1

1 A quantity of gas is trapped by a piston in a cylinder with thin metal walls. The piston is free to move
without friction within the cylinder.

The diagram shows the cylinder and piston.

gas

cylinder

piston

The cylinder is placed inside a freezer.

As the temperature of the metal cylinder decreases, the volume of the metal decreases. The
decrease in the volume of the metal is much less than the decrease in the volume of the gas.

Explain, in terms of the particles of the metal, why the decrease in the volume of the metal is less
than that of the gas.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]
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2 A quantity of gas is trapped by a piston in a cylinder with thin metal walls. The piston is free to move
without friction within the cylinder.

The diagram shows the cylinder and piston.

gas

cylinder

piston

The cylinder is placed inside a freezer.

The initial temperature of the cylinder and the gas is 21 °C and, in the freezer, the temperature of
the cylinder decreases to −18 °C.

The thermal capacity of the cylinder is 89 J / °C.

Calculate the change in the internal energy of the cylinder.

change in internal energy = ............................................ [2]

[Total: 2]

3 The value of the heat capacity of the hot junction of a thermocouple thermometer is important in
ensuring that it can measure temperature changes very rapidly.

Explain why.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]
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4 State and explain the two features of a liquid-in-glass thermometer that are necessary for linearity.

statement 1 ..............................................................................................................................

explanation ...............................................................................................................................

statement 2 ..............................................................................................................................

explanation ............................................................................................................................... [4]

[Total: 4]

5 The hot junction of a thermocouple thermometer has a heat capacity of 0.11 J / °C.

Calculate the thermal energy required to increase the temperature of the hot junction from 20 °C
to 345 °C.

energy = .............................................. [3]

[Total: 3]

6 The diagram shows a kitchen tap that supplies instant boiling water.

Cold water passes over an electric immersion heater inside the tap.

The boiling point of water is 100 °C.

(a) The immersion heater is powered by the mains at a voltage of 230 V. When the tap is opened,
the heater switches on and the current in the heater is 13 A.

Calculate the thermal energy produced by the heater in 60 s.

thermal energy = .............................................. [2]

(b) The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg °C). The cold water that enters the tap is at
22 °C.

Calculate the rate at which water at its boiling point emerges from the tap.

rate = .............................................. [4]

[Total: 6]

7 State one advantage of using a thermocouple to measure temperature rather than using a
liquid-in-glass thermometer.

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

8 The boiling point of water is 100 °C.

State what is meant by boiling point.

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

9 A thermocouple is a device that is used as a thermometer.

(a) The diagram shows a beaker that contains molten sulfur at an initial temperature greater than
400 °C.

On the diagram, sketch and label a diagram of a thermocouple that is used to determine the
temperature of the sulfur as it cools to room temperature.

sulfur

[4]

(b) Describe briefly how the temperature of the sulfur in the beaker is deduced.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 6]
3
10 A bowl contains 500 cm of water at a temperature of 5.0 °C. The bowl of water is placed in a
freezer for several hours. When the bowl is removed from the freezer, it contains ice at a temperature
3
of –18.0 °C. The density of water is 1000 kg / m .

(a) Calculate the mass of water in the bowl when it is placed in the freezer.

mass = .............................................. [2]

(b) The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg °C). The specific heat capacity of ice is
5
2100 J / (kg °C). The specific latent heat of fusion of water is 3.3 × 10 J / kg.

Calculate the energy given out as the water cools from 5.0 °C to ice at –18.0 °C.

energy = .............................................. [5]

[Total: 7]

11 Define specific heat capacity.

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

12 In some countries, the soil is too cold for plants to grow well. In these countries, plants are grown
in plastic pots and kept inside. The pots, containing soil, are placed on sand. The sand is heated
using an electrical heater, as shown in the diagram.

plant
soil

plastic sand
plant pot

heating element in sand

The heating element in the diagram remains switched on. The temperature of the sand remains
constant at a value above room temperature.

Explain why the temperature of the sand remains constant.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]
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3 3
13 A sample of sand has a volume of 0.050 m . The density of the sand is 1900 kg / m . The specific
heat capacity of the sand is 1500 J / (kg °C).

(a) Calculate the mass of the sample of sand.

mass = ..................................................... [2]

(b) Calculate the thermal capacity of the sample of sand.

thermal capacity = ..................................................... [2]

[Total: 4]
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14 The diagram shows a thermometer used to measure the temperature of liquid X.

Beaker A Beaker B

The voltmeter reading is 1.7 mV.

The water in the two beakers is changed so that beaker A contains water at 0 °C and beaker B
contains water at 100 °C.
Using the same thermometer the voltmeter reading is 5.4 mV .

Calculate the temperature of liquid X measured by the thermometer.

temperature = .............................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

15 Explain the melting of a solid in terms of molecules and energy.

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..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]
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16 Suggest an application for which a thermocouple is more suitable than a liquid-in glass thermometer.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

17 Explain, in terms of molecules, why a supply of thermal energy is needed to change a liquid into a
gas.

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.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

18 Define specific latent heat.

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.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

19 An electrical heater is used to heat a liquid to its boiling point. The diagram shows the apparatus.

When the liquid is boiling, the heater supplies 1.26 MJ of thermal energy. The mass reading shown
on the balance decreases from 3800 g to 2300 g.

(a) Calculate the specific latent heat of vaporisation of the liquid.

specific latent heat = .............................................. [3]

(b) State and explain a precaution to improve the accuracy of the value of specific latent heat
calculated in (a).

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 5]

20 The diagram shows a thermometer.

State the name of this type of thermometer.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

21 A large test-tube contains a liquid at room temperature. An electric heater is immersed in the liquid
and is switched on. Thermal energy is supplied to the liquid by the heater. The temperature of the
liquid increases until it reaches its boiling point. The liquid then starts to change into gas.

Describe what happens to molecules of the liquid as its temperature begins to increase.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

22 Water has a specific heat capacity of 4200 J / (kg °C) and a boiling point of 100 °C.
 11

A mass of 0.30 kg of water at its boiling point is poured into a copper container which is initially at
11 °C. After a few seconds, the temperature of the container and the water are both 95 °C.

(a) Calculate the energy transferred from the water.

energy transferred = .............................................. [2]

(b) Calculate the thermal capacity of the copper container.

thermal capacity of the copper container = .............................................. [2]

[Total: 4]

23 Water has a boiling point of 100°C.

State what is meant by boiling point.

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

24 Water, at its boiling point, is poured into a copper container.

Water from the container evaporates and the temperature of the remaining water decreases slowly.

Explain, in terms of molecules, why evaporation causes the temperature of the remaining water to
decrease.

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..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [3]

[Total: 3]
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25 The diagram shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer without a temperature scale. The liquid inside
the thermometer has a melting point of –39 °C.

State the property of the liquid which ensures that the scale on a liquid-in-glass thermometer is
linear.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

26 A solar panel receives energy from the Sun at a rate of 5.0 kW.

Thermal energy is transferred from the solar panel to water with an efficiency of 20%.

Cold water of mass 15 kg enters the solar panel every hour.

The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg°C).

Calculate the temperature increase of the water.

temperature increase = .............................................. °C [4]

[Total: 4]

27 Draw a labelled diagram to show the structure of a thermocouple thermometer.

[3]

[Total: 3]
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28 The diagram shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer without a temperature scale. The liquid inside
the thermometer has a melting point of –39 °C.

Describe simple experiments to mark the positions of the fixed points on this liquid-in-glass
thermometer.

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..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

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..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [4]

[Total: 4]

29 The diagram shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer without a temperature scale. The liquid inside
the thermometer has a melting point of –39 °C.

A scientist is measuring temperatures at the South Pole. These temperatures have a minimum
value of –90 °C.

State why the liquid used in the thermometer in the diagram would not be suitable for this scientist.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

30 The diagram shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer without a temperature scale. The liquid inside
the thermometer has a melting point of –39 °C.

State a design change that:

(a) increases the sensitivity of a liquid-in-glass thermometer

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) increases the range of a liquid-in-glass thermometer.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 2]

31 On a sunny day, the temperature of the sand on a beach is much higher than the temperature of
the sea.

Explain why.

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..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

32 The diagram shows a plastic cup. The cup contains sand, an electric heater and a thermometer.

The power of the heater is 50 W. The mass of the sand in the cup is 550 g. The initial temperature
of the sand is 20 °C. The heater is switched on for 2.0 minutes. The temperature is recorded until
the temperature stops increasing. The highest temperature recorded by the thermometer is 33 °C.

(a) Calculate the energy supplied by the heater.

energy = .............................................. [2]

(b) Calculate a value for the specific heat capacity of the sand, using your answer to (a) and the
data in the question.

specific heat capacity = .............................................. [3]

(c) Explain why the specific heat capacity of sand may be different from the value calculated in
(b).

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 7]

33 Small pieces of ice at 0 °C are added to 0.35 kg of water. The initial temperature of the water is
24.5 °C. The temperature of the water decreases to 0 °C. The water loses 35 000 J of thermal
energy as it cools. All of the ice added to the water melts.
5
The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is 3.3 × 10 J / kg.

Calculate the mass of ice added to the water.

mass = .............................................. [3]

[Total: 3]

34 Define the specific latent heat of fusion of a substance.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]
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35 Small pieces of ice at 0 °C are added to 0.35 kg of water. The initial temperature of the water is
24.5 °C. The temperature of the water decreases to 0 °C. The water loses 35 000 J of thermal
energy as it cools. All of the ice added to the water melts.

Calculate the specific heat capacity of water.

specific heat capacity = .............................................. [2]

[Total: 2]