Materials: Past Years’ Questions

Chapter 7
Dielectric Materials and Insulation

1. Explain the origin of complexity in relative permittivity. 7.1 604-605

2. Also derive the expression for loss tangent. 7.4 607
3. Draw the equivalent circuit of a Debye dielectric and explain the origin
of the individual components. Briefly explain the Cole-Cole plot in
terms of Debye equation. 7.4 611-613
4. Show the dipolar polarization is given by
𝟏 𝒑𝒐 𝟐
𝜶𝒅 = 7.11 660-662
𝟑 𝒌𝑻

5. Why the typical relaxation peaks are broader in the dielectric constant
versus frequency curve? 7.4 608
6. Derive the expression of oriental polarizability under ac field
condition. 7.4 605
7. What is “dielectric resonance”? 7.4.1 607 page
8. What is pyro-electricity? 7.8.3 650
9. How the pressure fluctuations are compensated in a pyroelectric
radiation detector? 7.8.3 651
10. Prove that, the orientational polarization is inversely
proportional to the temperature and proportional to the square of the
permanent dipole moment. 7.11 660-662
11. For a dielectric material, if Wcap is the power dissipated per unit
capacitance, show that
𝑾𝒄𝒂𝒑 = 𝑽𝟐 𝝎 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜹
Where the symbols bear their usual meanings. 609 Example 7.5
12. Show that, for solids the internal field ( local field) for simple
cubic lattice is given by
𝑃
𝐸𝑖 = 𝐸 + 7.1.4 593
3𝜖𝑜

ABDULLAH AND SAYEEM |1106006 & 1106076

Materials: Past Years’ Questions

13. Derive Clausius-Mossotti equation for gases, solids and liquids

with physical interpretation. 7.1.4 594
14. Show that under ac field, the dielectric constant, 𝜖𝑟 becomes
complex. 7.4.1 605
15. Show the variation of real part, 𝜖𝑟′ and imaginary part, 𝜖𝑟′′ with
frequency. What is the significance of 𝜖𝑟′′ . 608
16. Is the relative dielectric constant of a material in solid form is
always larger than that in the gaseous state? Justify your answer. (??)
17. Derive the expression for the relative dielectric constant of an
elementary solid. (??)
18. What is dielectric loss? Discuss the effect of frequency on
dielectric loss. (??)
19. Find out the expression for dielectric loss per unit volume. 7.4.1
607 page
20. What is piezoelectricity? 7.8.1 638
21. How can a quartz crystal be used in an oscillator circuit. 7.8.2
644 page
22. Briefly explain the mechanism by which microwave oven heats
food. (??)

ABDULLAH AND SAYEEM |1106006 & 1106076

Materials: Past Years’ Questions

Chapter 8
Magnetic Properties and Superconductivity
1. Write a brief description for giant magneto-resistance 8.12 745
2. Explain Meissner effect. 8.9 729
3. In this relation, also explain the physical distinctions between type-I
and type-II superconductors. 8.9.2 733
4. Write a brief note on the three parameters defining the limits of
superconductivity. 8.9.2 8.9.3 733-736
5. For an isotropic homogenous magnetic material show that,
𝐵 = 𝜇𝑜 (𝐻 + 𝑀) 8.1.4 692
6. Short Note:
i) Ferrimagnetic Material 8.2 699
ii) Bohr magneton 8.1.2 688

7. Explain why orbital magnetic moments and spin magnetic moments

arise in atoms. 8.1.2 687
𝑒
Show that, 𝜇𝑜𝑟𝑏 = − 𝐿
2𝑚𝑒
𝑒
𝜇𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑛 = − 𝑆
𝑚𝑒
8. Why atomic magnetic moments cannot be less than one Bohr
magneton? 8.1.2 688 maybe
9. Show how we can reach at the relationship 𝝁𝒓 = 𝟏 + 𝝌𝒎 , What is
the value of 𝜇𝑟 for superconductors? What is the significance of this
value of 𝜇𝑟 ? 8.1.5 692
10. Differentiate between superconductor and perfect conductor. 8.9
732
11. Explain the origin of ferromagnetism using exchange interaction 8.3
700
12. Explain paramagnetism and ferrimagnetism 8.2.2 8.2.5 698
13. Although iron group materials have incompletely filled electronic
shells, they do not show net orbital dipole moment in crystalline state.
8.1.2 688 may be

ABDULLAH AND SAYEEM |1106006 & 1106076

Materials: Past Years’ Questions

14. Find orbital magnetic moment, spin magnetic moment and total
magnetic moment for Iron (26). Assume me values are filled in the
following order, me = 0, -1, +1, -2, +2. Does iron have permanent dipole
moment? Explain No Idea
15. Show that an atom moving in its orbit represents a magnetic dipole.
Discuss the effect of applying a magnetic field on these permanent
dipoles. Correlate the effect with diamagnetism 8.11 may be
16. What are the origins of permament magnetic dipole in a material?
Why do the rare earth materials show strong magnetic properties? No
idea
17. Atomic number in a material is 15. Calculate the permanent magnetic
dipole of individual atoms in A-m2 No idea

ABDULLAH AND SAYEEM |1106006 & 1106076

Materials: Past Years’ Questions

Chapter 4
Modern Theory of Solids
1. From the knowledge of band theory of solids explain why Magnesium behaves
like a metal in spite of having filled 3s band. Also explain why Carbon behaves like
a semiconductor instead of behaving like a metal. 4.2
2. Discuss the properties of Fermi – Dirac function. Also state the limitations of
Fermi-Dirac distribution. 314 page
3. Explain how holes contribute to the charge transport process in a semiconductor.
4.3
4. Derive the effective mass expression for the particle inside a semiconductor.
Session 2009-10 8(b)
5. Short note: Brillouin Zone
6. Explain how energy band is changed with the application of voltage. 4.2
7. Explain why energy bands are overlapped with each other. 4.2
8. Define density of states. Derive an expression of three dimensional density of
states. 4.5
9. Discuss the origin of energy bands in crystal with Kronig-Penny model.
10. What is Parabolic Band Approximation?
11. State two equation of Bloch theorem. What important conclusions can be made
concerning the allowed values of k from Bloch’s equation

NB: Incomplete

ABDULLAH AND SAYEEM |1106006 & 1106076

Materials: Past Years’ Questions

Chapter 2
Electrical and Thermal Conduction in Solids
1. Why the resistivity due to impurity scattering in metals is independent
of temperature? ??
2. Why the thermal conductivity of diamond is very high whereas that of
polymer is very low? 2.6.1 152
3. Draw the necessary diagram and prove that the Hall co-efficient for
ambipolar conduction depends on both the drift mobility ratio and
concentrations of holes and electrons. 2.5 158
4. Derive an equation which will establish the relationship between the
resistivity of a pure metal and temperature of the metal. 2.2 122-124
5. Describe lattice- scattering- limited and impurity- scattering-limited
drift mobility and their temperature dependence. 2.2
6. Show that for a pure metal the resistivity is given by the following
relationship. 2.2 123
𝑚𝑒 𝑇
𝜌𝑇 = 2
𝑒 𝑛𝐶
7. What kind of materials are best for making Hall Effect devices? Why?
2.5
8. Derive a quantum mechanical expression for conductivity in metals.
From this, obtain the conductivity expression as derived from Drude’s
Model. ??

ABDULLAH AND SAYEEM |1106006 & 1106076

Materials: Past Years’ Questions

Chapter 3
Quantum Mechanics
1. The solution to Schrodinger’s equation for a particular situation is given by
2 −𝑥
𝜓 (𝑥 ) = √ . 𝑒 𝑎0
𝑎0
𝑎0
Determine the probability of finding the particle between the limits 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤
4
2. Derive a quantum mechanical expression for conductivity in metals. From this,
obtain the conductivity expression as derived from Drude’s Model.
3. Solve Schrödinger equation for a free particle whose energy is E. what is the
uncertainty in the position of the electron and uncertainty in the momentum
of the electron?
4. Briefly describe the operating principle of Scanning Tunneling Microscope.
(STM)
5. Write Schrödinger’s equation and Eigen energy expressions for 3-D structure.
6. Show that in infinite potential well the density of states per unit volume at a
particular energy is proportional to square root of that energy.
7. A one-dimensional infinite potential well with a width of 12Å contains an
electron. If the electron drops from the second energy level to the first, what is
the wave length of a photon that might be emitted?
8. A proton attempt to penetrate a rectangular potential barrier of height 10MeV and
thickness 10−14 m. The particle has a total energy of 3MeV. Calculate the probability
that the particle will penetrate the potential barrier.
9. A photoelectric experiment indicates violet light of wavelength 420nm is the longest
wavelength radiation that can cause photoemission of electrons from a particular
photocathode
i) What is work function in eV?
ii) If a UV radiation of wavelength 300nm is incident upon the photocathode, what
will be the maximum kinetic energy of the photoemitted electrons?

NB: Incomplete

ABDULLAH AND SAYEEM |1106006 & 1106076