Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge / 2014 / Paper 1 / Section A

For rolling without slipping through height $h$, conservation of energy givesA uniform solid sphere has $I/(m{R}^2)=2/5$, a solid cylinder $1/2$, and a pipe $(1+r_{\mathrm{in}}^2/R^2)/2>1/2$. Thus the ball is fastest, then the solid cylinder, then the pipe. A smaller moment of inertia leaves more energy in translation. This assumes release from rest through the same height, adequate static friction and negligible rolling resistance; a thin pipe has $v^2=gh$.

The Maxwell speed distribution is proportional to $v^2{e}^{-m{v}^2/(2k_{B}T)}$. Setting its logarithmic derivative to zero gives the most probable speed:Use molecular oxygen, with $M\simeq 0.032\mathrm{kg}\mathrm{mo}{\mathrm{l}}^{-1}$, and $T=300\mathrm{K}$.

For steady thin beams a distance $d$ apart, let ${\lambda }_1,{\lambda }_2$ be their laboratory charge per length. Their current magnitudes are $|{\lambda }_j|v$, giving force magnitudes per lengthThe electric force is repulsive and the magnetic force attractive for the parallel electron velocities. The net force remains repulsive for $v<c$.

For isotropic planar motion, the planar effusion flux gives an escape rate through a gap of width $w$ is $\Gamma =w(N/\mathcal{A})⟨v⟩/\pi$, where $\mathcal{A}$ is tray area. At fixed equilibrium kinetic energy, or fixed shape of the scaled speed distribution, $v\propto m^{-1/2}$. Hence halving the mass increases the rate by $\sqrt{2}$. This planar effusion result assumes the same spatial density and an unrestricted small opening. Strictly, average energy alone fixes $⟨v^2⟩$, not $⟨v⟩$; an arbitrary change of distribution shape would need more information.

Assume uniform charge per unit length and the same angular speed $\Omega$. A charge element at distance $r$ has $\mathbf{v}=\mathbf{\Omega }\times \mathbf{r}$, so the Biot-Savart law gives the centre field of a rigidly rotating charged loop as $dB={\mu }_0\Omega dq/(4\pi r)$. For one square side, with $b=a/2$,Using $dq=Qdx/(4a)$ on each side givesThus $B_{\square }/B_{\circ }=\ln (1+\sqrt{2})\simeq 0.8814$: the circular field is larger by $1/\ln (1+\sqrt{2})\simeq 1.135$. This is a rigidly rotating charge distribution, not a current constrained to the sides of a stationary square.