HOMEWORK 1

PART A

1. When two ultraviolet beams of wavelengths λ1=80nm and λ2=110nm fall on a lead surface,
they produce photoelectrons with maximum kinetic energies 11.390eV and 7.154eV,
respectively.

(a) Estimate the numerical value of plank’s constant.

(b) Calculate the work function, the cutoff frequency and cutoff wavelength of the lead.

2. Consider a photon that scatters from an electron at rest. If the Compton wavelength shift is
observed to be triple the wavelength of the incident photon and if the photon scatters at 60o,
calculate

(a) The wavelength of the incident photon

(b) The energy of the recoil electron and

(c) The angle at which electron scatters.

3. (i) Consider a mass-spring system where a 4 kg mass is attached to a mass less spring of
constant k=196N/m. The system is set to oscillate on a frictionless horizontal table. The mass
is pulled horizontally 25 cm away from the equilibrium position and then released.

(a) Use classical mechanics to find the total energy and frequency of the oscillations of the
system .

(b) Treating the oscillator with quantum mechanics, find the energy spacing between the two
consecutive energy levels and the total quanta involved.

(ii) A 45kW broadcasting antenna emits radio waves at a frequency of 4MHz. How many
photons are emitted per second? Is the quantum nature of em radiation important is analyzing
the radiation emitted from this antenna?

PART B

4. An air rifle is used to shoot 1gm particle at 100m/s through a hole of diameter 2mm. How far
from the rifle must an observer be to see the beam spread by 1cm because of the uncertainity
principle ? State how this answer compares with the diameter of the visible part of the
universe, 2 x 1026m.

5. Neutrons travelling at 0.4m/s are directed through a pair of slits having a 1.00mm separation.
An array of detectors is placed 10.0m from the slits. (a) What is the de Broglie wavelength of
the neutrons? (b) How far off the axis is the first zero intensity point on the detector array?(c)
When a neutron reaches a detector, can we say which slit the neutron passed through?
Explain.

6. Johnny Jumper’s favourite trick is to step out of his 16 th story window and fall 50m into a pool a
new reporter takes a picture of 75 kg. Johnny just before he makes a splash, using an
exposure time of 5ms.Find (a) Johnny’s debroglie wavelength at this moment (b) the
uncertainty of his kinetic energy measurement during such an interval of time and (c) the
percent error caused by such an uncertainty.