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Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C12 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
In a long wire away from its ends, the steady temperature is independent of axial position and azimuth. The heat equation reduces toMultiplying by and integrating givesA finite temperature and nonsingular flux at the axis require . Applying determines . ThereforeThis is the steady temperature of a uniformly heated cylindrical wire. Its hottest point is at the centre, with . The outward heat flux is , so the power crossing a cylindrical surface per unit length, , equals the heating generated inside it.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C12 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Distinguish electrical current density from heat flux . Uniform current across the circular section givesby Ohm's law. The local Joule heating rate is electrical work per unit volume and time:For a segment of length , integration gives , confirming the usual resistor power. The model takes electrical conductivity constant and ignores temperature-induced current redistribution.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C10 Reversible adiabats Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Over the plotted range, approximate the surface tension by with constant positive , and take . A reversible adiabat hasIntegrating givesThe arbitrary fixed reference temperature makes the logarithm dimensionless; changing it only shifts the integration constant. This is the dimensionally precise version of writing as constant. Each term has units of entropy. Between two states,If the graph had substantial curvature, the entropy differential would still hold, but this particular constant- exponential would no longer follow.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C10 Isothermal work and heat Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Reading the original PDF graph gives approximatelyFor example, the points near and are about and , respectively, giving this slope. The graph supports approximate values rather than exact fitted constants. The area increment is .
At fixed temperature, the surface tension is constant during this stretch. The work done on the film is positive:For a reversible isothermal process, the heat supplied is . ThusThe film absorbs heat while its temperature stays constant. The first law gives the useful consistency check , agreeing with .
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C10 Free-energy identity Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Treat the film at fixed material content, with area the coordinate conjugate to the surface tension in the stated work term. The Helmholtz free energy is a Legendre transform of the internal energy:Its natural independent variables are therefore , soEquality of mixed second partial derivatives gives the Maxwell relation for the thermodynamics of a liquid film:The area convention matters: the supplied fundamental relation already specifies the coefficient of . There is no additional factor of two unless one changes from total interfacial area to a projected film area and changes the work term consistently.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C10 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Substitute the entropy differential into the fundamental relation:ThereforeThe coefficient of is the change of internal energy per added area at fixed temperature, whereas is the change of Helmholtz free energy per added area. Their difference is the heat absorbed per added area in a reversible isothermal stretch. Both and have units .
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C10 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
The definition of heat capacity at constant area and the Maxwell relation give the entropy differentialFor a reversible adiabatic process, . Hencefor positive heat capacity . Reversible adiabatic stretching cools the film. Reversibility, or negligible entropy production, is essential to this inference. Adiabatic isolation alone only sets the heat transfer to zero; an irreversible stretch can generate entropy, so its temperature change is not fixed by this isentropic derivative.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C10 Adiabatic temperature and energy changes Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
For the specified increment,Using the adiabat, or its first-order Taylor expansion,This is a very small cooling, about . There is no heat exchange, and the film is stretched against positive surface tension, so the internal energy increases, withThe cooling does not contradict this increase. In the linear model, , soCreation of surface raises the internal energy more than the cooling lowers its temperature-dependent part. The change in surface tension during this tiny temperature fall changes the work only at a negligible higher order.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section C C10 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Write . The Maxwell relation givesThus isothermal stretching increases the entropy. For an infinitesimal increase, ; if the derivative is independent of area, this integrates to at fixed temperature. Mechanical energy used to create extra surface is not, in general, identical to the increase of internal energy at fixed temperature, because the stretching can also absorb heat.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B8 d Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
For a slender elastic beam undergoing small bending, assume plane cross-sections remain plane and normal to the neutral axis. Fibres a signed distance from that axis have longitudinal strain , where is the local radius of curvature. Hooke's law gives stress , where is Young's modulus. Zero resultant axial force places the neutral axis through the section's centroid for a homogeneous beam.
The bending moment is the moment of this stress distribution. Its magnitude isThe second moment of area has units , and the bending stiffness has units . A rectangular section of width and depth has , so placing more material far from the neutral axis strongly resists bending. This is the purpose of an I-section.
For small deflection , the signed curvature is approximately . A consistent variational sign convention follows from the elastic energy and a transverse load :For constant bending stiffness this is the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation . A clamped end fixes ; a simply supported end has and zero bending moment; an unloaded free end has zero moment and shear, for uniform . Endpoint loads replace the corresponding zero-force boundary conditions.
For a cantilever of length carrying a tip force , choose positive deflection along . The internal bending gives , with . Two integrations giveThis approximation requires small slopes, elastic strains and a length large compared with section dimensions. Shear deformation, rotary inertia, plastic yielding and large rotations require extensions. Adding inertia gives flexural waves with for a uniform beam, where is mass per unit length.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B8 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
In Lagrangian mechanics, generalized coordinates describe the independent configurations allowed by the constraints. For particles with ordinary conservative forces in an inertial frame, use , with kinetic energy and potential energy . Holonomic constraints can often be built into the coordinates, avoiding explicit constraint forces.
The principle of stationary action makes the action stationary for variations vanishing at the endpoints. Integrating the velocity variation by parts givesSince each independent variation is arbitrary, the Euler-Lagrange equations areIf nonconservative generalized forces are present, their components appear on the right. The formalism is invariant under suitable coordinate changes and adding a total time derivative to leaves the fixed-endpoint equations unchanged.
The generalized momentum is . If is cyclic, and is conserved. If has no explicit time dependence, the conserved energy function isFor a kinetic energy quadratic in velocities and a velocity-independent potential energy, this equals . This connects symmetry to conservation laws.
For example, a simple pendulum of mass and length hasIts tension does not appear because the fixed-length constraint is already imposed. Expanding for small gives simple harmonic motion with . More generally, expansion of and to quadratic order about a stable equilibrium leads directly to the normal-mode eigenvalue problem.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B8 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Let a coordinate frame rotate with angular velocity relative to an inertial frame. For any vector ,Applying this twice to position, with coincident nonaccelerating origins, givesNewton's second law written using rotating coordinates therefore contains the Coriolis forceThe other inertial corrections are the centrifugal force and, for changing rotation rate, the Euler force. An accelerating origin introduces an additional translational fictitious force.
The Coriolis force depends on velocity and is perpendicular to it, so : the Coriolis force does no work in the rotating frame. It bends trajectories without directly changing their rotating-frame speed. It is absent for motion parallel to the rotation axis.
For locally horizontal motion on Earth at latitude , take east, north and up. Keeping the vertical component givesHorizontal motion is deflected right in the northern hemisphere and left in the southern hemisphere. In the ideal absence of other horizontal forces these equations give inertial circles with angular frequency . The same velocity-dependent correction explains the precession of a Foucault pendulum, whose precession-rate magnitude is . Terrestrial vertical motions also involve Earth's horizontal rotation component, so the reduced horizontal equations are not the full force law.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B8 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
A Hohmann transfer orbit connects two coplanar circular orbits using two tangential, effectively instantaneous velocity changes. Take outward transfer radii , and write for the central body's gravitational parameter. The intervening ellipse has periapsis , apoapsis , semimajor axis and orbital eccentricity .
The circular speed is . Conservation of orbital energy gives the vis-viva equation . Therefore the transfer speeds at the two impulses areThe first prograde impulse raises the far side of the orbit; the second prograde impulse raises the near side to circularize at . Their magnitudes areThe transfer takes half an ellipse period. Kepler's third law givesFor inward transfer the same ellipse is traversed from apoapsis to periapsis and both burns are retrograde. A rendezvous also needs the correct initial phase of the target: for outward transfer its initial angular lead is modulo . The method assumes a two-body gravitational field, negligible atmospheric drag and burns short compared with an orbit. It is an economical two-impulse transfer between these circles; it is not universally the least- transfer if additional impulses and very large intermediate radii are permitted.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B6 d Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
The absence of magnetic monopoles is expressed by . In a regular simply connected region, a magnetic vector potential may be introduced so thatIts units are . It is not unique: adding a gradient leaves the magnetic field unchanged because . In time-dependent electromagnetism,is a gauge transformation preserving both physical fields. Stokes theorem gives for a contour bounding an appropriate surface.
For localized steady currents, choose the Coulomb gauge . Substitution into Ampère's law and the curl-of-curl identity givesBoundary conditions are needed in addition to the gauge choice. For a uniform magnetic field one convenient choice is . For a magnetic dipole, outside its source. The magnetic vector potential simplifies field calculations and appears directly in the Lagrangian of a charged particle, . In multiply connected regions, a field-free region can retain nontrivial circulation of , relevant to the Aharonov-Bohm effect; a local gauge argument cannot remove every global circulation.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B6 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
An electrical transformer transfers alternating electrical power between windings through a shared changing magnetic flux. A core with large magnetic permeability confines most of the flux, so both windings link approximately the same flux . Faraday's law gives induced electromotive forcesFor an ideal electrical transformer, negligible winding resistance and leakage flux imply the terminal-voltage magnitude ratioThe relative phase depends on the winding sense and terminal convention. At a loaded secondary, Lenz's law makes the secondary current oppose the flux change. The primary draws an additional current which approximately cancels the secondary magnetomotive force: in magnitude when the magnetizing current is negligible. Consequentlyfor a resistive load, using root mean square values. More generally the ideal device conserves instantaneous power, with the appropriate current signs. A load impedance appears at the primary as , enabling impedance matching and electrical isolation.
For sinusoidal flux, gives . At a given supply voltage, reducing frequency increases the required peak flux and can drive the core into magnetic saturation. Real losses include winding Joule heating, magnetic hysteresis, eddy currents and leakage flux; a laminated core suppresses eddy-current loops. A steady direct current produces no continuing secondary electromotive force, while its small winding resistance can allow a damaging primary current after switching transients.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B6 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Integral conservation. Electric charge cannot be created by ordinary transport. For a fixed volume , outward current reduces the enclosed charge:Here has units and has units . Applying the divergence theorem to an arbitrary volume gives the local continuity equationIt is local charge conservation: a net outflow must be accompanied by depletion. In a steady state, . Integrating over a small circuit junction then gives Kirchhoff's current law. During a transient the junction can accumulate charge and the incoming and outgoing conduction currents need not yet match.
Consistency with Maxwell's equations. In vacuum, take the divergence of the Ampère-Maxwell equation:Gauss's law, , reproduces the continuity equation. The displacement current term makes these equations consistent for time-dependent charge distributions, such as a charging capacitor. It is not a stream of free charges across the insulating gap. In matter, and give the analogous conservation law for free charge; total charge also includes bound charge.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B6 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Magnetic field and force. A steady electric current produces a magnetic field. In vacuum the Biot-Savart law givesThe Lorentz force on the charge carriers transfers force to the material carrying them. The resulting force on a current element of another circuit is , or, for a continuous current distribution, the magnetic force per unit volume is .
For two long parallel straight wires a distance apart, Ampère's law gives . ThereforeThe force is attractive for parallel currents and repulsive for opposite currents, by the cross product rule. Its units are . This approximation neglects wire thickness and end effects; a complete circuit includes its return current. Element-by-element forces need not form an isolated Newton's-third-law pair, but complete stationary circuits have balanced mutual forces when the entire system is included.
Energy description. For two linear coupled circuits the magnetic energy isHere is a mechanical coordinate and the signed mutual inductance. At prescribed currents, the generalized force is if the self-inductances do not vary. This positive derivative is obtained from magnetic coenergy, or by including the electrical sources' work; differentiating with a minus sign at fixed currents would omit that source work. At prescribed flux linkages the force instead equals the negative derivative of stored magnetic energy with those linkages fixed. The geometry thus determines both inductance and mechanical force.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 1 Section C C12 Torsional waves Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
The torque difference. Let now be the local angular displacement, and take and the section constant. The local twist per unit length is , so the transmitted torque is . Across a short slice,Thusto first order in slice length.
The slice's angular acceleration. The slice's axial moment of inertia is . Its net torque is the difference of the end torques, soCanceling the common geometry gives the torsional waves in a solid circular rod,For the given steel, . The radius cancels because both torsional stiffness and slice inertia contain the same . This ideal one-dimensional wave model neglects dissipation and additional elastic modes.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 1 Section C C12 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
For the uniform solid cylinder, the axial moment of inertia isThe rotational kinetic energy at isThis includes the shaft's bulk steady rotation; the small twist does not appreciably alter its mass moment at this order.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 1 Section C C12 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
The torque rises linearly with elastic twist, so the stored elastic energy is the work integralUsing the transmitted torque and end twist,This is energy associated with deformation, distinct from the much larger kinetic energy of the whole spinning shaft.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
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Intro to OurBigBook
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This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
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