Applies to questions of primarily educational value - not only questions that arise from actual homework assignments, but any question where it is preferable to guide the asker to the answer rather than giving it away outright.
1
vote
1answer
76 views
Pendulum in an elevator
Suppose we have a pendulum tied to the ceiling of an elevator which is at rest. The pendulum is oscillating with a time period $T$, and it has an angular amplitude, say $\beta$. Now at some time ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Rotation System Dynamics - Unit conversion issues
I'm having issues with unit conversions when for rotational systems. All of my components (spring, mass, damper) come in Imperial units, so I did all my calculations in Imperial. When I convert to ...
0
votes
1answer
89 views
Shear Flow corresponding to Eccentric Shear Force of a Closed-section Beam (Structural Analysis - Mechanics)
Been stumped with this question for way too long... its a beam with a thin-walled rectangular cross-section, and a shear force is acting at a distance from the shear center. I know my decomposition of ...
-1
votes
1answer
61 views
Lifting house with balloons [closed]
I have an assignment about the movie Up. Here is the question:
Critique the brief floating scene. Did the animators use enough balloons during this scene? What important variables, (which affect ...
-1
votes
3answers
205 views
What's the right way to calculate charge on a capacitor?
How much charge is on each plate of a 4.00-F capacitor
when it is connected to a 12.0-V battery?
I said 2.4 x 10^-5 C because there are two plates of a parallel plate capacitor. But the key said only ...
1
vote
1answer
42 views
Apparent and real depth object in water [closed]
Did I get my formula right? Seems like the correct answer is $d_o = 1.33 \times d_i$ but I thought the formula I should use is $d_i = - \frac{n_2}{n_1} d_o$
0
votes
3answers
457 views
When I connect two charged capacitors side by side, what will be the voltage across them?
Say, I have two charged capacitors, one 3mF and one 2mF. The voltage across them are 20V and 30V respectively. Now if I connect the two capacitors side by side as shown below, what will be the voltage ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
Time evolution operator to find expectation value
I have a state $\Psi (x,0) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} c_{n}u_n(x)$ and want to find the expectation value of any observable A at time t, $\langle \Psi(t)|\hat{A}|\Psi(t)\rangle$.
I know that I should ...
0
votes
3answers
291 views
charge density in a wire
if we have a infinitely thin and infinitely long straight wire on the z-Axis with given current I(t), how can i compute the charge density?
I figured out that the current-density is given by ...
0
votes
2answers
112 views
How do you calculate the time to emission of an electron from a metal given the incident radiation?
Here's the question:
A monochromatic point source of light radiates 25 W at a wavelength of 5000 angstroms. A plate of metal is placed 100 cm from the source. Atoms in the metal have a radius of 1 ...
2
votes
2answers
409 views
Gravitational field with cavity removed
I'm just struggling a little with this question:
A uniform sphere, of radius $R$, contains a spherical cavity of radius $R/4$, whose centre is $3R/8$ from the surface. The diameter passing through ...
4
votes
2answers
92 views
What's the physical difference between the quantities $\langle v_{i}v_{j}\rangle$ and $\langle v_{i}\rangle\langle v_{j}\rangle$?
What's the physical difference between the quantities $\left\langle v_{i}v_{j}\right\rangle $ and $\left\langle v_{i}\right\rangle \left\langle v_{j}\right\rangle $?
Where $\left\langle ...
4
votes
2answers
94 views
Proof for commutator relation $[\hat{H},\hat{a}] = - \hbar \omega \hat{a}$
I know how to derive below equations found on wikipedia and have done it myselt too:
\begin{align}
\hat{H} &= \hbar \omega \left(\hat{a}^\dagger\hat{a} + \frac{1}{2}\right)\\
\hat{H} &= ...
0
votes
1answer
70 views
Momentum change in colisions (Drude Model)
A particle suffers elastic colisions with scattering centers with a probability of colision per unit time $\lambda$. After a colision the particle is in a direction caracterized by a solid angle ...
0
votes
1answer
79 views
Reachable area of cannonball given fixed initial speed [closed]
The trajectory of a cannonball fired from the origin with initial speed $v_0$ at an angle $\theta$ is given by
$$y = x\tan\theta - \frac{g}{2v_0^2 \cos^2\theta}x^2.$$
For fixed $v_0$, at what angle ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
Solving a simple equation [migrated]
I am just starting to study physics and I found this equation:
$$\ x = 8 - {6t} + t^2$$
If possible please explain in a step by step.
Sorry if it's too simple.
2
votes
1answer
102 views
Induced Current, Dipole Falling Under Gravity Towards Circular Loop [closed]
Suppose a magnetic dipole $\mathbf{m} = m \hat{z}$ is falling towards a circular loop of radius $b$ under gravity. Assuming the dipole always stays along the $z$-axis of the loop, determine the ...
1
vote
1answer
166 views
What is the energy of interaction between a point charge and an infinite cylinder?
I don't remember enough from my electromagnetism course and I can't find any simple, full example on this subject.
I know, that I can consider the cylinder as a wire with the same charge density ...
2
votes
0answers
34 views
Difficulty in obtaining the Lorentzian lineshape for natural broadening [migrated]
Not sure if this maybe belongs more in the maths section, but since it comes from a physics problem i'll post here.
when calculating the natural broadening lineshape for a laser we have to take the ...
1
vote
0answers
30 views
Calculating the change in entropy in a melting process
I have a homework question that I'm completely stumped on and need help solving it.
I have a $50\, \mathrm{g}$ ice cube at $-15\, \mathrm{C}$ that is in a container of $200\, \mathrm{g}$ of water at ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
Spacetime and Timelike Intervals
The difference between a “timelike” spacetime interval and a “spacelike” spacetime interval can be understood in the following way: If the spacetime interval between two events is timelike, there ...
0
votes
0answers
312 views
Ground state energies with fermions of same spin?
Consider two non-interacting Fermions (half-integer spin) confined in
a 'box'. Construct the anti-symmetric wavefunctions and compare the
corresponding ground-state energies of the two systems; ...
0
votes
2answers
44 views
Electrical force as a replacement for Gravitational force [closed]
Suppose the force between the Earth and Moon were electrical instead of gravitational, with the Earth having a positive charge and the Moon having a negative one. If the magnitude of each charge ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Statics Moment Diagram
I am having troubles converting my shear diagram into a moment diagram. Either I am doing something wrong or MasteringEngineering is incorrectly marking it wrong. Anyway here is the problem/correct ...
1
vote
3answers
100 views
Error calculation with linear regression
I am trying to determine the boltzmann constant by using a bipolar junction transistor.
In my circuit (apparently I don't have enough point to join a image sorry), the Ebers and Moll model gives the ...
0
votes
0answers
46 views
Determining the length of a Torsional Pendulum
Currently working on this question, however I'm not sure how to solve it.
As a pendulum swings in simple harmonic motion at the surface of the Earth, the angle the pendulum makes relative to its ...
1
vote
0answers
56 views
Concentration of Proteins
You release a billion protein molecules at position $x = 0$ in the middle of a narrow capillary test
tube. The molecules’ diffusion constant is $10^{−6} \ cm^2 s^{−1}$. An electric field pulls ...
3
votes
2answers
161 views
Nonuniform acceleration due to rubber rope
What I want:
I have a rubber rope which is $5m$ in length when not stressed and is able to stretch about $100\%$ (to $10m$ long). I want to accelerate a constant mass horizontally, which has ...
2
votes
1answer
62 views
How we approach RLC circult from RLGC model?
In the text, it introduces a practical model to investigate a transmission line (like BNC cable), it considers the transmission line has resistive $R$, inductance $L$, conductance $G$ and capacitance ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Calculating the coefficient of thermal expansion in liquid
I am trying to write a matlab function that calculates the coefficient of thermal expansion of water from a given temperature. From what I understand the thermal expansion coefficient is calculated as ...
2
votes
2answers
64 views
Hamiltonian of Harmonic Oscillator with Spin Term
We have the usual Hamiltonian for the 1D Harmonic Oscillator:
$\hat{H_{0}}=\frac{\hat{P^2}}{2m} + \frac{1}{2}m \omega \hat{X^2}$
Now a new term has been added to the Hamiltonian, $\hat{H} = ...
1
vote
2answers
79 views
The electric potential and the electric field
I'm preparing for my school exam in physics and I found that I don't understand the derivation of $E = -\nablaφ$. Here is a derivation from my book:
1) Imagine that 1 and 2 are infinitely close ...
0
votes
3answers
92 views
Man in elevator, holding it, on a scale
This is the scenario where my mass is $60 kg$, the mass of the elevator is $30kg$, and due to a malfunction, I have to hold myself and the elevator at rest. The question is, if there is a weighing ...
0
votes
2answers
49 views
Escape velocity to intersection of two gravitational fields
Find the minimal velocity needed for a meteorite of mass $m$ to get to
earth from the moon. Hint: the distance between the center of earth
and the center of moon is $\approx 60 R_E$, and the ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
Physical significance of effective wave function
In Yanhua Shih's book on quantum optics, the coherence functions are expressed in terms of effective wave function. Here are the expressions for single photon wave packets.
To derive the coherence ...
3
votes
2answers
38 views
Probability of position in linear shm?
The problem that got me thinking goes like this:-
Find $dp/dx$ where $p$ is the probability of finding a body at a random instant of time undergoing linear shm according to $x=a\sin(\omega t)$. ...
-1
votes
1answer
53 views
man walking in rain:relative velocity
A man walking in rain at a speed of 3kmph find rain to be falling vertically. When he increases his speed to 6 kmph, he finds rain meeting him at an angle of 45 deg to the vertical. What is the speed ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Gas Laws And Adiabatic Process
Air at 20 degrees Celsius is compressed adiabatically from 1 bar to 10 bar, what will its temperature be?
With
$$P_1 = 1,$$ $$P_2 = 10$$
$$T_1 = 293K,$$ $$T_2 = unknown$$
using ...
1
vote
0answers
46 views
What defines the adiabatic flame temperature?
In a case, I have to solve, I need to describe the combustion of natural gas (Groningen natural gas to be more specific). However I am having some problems understanding the adiabatic flame ...
1
vote
1answer
154 views
Electric field of a flat metal plate and a point particle
I'm currently studying electric potential, and I'm having trouble with one of the problems on my homework:
A) A point particle with charge $+q$ is on the x-axis at a distance $d$ from the origin, ...
3
votes
1answer
71 views
Conservation of momentum in collision of two bodies
Suppose we have some ramp on wheels of mass $M$, standing on a
frictionless surface. A cart of mass $m$ moves with a certain velocity
$v$ towards the ramp. The cart moves up the ramp ...
1
vote
2answers
91 views
Ricci tensor for a 3-sphere without Math packets
Let's have the metric for a 3-sphere:
$$
dl^{2} = R^{2}\left(d\psi ^{2} + sin^{2}(\psi )(d \theta ^{2} + sin^{2}(\theta ) d \varphi^{2})\right).
$$
I tried to calculate Riemann or Ricci tensor's ...
-1
votes
0answers
18 views
Finding Velocity for Equal Received Wavelength from Two Moving Objects Emitting Light [closed]
In the diagram below, Spaceship 1 and Spaceship 2 are traveling towards earth from
opposite directions. Both spaceships have headlights which emit light, which, when measured in
the reference ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Determining the acceleration of one to another with three unknowns [closed]
Given the following image, how would you determine the acceleration of block A, and the acceleration of block B relative to A? I'm trying to include the pulley as part of block A but I cannot figure ...
-4
votes
1answer
47 views
High School Physics student needs help [closed]
A human cannon has a spring constant of 35 000 N/m. The spring can be extended up to 4.5m. How far horizontally would a 65kg clown be fired if the cannon is pointed upward at 45 degrees to the ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Stopping distance of two objects with equal Kinetic Energy
I'm working on a problem regarding two objects with the same kinetic energy.
Two objects with masses of $m_1$ and $m_2$ have the same kinetic energy are both moving to the right. The same constant ...
-2
votes
0answers
52 views
Mass of classical kink [closed]
related post Solving the soliton equation without energy
The energy density of kink solution is
$$\epsilon(x)= \frac{1}{2}(\frac{d \phi}{dx})^2+ V(\phi)$$
where the potential
$$V(\phi)= ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Time Dependent HydroHow would I go about writing the time dependent wave function given the wavefunction at $t=0$? gen Wave Function
1) How vwoulHow would I go about writing the time dependent wave function given the wavefunction at $t=0$?
go about writing the time dependent wave function given the wavefunction at $t=0$?
...
-3
votes
0answers
44 views
Einstein's Equation [closed]
Rewrite $T_{ab}-\frac{1}{2}R_{ab}=-8\pi T_{ab}$ in the form $$R_{ab}= \alpha T_{ab}+ \beta T^c_cg_{ab},$$
Where $\alpha$ and $\beta$ are constants.
Please, any gist on this?
5
votes
1answer
265 views
Lagrangian density for a Piano String
So I'm trying to do this problem where I'm given the Lagrangian density for a piano string which can vibrate both transversely and longitudinally. $\eta(x,t)$ is the transverse displacement and ...
