Lebanese University ‫الجامعة اللبنانيّة‬

Faculty of Technology ‫كلية التكنولوجيا‬

Entrance Exam
September 15, 2022 (Engineering) Duration: 1H30
Physics

Exercise 1 (13 points)

Consider a mechanical oscillator constituted of a spring, of negligible mass, and of un-joined loops of stiffness
k and a solid (S) of mass m = 0.1 kg.

The spring, placed horizontally, is fixed from one of its extremities to a fixed support and (S) is attached to the other
extremity. (S) may slide without friction on a horizontal rail AB and its center of inertia G can move along a
horizontal axis x'Ox. At equilibrium, G coincides with the origin O of the axis x'x (figure 1).
(S)
x’ G i x
O

A B
Figure 1

The solid (S) is displaced from its equilibrium position by a distance x0 = ̅̅̅̅
𝑂𝐺 0 and we give it, at the instant t0 = 0,
⃗ 0 = Vo 𝑖. Thus, (S) performs mechanical oscillations along x'Ox.
in the positive direction an initial velocity V

Part I - Theoretical study

𝑑𝑥
𝑂𝐺 and the algebraic measure of its velocity is v
At the instant t, the abscissa of G is x = ̅̅̅̅ = .
𝑑𝑡
Take the horizontal plane passing through G as a reference level of gravitational potential energy.
1) Write, at an instant t, the expression of the mechanical energy ME of the system (oscillator, Earth) in terms of
m, x, k and v.
2) Establish the second order differential equation in x that describes the motion of G.
2𝜋
3) The solution of this differential equation has the form: 𝑥 = 𝑋𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛(
𝑇0
t + φ), where 𝑋𝑚 , T0 and  are

constants. Determine the expression of the proper period T0 in terms of m and k.

Part II - Graphical study of the motion

An appropriate device allows to obtain the variations with respect to time:

 of the abscissa x of G (figure 2);

 of the kinetic energy KE, of the elastic potential energy PEe and of the mechanical energy ME
of the system (oscillator, Earth) (figure 3).

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 (a)
E(J)

1
(b)

0,8

0,6
(c)

0,4

0,2

t(s)
0
1 horizontal division  0.157 s
1 vertical division  10 cm 2 horizontal divisions  0.157 s

Figure 2 Figure 3

4) Referring to figure 2, indicate the value of:

a) the initial abscissa x0;
b) the amplitude Xm;
c) the period T0.

5) Determine the values of k and 

6) The curves (a), (b), and (c) of figure 3 represent the variations of the energies of the system (oscillator, Earth)
as a function of time. Using this figure:
a) identify, with justification, the energy represented by each curve;
b) Determine the value of the initial velocity v0.

Exercise 2 (11 points)

The aim of this exercise is to determine the capacitance C of a capacitor. We set-up the series circuit of the figure 4.

This circuit includes: E

 an ideal battery of electromotive force E = 10 V; N P i
 a rheostat of resistance R;
 a capacitor of capacitance C;
 an ammeter (A) of negligible resistance; +
R
 a switch K. K
C
q

D B A
Figure 4

Initially the capacitor is uncharged. We close the switch K at the instant t0 = 0. At an instant t, plate B of
the capacitor carries a charge q and the circuit carries a current i as shown in the figure 4.

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1) Write the expression of i in terms of C and uC , where uC = uBD is the voltage across the capacitor.
2) Establish the differential equation that governs the variation of uC.
−𝑡
3) The solution of this differential equation is of the form: uC = a + b 𝑒 𝜏 .
Determine the expressions of the constants a, b and  in terms of E, R and C.
𝐸 −𝑡
4) Deduce that the expression of the current is: 𝑖 = 𝑅 𝑒 𝑅𝐶 .

5) The ammeter (A) indicates a value I0 = 5 mA at t0 = 0. Deduce the value of R.

6) Write the expression of uR = uDN in terms of E, R, C and t.
7) At an instant t = t1 , the voltage across the capacitor is uC = uR.
a) Show that t1 = 𝑅𝐶 ℓ𝑛2.
b) Calculate the value of C knowing that t1 = 1.4 ms.

Exercise 3 (6 points)

A homogeneous metallic rod MN of length ℓ, slides on two horizontal and parallel metallic rails AA' and
EE' at a constant velocity ⃗V (figure 5). During its sliding, the rod remains perpendicular to the rails and its
center of mass G moves along the axis Ox.
𝑑𝑥
At the instant t0 = 0, G is at O, the origin of abscissa. At an instant t, the abscissa of G is x = ̅̅̅̅
𝑂𝐺 and v= is
𝑑𝑡
the algebraic value of its velocity. The whole set-up formed of the rod and the rails is put within a uniform
magnetic field 𝐵⃗ perpendicular to the plane of the horizontal rails (figure 5).

Figure 5

1) Determine, at the instant t, the expression of the magnetic flux crossing the surface AMNE in terms of B, ℓ
and x, taking into consideration the chosen arbitrary positive direction on figure 5.
2) Explain the existence of an induced e.m.f e across the ends M and N of the rod.
3) Determine the expression of the induced e.m.f e in terms of B, ℓ and v.
4) No current would pass in the rod. Why?
5) Deduce the polarity of the points M and N of the rod and give the expression of the voltage uNM in terms of e.

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