! The accuracy of your calculations could possibly be crucial
for a person safety!
442. Electric Circuit with Inductor Page 93
Parameters &,R,L of the circuit shown
6 in the diagram (fig. 28) are known.
Initially the switch is open and there is no
current in the circuit containing the inductor.
R ‘Then the switch was closed for some time and
opened again. —
It is known that a charge go passed through
the inductor when the switch was closed.
The net heat released in the circuit after
the switch was opened is Qo.
Figure 28
Assuming the circuit elements to be ideal, determine
1. a current Jy flowing through the inductor just before the switch was
opened;
2. acharge qi passed through the resistor R when the switch was closed;
twww.youtube.com/watch?y=uIB7u-Cbq2Q
243. a charge q2 passed through the resistor R after the switch was
opened;
4, anet work A done by a DC power source during the whole process;
5. a net heat Q released in the circuit when the switch was closed.
Directive. Determine a relation between a charge passed through the re-
sistor R and a change of magnetic flux in the inductor.
443. Kelvin’s Problem Page 94
‘There is a rumour that Kelvin’s archive
contains a plot of a thermodynamic cy- 499
cle performed over one mole of an ideal © -—I
monoatomic gas (fig. 29). The ink has 0.5 1
faded with time, so there are no traces ‘4
of T-axis (temperature) and V-axis
(volume) left. Comments to the plot
say that a temperature at the point A is equal to 400 K, the volume
is 41, the pressure is minimal, and the coordinate origin is in a plot
lower part. The plot scale is shown.
1. Reconstruct the T- and V-axes.
2. Determine the maximum gas pressure in the cycle.
A
Figure 29
444. Heat Exchange with Environment Page 95
A heater, with a power output Po = 400 W, is placed into a con-
tainer with a water-ice mixture at 7 = 0 min. The mixture is being
vigorously stirred. A plot in fig. 30 shows a mixture temperature t¢ ver-
sus time 7. A heat exchange Q with an environment is proportional
to a temperature difference At = t — to, where to is the ambient tem-
perature. Assume that to = 0 °C, so Q = at, where a is a temperature
independent factor. Using the plot of t(r), determine:
1. the initial mass m, of ice in the mixture;
2. the net mass M of the mixture;
3. the factor a;
4. the maximum power output Prax of the heater, such that water
would never boil;
255. atime 7; from the beginning of ice melting to the beginning of water
boiling for the heater power output P, = 300 W.
The specific heat capacity of water is cw = 4200 J/(kg- K); the specific
heat of fusion of ice is \ = 3.2 - 10° J/kg.
tec
uy
10045
80-
604}
20:
1m min
Page 96
During an olympiad the contesters
were given a task to determine fo-
cal lengths of two thin converg-
ing lenses placed at the butts
of an empty cylinder which length
4 Piguet was L = 20.0 om (fig. 31).
‘A contester Basil Haughtykin did the experiment accurately and ob-
tained the following results:
1. If a point-like source of light is placed at the cylinder left at a dis-
tance 1; = 5.0 cm, the light passing through the system comes out
of the right end as a parallel beam.
262. Ifa parallel beam is incident on the left butt, the light coming out
of the right butt converges to a point on the cylinder axis at a dis-
tance l2 = 10.0 cm from the right butt.
However, Haughtykin could not determine the focal lengths F, and Fy
of these lenses using his data. Please, help poor Basil.
Final stage 2010
446. Chain on Sphere Page 97
A uniform chain of a length L is being held
by its end at the top of a smooth spherical sur-
face of a radius R , where L < 7R/2 (fig. 32).
Then the chain end is released.
1. What is an acceleration a (the absolute value)
of a chain element right after the release?
Figure 32 2. At which chain point is a tension T’ maximal
right after the release?
anR
Consider a special case when the chain length L equals +.
447. Motion of Charged Particles Page 99
Four point masses m freely float in space
being initially at the corners of a square
inscribed in a circle of radius Ro.
Two particles have electric charge +g,
the other two have a charge —g (fig. 33).
Initially the masses were given the same
clockwise velocities tangent to the circle.
It is known that the minimum distance
between a mass and the circle centre O
during the motion equals R; (R; < Rp).
Suppose that the system remains symmetrical with respect to the axis O
during the time of observation. Gravity force is negligible.
1. Determine the mass trajectories;
2. Determine a period of their motion.
Figure 33
27448. Unipolar Inductor ‘ Page 100
A unipolar inductor is a rapidly rotating disk-
B shaped permanent magnet. The disk is made
of an electrically conducting magnetic alloy,
which is able to produce a strong magnetic field,
and it is covered by a thin conducting layer
of nickel.
w Disk rotation generates an electric potential
Figure 34 across the axis of rotation and the lateral
side, the potential can be measured by a volt-
meter (fig. 34). If, on the other hand, a battery is connected to the axis
of rotation and to the lateral side, the magnet starts rapidly spinning,
thereby becoming an electric motor. Similarly, if one rapidly rotates
a shaft of a regular electric motor, it becomes an electric generator;
if a voltage is applied to a generator, it becomes a motor.
A diagram (fig. 35) shows a scheme of a work-
B ing unipolar electric motor, which rotor is a disk
——— ofradius ro = 2 cm made of a strong permanent
magnet fitted on a shaft. The disk starts rapidly
spinning when a battery of an emf & = 1.5 V
is connected to it via sliding contacts.
Note. To simplify calculations assume that
Figure 35 the vector of magnetic induction B in the con-
ducting nickel layer is perpendicular to the disk
upper surface, its magnitude is constant and equal to B = 1 T. Assume
that a current in the conducting layer flows along radii.
1. What are the readings of a voltmeter (fig. 34) at a frequency of disk
rotation equal to v = 3000 rev/min ? What is the voltage polarity?
Indicate the polarity in the diagram (fig. 34).
2, Assume a friction to be negligible and estimate the maximum
frequency of rotation (rev/min) of a magnetised disk (the rotor
of unipolar motor in figure 35). Indicate the direction of rota-
tion for the battery polarity and the magnetic induction B shown
(Bg. 35).
28449. Heat Engine Page 101
A heat engine operates according to a Carnot cycle with a hot source
temperature T, = 800 K. Heat exchange between a working substance
and a cold sink with a temperature T, = 300 K proceeds at a temper-
ature T via a massive body, which is thermally insulated from the en-
vironment. The body transfers per a time At a net energy Q2 received
from the engine to the sink by means of thermal conductivity according
to a law Qo = a(T — Ty)At, where a = 1 kW/K (fig. 36).
The temperature T of the body-mediator depends on the work A = PAt
done by the engine, where P is the engine power.
1. Express P in terms of T,, Tz and T.
2. Determine a temperature T’ of the mediator which maximises
the engine output.
3. Determine the maximum power Pmax of the engine.
4. What is the heat engine efficiency at the maximum power output?
Hot source Working Cold sink
agen, -
Qe Q2
T, = 800 K ~| 7 |~!%=300K
A= a
Figure 36
450. Motion without Sliding Page 102
A long board of a mass mj lies at rest on a smooth horizontal surface
of a table; a slab of a mass mg is put on the right end of the board.
The slab is tethered to a wall by a light uncompressed spring with
a spring coefficient k. A weight of a mass M is attached to the board via
a light inextensible cord threaded through a pulley (fig. 37). Initially
the system is at rest. There is a dry friction between the slab and
the board. The board length and the initial distance between the pulley
and the board are large enough.
291. Which path L will the slab travel before it starts sliding on the board?
2. Study how this result depends on the coeffi¢ient of friction 1.
3. Evaluate a time ¢ the slab will travel the distance L.
Final stage 2011
$51. Trifilar Pendulum Page 103
A massive ring is suspended on three identical thin vertical threads
of a length L (fig. 38).
1. Determine a period of small torsional oscillations of the ring around
the axis OO’.
2. How much will the period of the torsional oscillations change
if a small body of the same mass as that of the ring is placed
at the ring centre (the point O) by means of light spokes?
Hint: For « < 1 the cosine approximation can be used: cosa © 1—a"/2.
Figure 37
Figure 38
$52. Charged Particle Inside Solenoid Page 104
A diagram (fig. 39) shows a cross-section of a long straight coil
(a solenoid) with a coil radius r = 10 cm. The number of turns per
1 meter of the solenoid length is n = 500m™!. A direct current
I =1.0 A flows (clockwise) in the solenoid coils.
30A charged particle accelerated by a potential
U = 10° V flies into the solenoid via a gap
between the coils at a point A. The particle velocity
at A is pointing along a solenoid radius. The parti-
cle is traveling inside the solenoid in a plane perpen-
dicular to its axis and exits the solenoid at a point
C at an angle a = 60° with respect to its initial
direction. Determine:
1. a sign of the particle charge; (am)
2. a curvature radius of the particle trajectory in- Figure 39
side the solenoid;
3. a specific charge of the particle (ie. the charge-to-mass ratio).
Magnetic constant is o = 4m - 10-7 (of SI units).
$53. Capacitor Leak Page 106
A plane capacitor of a capacitance Cp is filled
with a weakly conducting layered medium
of a dielectric permittivity « = 1, which spe-
cific conductivity depends on a distance x
to the lower capacitor plate as p = po(1+ 2), Figure 40
where d is the plate separation. The capacitor
is connected to a battery of a voltage Uo (fig. 40). Determine:
1. a current flowing through the capacitor;
2. a charge on the lower (q,) and upper (q2) capacitor plates;
3. a volume charge q within the capacitor (i.e. in the medium between
the plates);
4. an electric energy W, stored by the capacitor.
$54. Piston Stability Page 107
A vertical cylinder sealed at the bottom
has a length L = 1.50 m. Its upper end Tl tah
is opened into another cylinder of a much L
larger diameter (fig. 41). A thin light pis-
ton is located in the lower cylinder at a dis-
tance h = hy = 380 mm from its upper
end. There are a layer of mercury of a height h + Ah, where Ah < h,
Figure 41
31above the piston and helium at a pressure p1 = po + Pregl, where
po = 760 mmHg is the atmospheric pressure and pyg = 13.6 g/cm? is
a density of mercury, below the piston. A change in Ah resulting from
a displacement of a piston inside the lower cylinder is negligible because
the diameters of the cylinders differ significantly.
The piston is in equilibrium. Is its equilibrium position stable?
Are there other equilibrium positions? If so, at which distances h;
of the piston from the upper end are they located? Are these equilib-
rium positions stable? One can assume that the temperature of helium
under the piston does not vary under a small change of the volume.
$55. Planar Waveguide Page 108
~
= Se 6)
——sS C-
L ?
j~——_______4
Figure 42
A point-like source S$ is placed near the left butt of a finely polished
transparent plate with a refractive index n (fig. 42). A plate thickness
is H = 1 cm and its length is L = 100 cm. Light from the source
is incident on the left butt of the plate at all possible angles (0—90°).
An observer’s eye catches both direct rays from the source and the rays
which underwent multiple internal reflections on the plate lateral sides.
1. What is the maximum number of reflections undergone by a ray go-
ing out the right butt of the plate? Solve the problem for two values
of the refractive index: m1 = 1.73 and ng = 1.3.
2. In which of these two cases the light partially escapes the plate
through its lateral sides?
32Final stage 2012
$56. Bag of Flour Page 110
A paper bag of flour falls from a height h = 4 cm without initial velocity
on the measuring pan of a spring scale. The scale pointer had initially
deviated to m; = 6 kg and eventually settled at mp = 2 kg when
oscillations decayed. The spring constant is k = 1.5 kN/m. Determine
amass M of the measuring pan.
Note. Assume the free fall acceleration to be g = 10 m/s?.
$57. Magnetism Page 111
Two metal rods AB and CD can move
without friction along two horizontal paral-
lel rails separated by a distance | (fig. 43).
A rod has a mass m and a resistance R.
A uniform magnetic field B is perpendic-
ular to the plane of the rails. Initially
the rods are perpendicular to the rails and
separated by a distance d. The rod CD is
at rest and the rod AB is given an initial
velocity vg which is parallel to the rails away from CD.
Figure 43
1. How far away will the rods be after a long time?
2. How much heat will be produced by the system?
Neglect a resistance of the rails.
$58. Linear Process Page 113
One mole of an ideal polyatomic gas pro- _p}
ceeds from a state B, in which its temper- B
ature is Tg = 217°C, to a state D. In ~\
the process, there is a linear relation be- D
tween gas pressure and volume, its temper-
ature monotonously decreases, and a heat
is being transferred to the gas all the way 9 Figure 44 Vv
(fig. 44).
Determine the maximum work the gas can perform in such a process.
33