CARIBBEAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY

PROGRAMME: ADISOM/AI/BIOTECH/MECHA | CODE: EP101 | YEAR ONE

COURSE NAME: ENGINEERING PHYSICS

ENGINEERING PHYSICS TUTORIAL

Optics

Formula Definition and explanations

v is the velocity of light in a medium of index n
c is speed of light in vacuum ( = 3.0 × 108m/s)
n is the index of refraction of the medium
n1 is the index of refraction of medium 1
n2 is the index of refraction of medium 2
θ1 is the angle of incidence in medium 1
θ2 is the angle of refraction in medium 2
θc is the critical angle such that when the angle of incidence is bigger that θc all light is
reflected to medium 1
n1 is the index of refraction of medium 1 (medium of incidence)
n2 is the index of refraction of medium 2 (medium of refraction)
D0 is the distance to the object
Di is the distance to the image
F is the focal length
Waves

Formula Definition and explanations

v is the wave velocity
λ is the wavelength
f is the frequency
f is the wave frequency
T is the period of the wave

Period of Simple Harmonic Motions

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Formula Definition and explanations

Ts is the time period of motion
k is the spring constant
m is the mass attached to the spring
Ep is the time period of motion
L is the length of the pendilum
g is the acceleration due to gravity

x = A sin (ωt +φ) x is displacement of particle

vx= ωA cos (ωt + φ) vx is speed of particle

ax = -ω2 A sin (ωt + φ) ax is the acceleration of the particle

Springs, Hooke's Law and Potential Energy

Formula Definition and explanations

F is the force applied to compress or stretch a spring
k is the spring constant
x is the length of extension or compression of the spring
Es is the potential energy stored in a spring when compressed or extended
k is the spring constant
x is the length of extension or compression of the spring

Work, Potential and Kinetic Energies

Formula Definition and explanations

W is the work done by the force F
F is the applied force (constant)
d is the distance
θ is the angle between F and the direction of motion
Ek is the kinetic energy
v is the velocity
m is the mass
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Ep is the potential energy of an object close to the surface of Earth

m is the mass of the object
h is the height of the object with respect to some refernce (ground for example)
g = 9.8 m/s2
Et is the total energy
Ek is the kinetic energy
Ep is the potential energy
Circular Motion

Formula Definition and explanations

ac is the centripetal acceleration
v is the velocity
r is the radius
Fc is the centripetal force
v is the velocity
m is the mass
r is the radius
v is the velocity
r is the radius
T is the period (time for one complete revolution)

Dynamics (Forces and Momentum)

Formula Definition and explanations

F is the net force (vector)
m is the mass
a is the acceleration (vector)
Fg is the weight (vector)
m is the mass
g is the acceleration (near the Earth) due to gravitation (vector)
Ff is the force of friction (vector)
μ is the coefficient of friction (μ may be μk kinetic coefficient or μs static coefficient of friction)
FN is the normal (to the surface) force (vector)
p is the momentum (vector)
m is the mass
v is the velocity (vector)
Δ p is the change in momentum (vector)
F is the applied force (vector)
Δ t is the elapsed time
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(F Δ t) is called impulse (vector)

QUESTIONS

1. Explain the difference between Dimensions and Units.

2. State the value of a dimensionless quantity in dimensional analysis, and give 4
dimensionless quantities.
3. Write out the dimensions (in terms of M,L,T) and units for the following quantities:
Work
Frequency
Torque
Impulse
Angular Velocity

4. A beam ABCDEF is simply supported at A and F, at each end. AB = 2m; BC = 5m; CD

= 3m; DE = 2m and EF = 1m. Transverse loads of 5kN, 10kN, 8kN, and 3kN at 60º to the
horizontal respectively, are applied at B, C, D, and E. Calculate the reactions at the
supports.

5. Locate the centroid in y-y and x-x plane of the depicted area with a rectangular cutout.
(The measurements are given in cm.)
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6. Determine the reactions acting on the simply supported beam shown below.

7. Calculate the resultant of the forces 0.7 kN at 147° and 1.3 kN at - 71° by using the cosine
and sine rules.
8. Determine graphically the magnitude and direction of the resultant of the following coplanar
forces given which are acting at a point: Force 1, 23 kN acting at 80° to the horizontal,
force 2, 30 kN acting at 37° to force 1, force 3, 15 kN acting at 70° to force 2.
9. Determine, by resolution of forces, the resultant of the following three coplanar forces acting
at a point: 10 kN acting at 32° to the horizontal, 15 kN acting at 170° to the horizontal; 20 kN
acting at 240° to the horizontal
10. A pulley is accelerated uniformly from rest at a rate of . After 20 seconds the
acceleration stops and the pulley runs at constant speed for 2 minutes and then the pulley
comes to rest after a further 40 seconds. Calculate:
i. The angular velocity after the period of acceleration
ii. The deceleration
iii. The total number of revolutions made by the pulley.

11. A disc accelerates uniformly from 180 revolutions per minute to 490 revolutions per
minute in 22 seconds. Determine its angular acceleration and the linear acceleration of a
point on the rim of the disc, if the radius of the disc is 150 mm.
12. Applying the concept of the principle of conservation of linear momentum, using a
simple diagram to explain the following conditions:
i. Two objects moving in the same direction with different velocities, but
after collision moved with the same velocity.
ii. Two objects moving in the same direction with different velocities, but
after collision moved with different velocities.
iii. Two objects moving in different direction with different velocities, but
after collision moved with the same velocities.

13. The hammer of a pile driver of mass 1.2 tonnes falls 1.4 m on to a pile. The blow takes
place in 20 milliseconds and the hammer does not rebound. Determine the average
applied force exerted on the pile by the hammer.
14. Three masses X, Y, and Z, lie in a straight line. X has a mass of 35 kg and is moving
towards Y at 20 m/s. Y has a mass of 20 kg and a velocity of 10 m/s and is moving
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towards Z. Mass Z is stationary. X collides with Y, and X and Y then collides with Z.
Determine the mass of Z assuming all three masses have a common velocity of 6 m/s
after the collision of X and Y with Z.
15. The normal force between a belt and its driver wheel is 750 N. If the static coefficient of
friction is 0.9 and the dynamic coefficient of friction is 0.87, calculate (a) the maximum
force which can be transmitted, and (b) maximum force which can be transmitted when
the belt is running at a constant speed.
16. A mass of 40 kg rests on a flat horizonal surface as shown below. If the coefficient of
friction , determine the minimum value of a horizontal force P which will just
cause it to move.

17. Consider a mass of 50 kg moving up an inclined plane as show below. What would be the
value of P, given ϴ = 22 and µ= 0.65.

18. The wall exerts a 600 N force on an 80-kg person moving at 4 m/s on a circular platform.
What is the radius of the circular path?

19. A 2-kg mass swings in a horizontal circle at the end of a cord of length 10 mm. What is the
constant speed of the mass if the rope makes an angle of 30o with the vertical?, also calculate
the tension in the string.
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20. A 2-kg rock swings in a vertical circle of radius 8 mm. The speed of the rock as it passes its
lowest and highest point is 10 m/s . What is tension T in rope at the bottom and at the top?

21. The displacement of a particle at t = 0.25 s is given by the expression x = (4.0 m) cos (3.0 πt
+ π), where “x” is in meters and “t” is in seconds. Determine
(a) the frequency and period of the motion,

(b) the amplitude of the motion,

(c) the phase constant, and

(d) the displacement of the particle at t = 0.25 s

22. A body of mass 20 kg is displaced from its equilibrium position by 90cm and released; it
slides without friction over a horizontal rod. Assuming the spring constant is ,
determine;
a. The period of oscillation
b. The maximum speed
c. The maximum acceleration.

23. A car with bad shock absorbers bounces up and down with a period of 1.5 s after hitting a
bump. The car has a mass of 1500 kg and is supported by four springs of equal force
constant k. Determine a value for k.
24. A load requiring a force of 120 N was raised to a height of 40 m. If the efficiency of the
raised gear is 50% and that of the motor is 70%, what is the input energy to the raised
load?
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25. A shell of mass 8 kg is fired vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 270 m/s.
calculate the initial kinetic energy and the maximum height reached neglecting air
resistance.
26. A constant force of 4 kN is applied tangentially to the rim of a pulley wheel of diameter
1.8 m attached to a shaft. Determine the work done, in joules, in 15 revolutions of the
pulley wheel.
27. Determine the angular velocity of a shaft when the power available is 2.75 kW and the
torque is 200 N m.
28. State Hooke’s law and briefly explain load-extension graph
29. Show that young modulus of elasticity(E), is given as;
30. If a car tyre of outside diameter of 40 mm and inside diameter of 20 mm is subjected to a
tensile load of 50 kN, calculate the stress in the tyre.
31. Applying a force of 44 kN on a piece of steel produced an extension of 7.8 mm. If the
elastic limit is not exceeded, calculate;
i. The force required to produce an extension of 9.5 mm
ii. The extension when the applied force is 60 kN.

32. A circular section bar is 2.5 m long and has a diameter of 60 mm. When subjected to a
compressive load of 30 kN it shortens by 0.20 mm. Determine Young's modulus of
elasticity for the material of the bar.
33. A beam of light reflects and refracts at point A on the interface between material 1 with a
refractive index of 1.33 and material 2 with a refractive index of 1.77. The incident beam
makes an angle of with the interface. What is the angle of reflection at point A and
what is the angle of refraction at that same point?
34. Light passes from air into a glass and refracts at an angle of to the normal.
Calculate the angle of incidence?
35. Lets consider a situation where a swimmer under water shines a light towards the air as
show below, calculate the angle of refraction.
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36. The equation of a transverse wave was travelling along a thin wire is given by;
in S.I units
What are;
i. The amplitude
ii. The wavelength
iii. The period
iv. The frequency of the wave
v. The speed of the wave
vi. The direction of the wave
vii. The maximum speed of a particle in the medium

37. If an object is 12 cm away from a convex lens of focal length 4 cm where will the image
be? (Draw a ray diagram of how this image is formed to see if your answer is plausible.)

38. Consider an object at a distance u = 12 cm away from a concave lens of focal length f = -
4 cm. The position v of the image can be calculated from the lens equation: