EXAM 1 - ANSWERS

Choose the correct answer showing your working

First : Thermal Physics ( 1.5 mark each)

1 ) Which of the following is incorrect regarding the first law of thermodynamics ?
( a ) It is the restatement of the principle of conservation of energy.
( b ) It is not applicable to any cyclic process.
( c ) It introduces the concept of entropy.
( d ) It introduces the concept of the internal energy.

2 ) A system goes from A to B via two processes Ι and ΙΙ as

shown in figure. If ∆U1 and ∆U2 are the changes in internal
energies in the processes Ι and ΙΙ respectively, then
( a ) relation between ∆U1 and ∆U2 cannot be determined
( b ) ∆U1 = ∆U2
( c ) ∆U2 < ∆U1
( d ) ∆U2 > ∆U1

3 ) The temperature – entropy diagram of a reversible engine cycle

is given in the figure. Its efficiency is

( a ) 1/ 4 ( b ) 1 /2
( c ) 2/ 3 ( d ) 1 /3

4) A gaseous mixture consists of 16 g of Helium and 16 g of oxygen. The ratio Cp / Cv of the

mixture is
( a ) 1.62 ( b ) 1 59 ( c ) 1.54 ( d ) 1.4

5) Which of the following statements is correct for any thermodynamic system ?

( a ) The internal energy changes in all processes.
( b ) Internal energy and entropy are state functions.
( c ) The change in entropy can never be zero.
( d ) The work done in an adiabatic process is always zero.

6) One mole of ideal monatomic gas ( γ = 5 / 3 ) is mixed with one mole of diatomic gas
( γ = 7 / 5 ). What is γ for the mixture ?
( a ) 3/ 2 ( b ) 23 / 15 ( c ) 35 / 23 ( d ) 4 /3

P.T.O
7 ) “Heat cannot by itself flow from a body at lower temperature to a body at higher
temperature” is a statement as a consequence of
( a ) conservation of mass ( b ) conservation of momentum
( c ) first law of thermodynamics ( d ) second law of thermodynamics

8) During an adiabatic process, the pressure of a gas is found to be proportional to the

cube of its absolute temperature. The rati Cp / Cv for the gas is
(a) 2 ( b) 3/ 2 ( c ) 4/ 3 ( d ) 5 /3

9) Which of the following parameters does not characterize the thermodynamic state of
matter ?
( a ) work ( b ) volume ( c ) pressure ( d ) temperature

10) For an isothermal expansion of a perfect gas, the value of ∆P / P is equal to

2
( a ) - ∆V / V ( b ) γ ∆V / V ( c )γ ∆V / V ( d ) - γ ∆V / V

11) The translational kinetic energy of gas molecules at temperature T for one mole of

gas is
( a ) ( 3 / 2 ) RT ( b ) ( 9 / 2 ) RT ( c ) ( 1 / 3 ) RT ( d ) ( 5 / 2 ) RT

12) A gas at 300 K, enclosed in a container, is placed in a fast moving train. When the
train is in motion, the temperature of the gas
( a ) rises above 300 K ( b ) falls below 300 K
( c ) remains unchanged ( d ) becomes unsteady

13) An ideal gas expands isothermally from volume V1 to V2 and then compressed to
original volume V adiabatically. Initial pressure is P1 ,and final pressure is P3. The total
work done is W. Then
( a ) P3 > P1, W > 0 ( b ) P3 < P1, W< 0
( c ) P3 > P1, W < 0 ( d ) P3 = P1, W = 0
14) An ideal gas is taken through the cycle A → B → C → A,
as shown in the figure. If the net heat supplied to the gas in
the cycle is 5 J, the work done by the gas in the process C
→ A is,
(a) -5 J ( b ) - 10 J ( c ) - 15 J ( d ) - 20 J

15) The PT diagram for an ideal gas is shown in the figure, where AC is
an adiabatic process. Which of the following is the corresponding PV
diagram ?

none
16) In a given process of an ideal gas, dW = 0 and dQ < 0. Then for the gas
( a ) the temperature will decrease ( b ) the volume will increase
( c ) the pressure will remain constant ( d ) the temperature will increase

17) Two cylinders A and B fitted with pistons contain equal amounts of an ideal diatomic gas at
300 K. The piston of A is free to move, while that of B is held fixed. The same amount of heat is given
to the gas in each cylinder. If the rise in temperature of the gas in A is 30 K, then the rise
in temperature of the gas in B is
( a ) 30 K ( b ) 18 K ( c ) 50 K ( d ) 42 K

18) During the melting of a slab of ice at 273 K at atmospheric pressure

( a ) positive work is done by the ice-water system on the atmosphere
( b ) positive work is done by the ice-water system by the atmosphere
( c ) the internal energy of the ice-water system increases
( d ) the internal energy of the ice-water system decreases

19) The average translational kinetic energy of O2 ( molar mass 32 ) molecules at a particular temperature is
0.048 V The translational kinetic energy of N2 ( molar mass 28 ) in eV at the same temperature is
( a ) 0.0015 ( b ) 0 003 ( c ) 0.048 ( d ) 0.768

20) A vessel contains 1 mole of O2 gas ( molar mass 32 ) at a temperature T. The pressure of the
gas is P. An identical vessel containing one mole of the gas ( molar mass 4 ) at a temperature
2T has a pressure of
( a ) P/ 8 (b) P ( c ) 2P ( d ) 8P

21) The temperature of an ideal gas is increased from 120 K to 480 K. If at 120 K the root mean
square velocity of the gas molecules is V, then at 480 K it becomes
( a ) 4V ( b ) 2V ( c ) V/ 2 ( d) V /4

22) An ideal gas is taken from the state A ( pressure P, volume V ) to state B ( pressure
P / 2, volume 2V ) along a straight line path in the P-V diagram. Select the correct statement ( s )
from the following:
( a ) The work done by the gas in the process A to B exceeds that work that would be
done by it if the system were taken from A to B along an isotherm.
( b ) In the T-V diagram, the path AB becomes a part of a parabola.
( c ) In the P-T diagram, the path AB becomes a part of a hyperbola.
( d ) In going from A to B, the temperature T of the gas first increases to a maximum
value and then decreases.

23) For an ideal gas:

( a ) the change in internal energy in a constant rea sure process from temperature T 1
to T2 is equal to nCv( T2 - T1 ), where Cv is th mo ar specific heat at constant
volume and n the number of moles of the gas
( b ) the change in internal energy of the gas and the work done by the gas are equal
in magnitude in an adiabatic process
( c ) the internal energy does not change in an is thermal process
( d ) no heat is added or removed in an adiabatic process
Second: Geometric Optics: (1 mark Each)

1. Which of the following is true about light?

I) It is an electromagnetic wave
II) It does not propagates in vacuum
III) Its maximum speed is approximately 3×108 m/s
A) I only B) I and II only C) I and III only D) III only E) I, II and III
P.T.O

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2. The speed of light in a certain material is 50% of its speed in vacuum. What is the refractive index of
this material?
A) 1.5 B) 0.5 C) 6.0 D) 2.0 E) 1.5×108
3. What is the critical angle ic at the interface glass-cladding of an optical fiber whose core has a
refractive index equal to 1.5 and cladding with a refractive index 1.45?
A) 15° B) 105° C) 86° D) 83° E) 75°
4. Which of the following is true about light with a single wavelength?
I) It can be refracted
II) It cannot be dispersed
III) It can be reflected
A) I, II and III B) I and II only C) II and III only D) I and III only E) None
5. A ray of light is incident in medium (1) where light has speed s1 onto the interface with medium (2)
where light has speed s2. If s1 > s2, then at the interface
A) the ray will refract away from the normal to the interface
B) the ray will refract toward from the normal to the interface
C) the ray will follow a straight path from medium (1) to medium (2)
D) the angle of reflection is greater than the angle of incidence
E) the angle of reflection is not equal to the angle of incidence
6. An object of height 10 cm is placed 50 cm in front of a bi-convex lens with a focal length of 20 cm.
Which of the following is true about the image?
I) The image is virtual
II) The image is situated on the opposite side as the object
III) The image is inverted
A) I only B) I and II only C) II and III only D) II only E) III only
7. An object of height 5 cm is placed 25 cm in front of a bi-convex lens with a focal length of 10 cm.
What is the height of the image?
A) 2.5 cm B) 12.5 cm C) 6.8 cm D) - 3.4 cm E) 7.4 cm
8. An optical fiber is made up of a core of refractive index 1.6 and a cladding of refractive index 1.5.
What is the maximum angle that the light rays can make with the axis of the optical fiber so that light
is totally reflected inside the optical fiber?
A) 10° B) 15° C) 20° D) 70° E) 90°
9. For an object in front of a plane mirror, which of the following about its images is (are) true?
I) The image is real
II) The image is upright
III) The height of the image is twice the image of the object
A) I, II and III B) I and II only C) II only D) I and III only E) None
10. A concave mirror has radius of curvature of 0.2 m its focal length is :

A) -0.2 m B) - 0.1 C) 0.1 D) 0.2

Good Luck.
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Solutions to Above Questions

1. Light is an electromagnetic wave that can propagate in vacuum with a maximum speed of
approximately 3×108 m/s.
Answer: C

2. v = 50% c (c speed of light in vacuum)

Definition of refractive index n:

n=c/v

= c / 50% c = 2.0
Answer: D

3. ic = arcsin(1.45/1.5) = 75°
Answer: E

4. Light of any wavelength can be reflected and refracted. Light with a single wavelength cannot be
dispersed.
Answer: A

5.

n1 sin (i) = n2 sin (r)

Use definition of refractive index: n = c / s (c speed of light in vacuum and s speed of light in the
material)

(c/s1) sin (i) = (c / s2) sin (r)

sin (r) = (s2 / s1) sin (i)

s2 / s1 <1 leads to

sin(r) < sin (i)

r<i

The ray refract toward the normal.

Answer: B

6.

A convex lens is a converging lens. Rays parallel to the axis of a convex lens will emerge through the
lens and all pass through the same point called the principal focus.
Answer: E

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7. Let do be the distance from lens to object, di distance from lens to the image and f be the focal length.

Let hi be the height of the image and ho be the height of the object.

First use the lens equation to find di.

1/do + 1/di = 1/f

1/25 + 1/di = 1/10

solve to find di = 17 cm

Magnification equation gives

hi / ho = - di / do

hi / 5 = - 17 / 25

hi = - 3.4 cm
Answer: D

8. To have total internal reflection, the angle of incidence i must be larger than the critical angle ic.

i > ic

ic = arcsin(1.5/1.6) = 70 °

Let α be the angle made by the ray and the axis of the optical fiber. The relationship between α and i
is:

α = 90° - i

i > ic

90° - α > 70°

α < 90° - 70°

α < 20 °
Answer: C

9. The image of the object in front of a plane mirror is virtual, upright and of the same height as the
object.
Answer: C