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PHYSICS 202 – General Physics (Fall 2023)

Final Exam

• You have 120 minutes to complete this exam.

• You are allowed self-prepared notes on three sides of 8.5” x 11” paper.
• You are not allowed to collaborate with others.
• You are not allowed to consult the internet, your textbook, or any other resources
(except the notes mentioned above).
• You may use a calculator, but you are not allowed to use any text-capable or internet
connected devices or programmed calculator routines.
• You may use scratch paper, but please turn it in when you are finished.
• If any question is unclear, please do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
• Show all of your work and reasoning to maximize your chances for credit. Correct
answers that are not supported by work and reasoning will not receive full credit.
• Please refrain from talking about the content of the test. You do not want to
inadvertently give anyone else an advantage over you in the form of advanced
knowledge (or inadvertently breach academic honesty policies).
• Even if you do not know how to completely solve a problem, write down what you do
know, and get as far as you can. Give me reasons to give you partial credit!
• Do your best! You can do it!

• Please draw a box around your final answer for each problem.

Possibly Useful Information:

𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑜 = 𝑝 = 10−12 𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑜 = 𝑛 = 10−9 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜 = 𝜇 = 10−6 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖 = 𝑚 = 10−3 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖 = 𝑐 = 10−2

|𝑞𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑛 | = |𝑞𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 | ≈ 1.6 × 10−19 𝐶 𝑐 ≈ 2.998 × 108 𝑚/𝑠

1 𝑁𝑚2 𝐶2 𝑇𝑚
𝑘𝑒 = ≈ 8.99 × 109 𝜀0 ≈ 8.9 × 10−12 𝜇0 = 4𝜋 × 10−7
4𝜋𝜀0 𝐶2 𝑁𝑚2 𝐴

𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑛 ≈ 1.67 × 10−27 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 ≈ 9.11 × 10−31 𝑘𝑔

Today’s Mega Millions Winning Numbers: 32 19 13 33 20 14

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Surface Area of a Sphere: 4𝜋𝑟 2 Volume of a Sphere: 𝜋𝑟 3 Circumference of Circle: 2𝜋𝑟
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1) A Polarizing Question
Unpolarized light passes through two linear polarizers. The transmission axis of the second
polarizer makes an angle of 30° with the transmission axis of the first polarizer. What
fraction of the original intensity passes through the polarizers?

2) 𝑨𝑪 is Passing
A series 𝑅𝐿𝐶 circuit has a resistance of 48.0 𝛺 and an impedance of 150.0 𝛺. The 𝐴𝐶
source supplies a 60.0 𝐻𝑧 sine wave with 𝛥𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 210.0 𝑉. Find the average power
delivered to the circuit.

3) At Capacity
A voltage source with voltage 𝑉𝑠 = 330.0 𝑉 is connected as shown
to three (initially uncharged) capacitors of capacitances 100.0 𝜇𝐹,
85.0 𝜇𝐹, and 50.0 𝜇𝐹. In this arrangement, the capacitors are
fully charged by the voltage source.
Find the total energy stored on the capacitors.

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4) It’s a Shame about Rays
Please try to draw neatly and accurately, but you do NOT have to use a ruler. Although your drawing
should look approximately correct, you will NOT be graded on the exact precision of your sketch.

Each box in the grid is 10 𝑐𝑚 × 10 𝑐𝑚.

The following ray diagram has a concave mirror with a focal length of magnitude 40 𝑐𝑚. Two rays
are drawn from the object to the mirror: one is parallel to the principal axis, and one hits the mirror
at the principal axis.

a) (1 pt)
For each of the two rays, draw a ray to show how light is reflected off the mirror.

b) (0.5 pts)
Use the rays that you drew above to sketch the image at the appropriate location.
Please sketch as accurately as you can, but you do NOT have to calculate anything.

c) (0.5 pts)
Is the image real or virtual? Is the image upright or inverted?

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 The following ray diagram has a converging lens with a focal length of magnitude 80 𝑐𝑚. The focal
points are marked. Two rays are drawn from the object to the lens: one is parallel to the principal
axis, and one travels away from the near focal point.

d) (1 pt)
For each of the two rays, draw a ray to show how light travels after passing through the lens.

e) (0.5 pts)
Use the rays that you drew above to sketch the image at the appropriate location.
Please sketch as accurately as you can, but you do NOT have to calculate anything.

f) (0.5 pts)
Is the image real or virtual? Is the image upright or inverted?

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5) What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
Consider a parallel plate capacitor with circular plates as
shown. The plates are separated by a distance ℓ = 0.010 𝑚,
and they are connected to an 𝐴𝐶 source producing a sine
wave of amplitude 𝛥𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 1000.0 𝑉. You observe a field of
amplitude 𝐵𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 1.0 × 10−3 𝑇 inside the plates at a
distance 𝑟 = 0.10 𝑚 from the central axis as shown. Find the
angular frequency 𝜔 of the voltage source sine wave.
Hint: Consider the dotted amperian loop shown.

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6) Lab-racadabra
Imagine you are in lab with an electroscope. The leaves of the
electroscope are in the position shown in the image, hanging
vertically near one another. You then bring a positively charged rod
near the knob of the electroscope, but you do NOT touch the rod to
the knob. Explain what happens to the leaves, and explain why.
Your explanation should be no longer than three sentences. Be as
specific as possible given the length constraint. To supplement your
written explanation, draw a sketch.

7) I Cu
Consider three copper cylinders, 𝐴, 𝐵, and
𝐶. The cross-sectional area and height are
listed below each cylinder.

The same potential difference is applied

across each of their heights (from the top to
the bottom). Rank the cylinders in terms of
the current that results from this potential
difference, greatest first.

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8) Just Smile and Wave
The electric field of an electromagnetic plane wave moving in the 𝑥-direction is given by the
following equation. For clarity, the units are not shown, but all units are 𝑆𝐼, and your
answers should include the appropriate units.

𝐸(𝑥, 𝑡) = 4.00 × 103 sin[2.83𝑥 − (8.50 × 108 )𝑡 + 0.14]

a) (1 pt)
Find the amplitude of the associated magnetic field, 𝐵𝑚𝑎𝑥 , for this wave.

b) (1 pt)
Find the average intensity of this wave, 𝐼.

c) (1 pt)
Name the quantity labeled with a "? ", and calculate a
numerical value for that quantity for this wave.
Note the label on the horizontal axis!

d) (1 pt)
Name the quantity labeled with a "? ", and calculate a
numerical value for that quantity for this wave.
Note the label on the horizontal axis!

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9) That Charge Field a Force
a) (1 pt)
A positively charged particle moves in a magnetic field as shown. Find the direction of the
magnetic force on the particle. If there is no force, write no force.

b) (1 pt)
The wire segment shown is in a region of magnetic field that points to the right. Which
current direction would result in a magnetic force on the wire that is into the page?
From the two choices below, circle the diagram that shows the correct current direction.

or
𝑖 𝑖

c) (2 pts)
A long, straight wire carries a current
out of the page as shown. An electron
travels directly at the wire from the
right. Find the direction of the
magnetic force on the electron. If
there is no force, write no force.

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10) Are You Closer than You Appear?
Suppose you would like to look at yourself in a vertical, flat mirror hanging on a wall. You
want to be sure that you can see both the bottom of your feet and the top of your head in
the mirror (without changing how far away you are from the mirror). If you are 160 𝑐𝑚 tall,
and you are standing 1.5 𝑚 from the wall, what is the minimum height of mirror that you
need?

11) Potential for Success

The plot below shows the electric potential
as a function of position for a certain region.

Suppose we are to place a proton in this

region. Of the following four choices, choose
the position that would yield the largest
magnitude electric force that points in the
negative 𝒙 direction. Explain.

You do NOT have to calculate the magnitude of the electric force!

1𝑚 2𝑚 3𝑚 4𝑚

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12) It’s Anybody’s Gauss
For each charge geometry below, indicate whether or not Gauss’ Law is useful to calculate
the electric field, 𝐸⃗ . If Gauss’ Law is useful, follow the steps below.
• Sketch a Gaussian surface that you could use to calculate 𝐸⃗ .
• Describe the sketch in a few words.
o For example, you might write “triangle centered at origin”.
o This is just to avoid confusion about your drawing. We will NOT grade your
artistic abilities!
• You do NOT have to write any equations, and you do NOT have to solve for 𝐸⃗ .
• For this question only, you do NOT have to explain your reasoning.

a) (1 pt)
A uniformly-charged spherical shell

b) (1 pt)
A uniformly-charged solid cube

c) (1 pt)
A uniformly-charged solid cylinder that is finite in length

d) (1 pt)
A uniformly-charged infinite plane

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13) Fringe Theory
Monochromatic light is incident on two slits separated by 0.0300 𝑚𝑚. This creates an
interference pattern on a screen 1.30 𝑚 away from the slits. The second dark fringe in the
pattern is 4.50 𝑐𝑚 away from the center of the pattern. Find the wavelength of the light.

Hint: You can use the small angle approximation.

14) Lenses Law

a) (3 pts)
Two converging lenses share a principal axis, and each has a focal length of 𝑓 = 10 𝑐𝑚. The two
lenses are separated by 90 𝑐𝑚. An object is a distance 𝑝1 = 15 𝑐𝑚 to the left of the first (leftmost)
lens. Find the final image distance of the two-lens system, 𝑞2 .

b) (1 pt)
For the situation described in the previous problem, find the total magnification of the two-lens
system, 𝑀.

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15) Arresting Resistors
Consider the circuit shown.

𝑅1 = 4.0 Ω 𝑅2 = 2.0 Ω 𝑅3 = 6.0 Ω

Suppose that the potential difference across 𝑅1 is

𝛥𝑉1 = 5.0 𝑉. Find 𝛥𝑉3 , the potential difference
across 𝑅3 .

16) Snell’s Like Teen Spirit

a) (3 pts)
A light ray traveling in glass (𝑛 = 1.530) is incident upon a second, unknown transparent
material. The angle of incidence is 50.00°, and the transmitted ray is refracted at an angle of
40.00°. What is the speed of light in the transparent material?

b) (1 pt)
Given the information above, is it possible for light in glass to be totally internally reflected
by the unknown material? If so, find the critical angle. If not, briefly explain why not.

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17) Acc-induction
In the E-205 lab, Magnetic Induction, you are working on the experiment in which you drop
a magnet through a coil.

On your first trial, you notice that when you drop the magnet and
it falls from the position shown on the left to the position shown
on the right, the induced current in the coil is clockwise (when
viewed from above).

You position the magnet with the same orientation for a

second trial. However, before you drop the magnet, your
instructor trips into your experiment and bends the coil. With
this accident, the shape of your coil changes from a circle to an
oval. The coil did not move (just changed shape), and the
magnet did not move. However, you find that this accident
induced a current in the coil!

Briefly explain why a current was induced. When viewed from above, was the induced
current in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction? How do you know?

18) Film Studies

A soap bubble (𝑛 = 1.35) is floating in air. If the thickness of the bubble wall is 75 𝑛𝑚,
what is the longest wavelength (measured in air) that is strongly reflected?

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19) Not the Brightest Bulb
In the four circuits shown, the switches
have been open for a long time, and all
capacitors are initially uncharged.
Assume that the lightbulbs glow
whenever current runs through them
and that their brightness is proportional
to that current.

Indicate all of the circuits that exhibit

the following behavior. Briefly explain.

The switch is closed, and the bulb glows

brightly right away, but then its brightness fades over time.

20) Slit Decision

Monochromatic light passes through a single narrow slit and creates an interference pattern
on a screen. The wavelength of the light is then changed, and the experiment is repeated
several times. Each experiment uses the same slit and the same distance to the screen.

Each line of the image below represents the interference pattern for a different wavelength
of light. Determine which experiment used the shortest wavelength of light.

Experiment 𝐴

Experiment 𝐵

Experiment 𝐶

Experiment 𝐷

Experiment 𝐸

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