Questions from Modern Physics

Q: In a gas that contains N molecules, is it accurate to

In a gas that contains N molecules, is it accurate to say that the number of molecules with speed v is equal to f (v)? Is it accurate to say that this number is given by Nf (v)? Explain your answers....

Q: Ice is slippery to walk on, and especially slippery if you

Ice is slippery to walk on, and especially slippery if you wear ice skates. What does this tell you about how the melting temperature of ice depends on pressure? Explain.

Q: Hydrothermal vents are openings in the ocean floor that discharge very hot

Hydrothermal vents are openings in the ocean floor that discharge very hot water. The water emerging from one such vent off the Oregon coast, 2400 m below the surface, is at 2790C. Despite its high t...

Q: The dark areas on the moon’s surface are called maria, Latin

The dark areas on the moon’s surface are called maria, Latin for “seas,” and were once thought to be bodies of water. In fact, the maria are not “seas” at all, but plains of solidified lava. Given tha...

Q: The coolant in an automobile radiator is kept at a pressure higher

The coolant in an automobile radiator is kept at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Why is this desirable? The radiator cap will release coolant when the gauge pressure of the coolant reache...

Q: Unwrapped food placed in a freezer experiences dehydration, known as “

Unwrapped food placed in a freezer experiences dehydration, known as “freezer burn.” Why?

Q: A group of students drove from their university (near sea level

A group of students drove from their university (near sea level) up into the mountains for a skiing weekend. Upon arriving at the slopes, they discovered that the bags of potato chips they had brought...

Q: The derivation of the ideal-gas equation included the assumption that

The derivation of the ideal-gas equation included the assumption that the number of molecules is very large, so that we could compute the average force due to many collisions. However, the ideal-gas e...

Q: A hot-air balloon stays aloft because hot air at atmospheric

A hot-air balloon stays aloft because hot air at atmospheric pressure is less dense than cooler air at the same pressure. If the volume of the balloon is 500.0 m3 and the surrounding air is at 15.0°C,...

Q: Two loudspeakers, A and B (see Fig. E16.

Two loudspeakers, A and B (see Fig. E16.35), are driven by the same amplifier and emit sinusoidal waves in phase. Speaker B is 2.00 m to the right of speaker A. The frequency of the sound waves produc...