assignment Homework
In a solid, a free electron doesn't see” a bare nuclear charge since the nucleus is surrounded by a cloud of other electrons. The nucleus will look like the Coulomb potential close-up, but be screened” from far away. A common model for such problems is described by the Yukawa or screened potential: \begin{equation} U(r)= -\frac{k}{r} e^{-\frac{r}{\alpha}} \end{equation}
face Lecture
5 min.
computer Mathematica Activity
30 min.
group Small Group Activity
60 min.
Mechanics Gravitational Potential Energy Zero of Potential Introductory Physics
Students examine a plastic “surface” graph of the gravitational potential energy of an Earth-satellite system to explore the properties of gravitational potential energy for a spherically symmetric system.assignment Homework
See also the following more detailed problem and solution: Effective Potentials: Graphical Version
An electron is moving on a two dimension surface with a radially symmetric electrostatic potential given by the graph below:
face Lecture
120 min.
ideal gas particle in a box grand canonical ensemble chemical potential statistical mechanics
These notes from week 6 of Thermal and Statistical Physics cover the ideal gas from a grand canonical standpoint starting with the solutions to a particle in a three-dimensional box. They include a number of small group activities.assignment Homework
(Synthesis Problem: Brings together several different concepts from this unit.) Use effective potential diagrams for other than \(1/r^2\) forces.
Consider the frictionless motion of a hockey puck of mass \(m\) on a perfectly circular bowl-shaped ice rink with radius \(a\). The central region of the bowl (\(r < 0.8a\)) is perfectly flat and the sides of the ice bowl smoothly rise to a height \(h\) at \(r = a\).
computer Mathematica Activity
30 min.
group Small Group Activity
30 min.
assignment Homework
(Use the equation for orbit shape.) Gain experience with unusual force laws.
In science fiction movies, characters often talk about a spaceship “spiralling in” right before it hits the planet. But all orbits in a \(1/r^2\) force are conic sections, not spirals. This spiralling in happens because the spaceship hits atmosphere and the drag from the atmosphere changes the shape of the orbit. But, in an alternate universe, we might have other force laws.
Find the force law for a mass \(\mu\), under the influence of a central-force field, that moves in a logarithmic spiral orbit given by \(r = ke^{\alpha \phi}\), where \(k\) and \(\alpha\) are constants.
Consider a mass \(\mu\) in the potential shown in the graph below. You give the mass a push so that its initial angular momentum is \(\ell\ne 0\) for a given fixed value of \(\ell\).