Must be mathematically coherent and reasonably testable
(ideally already tested).
The items to be predicted are as follows.
[1] A spacecraft launches from Earth and travels at a
uniform velocity v to a distant planet L length-units
away, then turns around and returns back at the opposite
velocity, but the same speed. Both planet and spacecraft
observe each other during the voyage using radio.
Account for all ticks, and predict the results.
(Neglect acceleration artifacts.)
[2] Two identical stars are orbiting each other, with the
orbit very nearly parallel to our viewing axis for the
center of motion. Assuming the stars are moving at about
10^-3 c, what would one expect to see during the orbit as
one observes the star pair using a sensitive spectograph?
If you wish, assume a 589 nm sodium D line as a reference
point. Also, do the observations depend on distance to
Earth at all, and why?
[3] An experiment directs a locally-produced beam of light
through a splitter, as diagrammed below. Half the light
bounces through the path AMBMD; half goes through the path
AMCMD. Assuming that the experiment can be slowly rotated
during observations, what fringe shift would one expect if
one is using a 632 nm wavelength (He/Ne laser) and 12.64
meter distance from central mirror to outer mirrors B and
C, and why? Assume an Earth orbital speed of 10^-4 c.
C
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|M
*---A------/-----B
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|
D
[4] A large proton storage ring of 26658.883 m is
stipulated to be holding 7 TeV protons. Assuming a
proton's mass is such that m_p * c^2 = 938 MeV, estimate
the frequency of the proton bunches as the travel around
the ring, and explain why.
[5] A laser beam directs light around a square in two
directions, as diagrammed below. The entire square can
be rotated at a reasonably high speed. Predict what the
interferometer (at @) will see as it spins up to speed s
(expressed in radians/second), assuming the laser is at the
exact center and the distance from center to all mirrors
is L.
/-----+
| /|
| / |
| * |
| |
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@-----/
[6] A specially prepared surface in a vacuum is exposed to
various light frequencies and intensities. This surface
has hanging over it an anode at a slight positive voltage,
to collect the electrons as they "jump" off the surface.
What current would one expect to see as the light frequency
and intensity are varied?
[7] A pulse of laser light is bounced off the moon.
Approximately how long does the trip take, and why?
Assume c = 299792458 m/s and d_Moon = 3.85 * 10^8 m.
[8] A muon is suspected to be created when a high-energy pion
crashes into something somewhere in the ionosphere, 50 km or so up.
The half-life of a muon in the lab is 2.2 microseconds.
Muons are observed with an energy of approximately 2 GeV at
ground level with little more than a photodetector and a jug
of water. The rest mass of a muon is m_mu * c^2 = 107 MeV.
Explain this apparent discrepancy.
* * *
This test is open book. Enjoy! :-)
--
#191,
Conventional memory has to be one of the most UNconventional
architectures I've seen in a computer system.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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