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17-Phys-A6 Solid State Physics: May 2015

Nivaar worked solution (AI-drafted; not reviewed by a licensed engineer)

  1. Question 1 Bravais Lattices, BCC Packing, Primitive Vectors, and Miller Indices
  2. Question 2 Ionic Cohesion — Repulsive/Coulomb Energy, Equilibrium Separation, and the 1-D Madelung Constant
  3. Question 3 Lattice Vibrations — Monatomic-Basis Dispersion Relation and Group Velocity
  4. Question 4 Free-Electron Metals — Particle-in-a-Box Energies and the Fermi Energy
  5. Question 5 Extrinsic Semiconductor — Intrinsic Fermi Level, Carrier Type, Mass-Action Law, and Occupation Probability
  6. Question 6 Magnetism — Diamagnetism/Paramagnetism, Nuclear vs. Electronic Moments, Susceptibility, and the Curie Constant
  7. Question 7 Point Defects and Diffusion — Vacancy Concentration and the Zn-in-Cu Arrhenius Plot

Start with Question 1 →

National Exams — Phys-A6: Solid State Physics — May 2015 (3 hours; closed book; useful equations and physical constants annexed to the paper). Any FIVE of the SEVEN questions constitute a complete exam paper (first five as they appear in the answer book are marked); all seven are solved below as a complete study resource.

Reference texts: C. Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics, 8th ed. (Ch. 1–3, 4, 6, 8, 14, 18); N. W. Ashcroft & N. D. Mermin, Solid State Physics, 1st ed. (Ch. 2, 4–7, 22, 28, 31–32).