Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 329 1 Solution 2026-09-29
In a cross-section normal to the cylinder axes, measure from the line of contact. The two circular boundaries have the parabolic approximationfor their separation. The contact point of the meniscus is at , so the leading cross-sectional area isThe area of the small meniscus cap is and is lower order. At its upper end the gap has width . A tangent semicircle therefore has radius and curvature
The Young–Laplace equation makes the liquid pressure, relative to the nearly uniform gas pressure,At a fixed , lubrication theory gives a planar Poiseuille flow through a gap of width , with axial flux per unit Integrating across the cusp,The continuity equation now gives
Set . Since , this is the porous medium equationConservation of the fixed volumeand dimensional analysis give the self-similar solution . One integration of the resulting ordinary differential equation yields the compactly supported Barenblatt solutionEquivalently,Its tip is . Usingin the volume constraint gives . Therefore
For vertical cylinders at equilibrium, hydrostatic pressure gives . Balancing this with the capillary pressure gives the large-height profile
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 331 1 a Solution 2026-09-29
With and , the incompressibility condition and temperature equation hold because . The momentum equation is satisfied by the hydrostatic pressurebecause . Thus this is the conductive basic state.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 332 3 Solution Created 2026-09-29 Updated 2026-10-03
Take the rock at , the till–ice interface at , and the ice surface at . The common leading hydrostatic pressure has horizontal gradientThe thin-film momentum equations areImpose no slip at the rock, continuity of velocity and shear stress at , and zero shear at the ice surface. Expanding for gives the till flux and ice fluxThe basal shear stress isApplying mass conservation separately to the ice and till, with erosion source , givesand
In a steady state . Balancing the two terms in the till equation over length givesand henceindependently of . Without substantial lubrication, the usual shallow-ice balance gives . ThereforeThe sheet is essentially unlubricated when .
For , the sliding term dominates the ice flux:Integrating the steady till equation from , where and , givesEliminating between these equations yieldsWith and , a second integration giveswhere the physical branch decreases from to . The length condition determinesUsing this relation in the till thickness givesThus decreases monotonically from to zero. The till starts at zero, rises to one interior maximum at , and returns to zero at the margin.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 345 2 a Solution 2026-09-28
The shallow-water approximation requires , a nearly hydrostatic pressure, negligible vertical acceleration, and approximately depth-independent horizontal velocity, concentration, and density. The large Reynolds number allows viscous stress to be neglected away from thin boundary layers, while the deep ambient is taken to remain stationary.
For unit channel width, volume conservation, chemical conservation, and mass conservation are respectivelyandEntrained ambient fluid contains no chemical and enters with density ; detrained fluid carries the local concentration and density. The ambient has no horizontal momentum, whereas detrained fluid carries horizontal momentum per unit volume. The depth-integrated momentum conservation law is thereforeso .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 332 1 ii Solution 2026-09-28
Let measure height above the sponge. Under the long-wave approximation, hydrostatic pressure gives , and the horizontal balance for viscous fluid flow isThe no-slip boundary condition and stress-free boundary condition giveIntegrating this lubrication theory profile gives the horizontal volume flux per unit span
Local mass conservation includes the downward loss found in part i:Consequently the required nonlinear partial differential equation isIf the imposed inlet flux is and the moving front is , sufficient boundary conditions areFor a current released onto a dry substrate one also takes the initial condition away from the source. The front position is part of this moving-boundary problem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 332 1 i Solution Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-03
Write the given pressure-dependent ratio of permeability of a porous medium to sponge thickness aswhere is constant. The fluid pressure drop across the sponge is the hydrostatic pressure of the current,because the air pressures above and below are equal. Therefore Darcy's law gives the downward volume flux per unit horizontal area asThus the sponge drainage obeys a power law in the current thickness, as described by pressure-dependent Darcy drainage.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 333 1 a Solution 2026-09-28
At latitude , resolve the planetary angular velocity asFor velocity , the Coriolis acceleration isThe traditional approximation drops the terms involving the horizontal rotation component . The retained horizontal force is thereforeIts direct velocity-scale requirement isFor an incompressible flow, , so a sufficient condition istogether with the small aspect ratio that makes hydrostatic pressure the leading vertical momentum balance. The approximation consequently becomes delicate near the equator.
The beta plane is the local Taylor expansionwhereand is the planetary radius. It requires a local Cartesian region,and . Away from the equator, treating the variation as a perturbation of an f-plane also requires ; near the equator one instead retains the linear term as the leading Coriolis parameter.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 333 4 a Solution Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-03
Begin with the Boussinesq approximation primitive equations on a beta plane, decompose every field into a zonal mean and a disturbance, and average over longitude. The zonal momentum equation then contains the divergence of the eddy momentum flux , while the mean density equation contains the divergence of the eddy density flux . At small Rossby number, use geostrophic balance, hydrostatic pressure, thermal-wind balance, and the leading eddy equations to combine those fluxes.
Defineand introduce the residual mean circulationThe added eddy-induced velocity is nondivergent, soIt absorbs the eddy density-flux divergence into advection by the transformed circulation, giving
The mean zonal momentum equation becomeswhere the zonally averaged Eliassen–Palm flux in the meridional-vertical plane isThus the transformed Eulerian mean gathers the wave forcing into one flux divergence and makes density evolve under one residual circulation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 333 4 b Solution 2026-09-28
Define the residual-circulation stream function byThis satisfies residual mass conservation identically. LetThe momentum equation is
Differentiate geostrophic balance vertically and hydrostatic pressure meridionally to obtain thermal-wind balanceAfter a time derivative, the transformed density equation givesOn the other hand, the derivative of momentum givesEliminating yields the Eliassen equation for residual circulation
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 333 4 c Solution 2026-09-28
Put . For the specified quasi-geostrophic streamfunction, the complex amplitudes of the disturbance fields areThe product of these two amplitudes is purely imaginary after one is conjugated, so its zonal mean vanishes:Consequently
Geostrophic balance and hydrostatic pressure giveThereforeSince , the vertical Eliassen–Palm flux isThus it has the stated formwith
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 345 3 b Solution 2026-09-28
Define the indoor-to-outdoor reduced gravityBecause the whole opening lies above the interface, its indoor side contains upper-layer fluid of density . Under hydrostatic pressure, the pressure difference varies linearly about a neutral pressure level. Equal opening geometry and equal discharge coefficients for inflow and outflow put that level at the vent midpoint. At vertical distance from it, the ideal Bernoulli equation gives speed .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 347 3 b Solution 2026-09-28
iii) In pressureless gravitational collapse, rotation and pressure are negligible, so ; this is free fall.
iv) A slim accretion disk retains radial inertia and radial pressure together with gravity and centrifugal support, so all four terms generally survive: .
v) A stationary geometrically thick disk or torus has negligible poloidal inertia but order-one pressure support, giving .
vi) Nonrotating Bondi accretion has and . In a highly supersonic Bondi--Hoyle limit the pressure term is also negligible, reducing this to ballistic .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 332 2 Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Let . Hydrostatic pressure continuity at the lower boundary of the light current givesinside the current, so . Darcy law gives the depth-integrated horizontal flux per unit transverse widthThus the porous gravity current satisfiesaway from the fracture. The boundary and front conditions areAt , the pressure excess at the base of the fracture is . Taking upward leakage as positive,This jump is the local mass conservation law for a leaky porous gravity current.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 333 1 i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Let and let the layer thickness be . The inviscid shallow water equations areThey follow from a homogeneous incompressible fluid with small aspect ratio, hydrostatic pressure, negligible vertical acceleration, horizontal velocity nearly uniform through the depth, a material free surface, and a rigid stationary bottom. Rotation may be represented by an f-plane or beta plane. The model is useful because many atmospheric and oceanic motions are horizontally much broader than their depth, while the free surface or an internal density interface still supports waves and potential vorticity dynamics.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 352 3 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
At the final state of the slump test for yield stress, an axisymmetric deposit of height is just able to support itself. Hydrostatic pressure gives radial pressure gradient , while lubrication theory makes the magnitude of the basal shear stressThe marginally yielded final profile therefore satisfiesIntegration givesUsing mass conservation, the known volume isSolving for the yield stress produces the estimateThus one measures the final radius and inserts it with and . The estimate assumes a thin deposit, negligible surface tension, complete initial yielding, and a spatially uniform yield stress.
Dry sand is a granular material governed primarily by frictional stability. Its final free surface reaches the angle of repose , so the deposit is approximately a cone,This constant-slope profile differs from the square-root edge of the yield-stress-fluid model.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 332 3 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The shallow-ice approximation makes the pressure hydrostatic pressure,Horizontal Stokes flow balance and the stress-free boundary condition at givesoThe basal shear stress and the stated basal sliding law are thereforeIntegrating once more and imposing yieldsFor the right half of an ice cap, , so both basal sliding and internal deformation carry ice away from the ice divide.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 333 1 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The horizontal velocities and point east and north, is the displacement of the free surface from its mean level, is the undisturbed depth, is gravitational acceleration, and is the constant Coriolis parameter on an f-plane. The three linearized shallow water equations are horizontal momentum balance and mass conservation:They follow from the rotating Navier-Stokes equation by assuming an inviscid homogeneous layer, hydrostatic pressure, horizontal scales much larger than , depth-independent horizontal velocity, a flat impermeable bottom, constant , and small surface displacement and velocity so that nonlinear products are neglected.
In a steady state, geostrophic balance givesThe relative vorticity is . Expanding the shallow-water potential vorticity to first order givesThus one convenient normalization of its disturbance isTaking the curl of momentum and using continuity shows .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 333 4 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The variables are eastward, northward, and upward velocity, is the pressure perturbation divided by reference density, is buoyancy, is the constant buoyancy frequency, and is the equatorial approximation to the Coriolis parameter. The equations express, respectively:
- zonal momentum balance between acceleration, Coriolis force, and pressure gradient;
- meridional geostrophic balance, with meridional acceleration omitted by the long-wave approximation;
- incompressible mass conservation;
- adiabatic buoyancy evolution in the background stratification;
- hydrostatic pressure balance, .
Together they are the hydrostatic Boussinesq approximation for long equatorial waves.
Observe each gas volume, temperature, pressure and moisture condition, and reduce both volumes to the same temperature, pressure and dry-gas basis. Equal scale readings alone do not establish equal amounts of gas.
Read the calibrated volume of each gas in a graduated tube or eudiometer, with the eye at the meniscus to avoid parallax. Allow the gas and the surrounding bath to reach thermal equilibrium, then read a thermometer close to the gas. Heating expands a fixed amount of gas, so a larger reading could reflect a higher temperature rather than more gas. The temperature used in a gas law must be an thermodynamic temperature.
Read the atmospheric pressure with a barometer. If a gas is confined over a liquid, also observe the difference between the inside and outside liquid levels. With the internal surface height above the external surface, the total internal pressure isHere is the confining density of the liquid and the gravitational acceleration; the sign reverses automatically when is negative. Equalizing the levels before taking the volume reading removes this hydrostatic pressure correction. A mercury barometer can itself require temperature and calibration corrections for accurate work.
If the gas is saturated with water vapor, subtract the vapor pressure of water at its measured temperature:The observed pressure includes both the test gas and water vapor; counting it all as test gas overestimates the amount. The saturation assumption needs time for equilibration. For a dry gas, no water vapor subtraction is made; another collecting liquid may require its own vapor pressure correction. A collecting liquid must also be chosen so that it neither appreciably dissolves nor reacts with the gas: water, for instance, is unsuitable for preserving the whole amount of freely soluble Ammonia.
For dilute gases obeying the ideal gas law, the volume at a common chosen isConsequently the corrected comparison isThis is also the ratio of amounts of substance in the ideal gas approximation. Check for leaks, trapped air, changing composition and incomplete transfer. At high pressure or near condensation, real gas behaviour may require compressibility factors; with , the inferred amount ratio contains the further factor .
At the same temperature and pressure, one volume of HCl corresponds to volume of hydrogen and volume of chlorine; one of steam to one of hydrogen and of oxygen; one of to one of nitrogen and of oxygen; one of NO to of each element; and one of ammonia to of nitrogen and of hydrogen. All elemental volumes here refer to their ordinary diatomic gases.
The simplest way to avoid an erroneous factor of two is to balance each chemical reaction using , , and . Under Avogadro's law, their stoichiometric coefficients are also gas volume ratios, provided all gases are compared at the same temperature and pressure and ideal gas behaviour is a good approximation.
- For gaseous hydrogen chloride, . Thus . There is no change in total gas volume in this idealized combination.
- For water vapor, . Thus : three reactant volumes give two product volumes.
- “Protoxide of nitrogen” is nitrous oxide, . The composition equation gives . This equation expresses composition; it does not assert that direct mixing gives an easy preparative reaction.
- “Binoxide of nitrogen” in the historical equivalent nomenclature is nitric oxide, modern , rather than modern nitrogen dioxide. The equation gives . Older notation with oxygen equivalent 8 describes the same oxygen-to-nitrogen mass ratio as modern with oxygen atomic weight 16; reading its subscript by modern rules changes the substance.[ref]
- For Ammonia, gives : four reactant volumes correspond to two product volumes.
If the common chosen volume of each compound is , the corresponding ordered elemental volumes are therefore , , , and . The ratios concern molecular counts and hypothetical free elemental gases, not separate compartments of elemental gas still present inside a compound.
“Hydrochloric acid” must here mean gaseous hydrogen chloride, rather than its aqueous chemical solution; water must remain as steam. If water condenses or Ammonia dissolves in the collecting liquid, measured volumes no longer show these simple ratios. For an experimental comparison, dry-gas and hydrostatic pressure corrections are those discussed in 3.