MWL GEOFREY M IDEBE (+255 688 – 082 089 – MWANZA) Page 1

 This book is written strictly in accordance with the latest

syllabus prescribed by the ministry of education, science and
technology and the Current Examinations Format (2019)
given by the National Examinations Council of Tanzania
(NECTA)
 Each chapter of this book has been divided into two parts ie,..
Part – I, which includes definitions of terms and Chapter
Summary while Part – II includes Questions and answers and
Self Assessment.

Author: Geofrey M Idebe

Title of the Book: Physics for CSEE – Volume 3
ISBN: 978 – 9912 – 40 – 340 – 6
First Edition: 2022

Contacts info:
Phone: +255 688 082 089
Email: [email protected]

Mwanza – Tanzania

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
means, recording, photocopying or otherwise without the prior
written permission of the Owner

MWL GEOFREY M IDEBE (+255 688 – 082 089 – MWANZA) Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Application of Vectors
2. Friction
3. Light – II
4. Dispersion and Colors
5. Optical Instruments
6. Thermal Expansion
7. Transfer of Thermal Energy
8. Measurement of Thermal Energy
9. Vapor and Humidity
10. Current Electricity

SOME OF SI UNITS USED:

1. Acceleration, a is metre per second squared (m/s2)
2. Acceleration due to gravity, g is m/s2 (or N/kg)
3. Activity (of a radio nuclide) is Becquerel (Bq)
4. Amount of substance is Mole (mol)
5. Area (A) is square meter (m2)
6. Capacitance is Farad (F) [other = C/V]
7. Density is kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m3) (or g/cm3)
8. Effort, E and Load, L in machine is Newton (N)
9. Electric Charge, Quantity of electricity is Coulomb (C)
10. Electric current, I is Ampere (A)
11. Electric Resistance is Ohm () [other= V/A]
12. Electric Potential difference, Emf is Volts (V) [other =W/A]
13. Energy, Work, Quantity of heat is Joule (J)
14. Extension , e is meter (m)
15. Force (Weight)/Tension is Newton (N) [others = kgm/s2]
16. Frequency , F is Hertz (Hz)
17. Heat Capacity is Joule per Kelvin (J/K)
18. Impulse, J is Newton second (Ns)
19. Length, (L), Displacement and distance is meter (m)
20. Linear expansivity, ∝ is per Kelvin (K-1 ) [ per Celsius, 0C-1]
21. Mass is kilogram (kg) [others = grams, tones]
22. Moment of force (M) is Newton meter (Nm)
MWL GEOFREY M IDEBE (+255 688 – 082 089 – MWANZA) Page 3
 23. Momentum, p is kilogram meter per second (kgm/s)
24. Power is Watts (W) [others = Horsepower, Hp]
25. Pressure, stress is Pascal (Pa) [others = N/m2, mmHg, Bar, Atm]
26. Resistivity, 𝜌 is Ohm meter (m)
27. Specific latent heat of vaporization/fusion is Joule per kilogram (J/kg)
28. Specific heat Capacity, C is Joule per kilogram Kelvin (J/kgK)
29. Speed, Velocity is meter per second (m/s) [other = km/h]
30. Spring constant, k (Force constant) is Newton per meter (N/m)
31. Temperature is Kelvin (K) [others = Celsius, 0C/ Fahrenheit, 0F]
32. Time is second (s) [others = minutes, hours]
33. Volume is cubic meter (m3) [others = cm3,mm3]
34. Wave length,  is Meter (m)

UNITS CONVERSION
 1 kilo unit = 1000 (103) Units
 1 Mega units = 1,000,0000 (106) units
 1 Giga unit = 1,000,000,000 (109) units
 1Unit = 0.001 (10-3) mill unit
 1 Unit = 0.000001(10-6) micro unit
 1 unit = 0.000000001 (10-9) nano unit
 10m/s = 36km/h
 1 m3 = 1000 Litres
 1 Litre = 1000 cm3
 1g/cm3 = 1000kg/m3
 1 atm = 760 mmHg = 1.01325 x 105 Pa (N/m2)
 1 Hp = 746W
 1AU = 1.4960 x 1011m → AU = Astronomical unit
Symbols:
Mega = M, Kilo = k, Giga = G, mill = m, micro =𝝁, nano = n
Examples:
1. Change the following
(a) 3MHz into Hz → 1MHz = 106Hz, 3MHz =Hz?, = 3x106Hz
(b) 5k into  → 1k = 103, 5k =? , 5k = 5000
(c) 50mA into A → 5 x 10-2A or 0.05A
(d) 8 𝜇F into F → 8 x 10-6 F
(e) 50 kg into g → 50,000g
(f) 25m/s into km/h → 90kh

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 Chapter 2: FRICTION
PART: I
Definitions of terms, Laws, Rules and Principles
1. Coefficient of kinetic friction -is the ratio of kinetic friction force
to the normal reaction.
2. Coefficient of static friction is the ratio of limiting friction force
to the normal reaction.
3. Dynamic (kinetic) Friction -Is the friction that occurs when
objects are moving relative to each other and rub against each other.
4. Friction - Is the force which opposes the relative motion or
tendency of motion between two surfaces in contact.
5. Limiting friction - is the maximum possible value of static friction.
6. Lubricant - is a substance (such as grease/oil) capable of
reducing friction, heat, and wear when introduced as a film
between solid surfaces
7. Normal force - is the force which is equal and opposite to the
weight of the body.
8. Rolling friction – is the force of friction between a rolling body
and a surface over which it rolls
9. Sliding Friction is the kind of kinetic friction that is caused by
two bodies rubbing or sliding against each other
10. Static Friction - Is the friction which occurs when the two objects
are not moving relative to each other (OR – the opposing force
that comes into play when one body tends to move over the
surface of another, but the actual motion has yet not started)
Important note (Area of concentration):
1. Coefficient of kinetic friction is always less than the coefficient of
static friction.
2. Kinetic (dynamic) friction comes into two types ie,. Rolling
friction and Sliding friction
3. If the applied force is increased the force of static friction also
increases. If the applied force exceeds a certain (maximum) value,
the body starts moving. This maximum value of static friction up
to which body does not move is called Limiting friction
4. The body moves only when an external force is applied to it.
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 (This occurs when FAPP > FR)
 When frictional force is greater than applied force then body will
not move (ie,.. FR > FAPP).
 The body stops when the frictional force acts on it in the opposite
direction
 When, FAPP = FR, then the object is either at rest or moving at a
constant velocity. (ie,.. when a = 0 m/s2).
5. As the area of contact is less in the case of rolling than in the case
of sliding, thus, rolling friction is less than the sliding friction.
6. When a body rolls on the surface of another ,the form of kinetic
friction that exists between the surfaces is called ‘Rolling Friction’’
7. It is easy to roll a body than to slide it on the ground ,This is
because Rolling friction is always less than Sliding friction
 Example, A wheel reduces friction by allowing the
contacting surfaces to roll rather than to drag or slide over
each other. By reducing friction, a wheel can enable you to
use less force to move an object.
8. Examples of rolling friction are; wheels of the moving vehicles,
rolling of the log on the ground,
9. Examples of sliding friction are; sliding of blocks across the
ground, two cards sliding against each other in a deck of cards
10. Factors influencing friction:
 Type of material
 Roughness of the surfaces of contact
 Weight of the moving body
 Nature of motion of the body
11. Laws of static friction:
 The force of friction is directly proportional to normal reaction
and always opposite in direction of motion.
 The magnitude of the limiting friction (F) bears a constant ratio
to the normal reaction (R) between the two surfaces.
𝑭
i.e. = Constant.
𝑹
 The force of friction is independent of the area of contact
between the two surfaces.
 The force of friction depends upon the roughness or
smoothness of the body.
 The force of friction is independent of sliding velocity.
12. Friction is caused due to the irregularities on the two surfaces in
contact. So, when one object moved over the other, these
MWL GEOFREY M IDEBE (+255 688 – 082 089 – MWANZA) Page 6
 irregularities on the surface get entangled, giving rise to friction.
The more the roughness, the more irregularities and more
significant will be the friction.
13. Friction is a necessary evil
(a) Friction is a Necessity
 Without friction between our feet and the ground, It will not be
possible to walk. When the ground becomes slippery after rain,
it is made rough by spreading sand etc
 The tyres of the vehicles are made rough to increase friction
 Various parts of machines are able to rotate due to friction
between belt and pulley.
 It would be impossible to climb, to fix a nail, to drive if there
were no friction.
 A horse cannot pull a cart unless friction furnishes him a secure
Foothold.
 Construction of buildings is possible only because of friction.
 We are able to write because of friction between the paper and
the tip of the pen.
(b) Friction is an Evil
 Wear and tear of the machine is due to friction
 Friction between different parts of the rotating machines
produces heat and causes damage to them.
 We have to apply extra power to machine in order to
overcome friction, thus the efficiency of the machine decreases
14. Acceleration of a block (body) against Friction
(a) Acceleration of a block on horizontal surface
When a body is moving under application of force P, then
kinetic friction opposes its motion, if a is the net acceleration
of the body, then
𝑃−𝐹𝑘
ma = P – FK → 𝒂 =
𝑚
(b) Acceleration of a block down a rough inclined plane
ma = mgsin + F, but F = 𝜇𝑚𝑔𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑚𝑎 = 𝑚𝑔𝑆𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝜇𝑚𝑔𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑚𝑔 (𝑆𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝜇𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃)
∴ 𝒂 = 𝒈 (𝑺𝒊𝒏𝜽 − 𝝁𝑪𝒐𝒔𝜽)
(c) Retardation of a block up a rough inclined plane
ma = mgsin + F, but F = 𝜇𝑚𝑔𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑚𝑎 = 𝑚𝑔𝑆𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝜇𝑚𝑔𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑚𝑔 (𝑆𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝜇𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃)
∴ 𝒂 = 𝒈 (𝑺𝒊𝒏𝜽 + 𝝁𝑪𝒐𝒔𝜽)
See the figures below
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 (d) For smooth inclined plane, (ie,..when 𝝁 = 0) ∴ a = 𝒈𝑺𝒊𝒏𝜽
(e)When the top object keeps sliding with constant velocity, the
tangent of that angle is equal to 𝝁 (ie,.. 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽 = 𝝁𝒌)
15. The work done against friction
(a)Work done over a rough inclined surface
 If a body of mass m is moved up on a rough inclined plane
through distance s, then
Work done (Wd) =Fs = ma x s= mg (Sin 𝛉 + 𝝁𝒌 𝑪𝒐𝒔𝜽) S
 For body of mass m moves downwards a rough inclined
plane through distance s, then
Work done (Wd) =Fs = ma x s= mg (Sin 𝛉 − 𝝁𝒌 𝑪𝒐𝒔𝜽) S
(b) Work done in sliding a body over a horizontal surface is
given by; Work done = FF x S = 𝝁𝒌 𝒎𝒈S
16. The following methods can be used to reduce friction
 The use of streamlined bodies. For objects that move in
fluids such as boats, planes, cars, etc, the shape of their body is
streamlined in order to reduce the friction between the bodies
of the objects as the fluid.
 By polishing the surface, as polishing makes the surface
smooth and friction can be reduced.
 Lubrication. Using lubricants such as oil or grease can reduce
the friction between the surfaces.
 Use of ball bearings or roller bearings. When objects are
rolled over the surface, the friction between the rolled object
and surface can be reduced by using ball bearings.
 Avoiding moisture. When the moisture is present the friction
is more, So, we must avoid moisture between the two surfaces,
 The use of alloys. Friction is reduced by lining the moving
parts by an alloy because alloys have low coefficients of friction
 Reduce pressure or weight on the object
17. The following methods can be used to increase friction
 The surfaces in contact have to be made rough
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  Press the two surfaces together harder.
 Increasing the normal reaction
 Use material with high value of 𝜇
PART: II QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
1. A car of mass 750 kg is travelling east on a level road. Its engine
exerts a constant force of 2.0 kN causing the car to accelerate at
1.2 ms-2 until it reaches a speed of 25 m/s.
Calculate
(i) The net force
(ii) The force of friction, acting on the car.
(iii) If the engine is then turned off, calculate how far the car will
travel before coming to rest.
ANS:
(i) Fnet = ma → Fnet = (750)(1.2) → Fnet = 900 N East.
(ii) Fnet = Fbig – Fsmall → Fnet = Fcar - Ffriction →
900 = 2000 - Ffriction → Ffriction = 1100 N due west
𝐹 1100
(iii) Friction causes deceleration: 𝑖𝑒 𝑎 = → 𝑎= = 1.47 m/s2
𝑚 750
From: v2 = u2 + 2as → 𝟎 = 252 + 2(-1.47)s
𝟔𝟐𝟓
𝟎 = 𝟔𝟐𝟓 − 𝟐. 𝟗𝟒𝒔 → 𝒔 = = 𝟐𝟏𝟑 𝒎
𝟐.𝟗𝟒
2. If a ladder weighing 250N is placed against a smooth vertical
wall having coefficient of friction between it and floor is 0.3, then
what is the maximum force of friction available at the point of
contact between the ladder and the floor [ANS: F =𝝁𝒔 𝒎𝒈 =75N]
3. A block of mass 2kg is kept on the floor. The coefficient of static
friction is 0.4. If a force F of 2.5 N is applied on the block.
Calculate the frictional force between the block and the floor
Limiting friction = 𝝁𝒔 𝒎𝒈 = 𝟐 x 0.4 x 10 =8N, FA = 2.5N
As applied force is less than limiting friction, so for the given
condition static friction will work.
Static friction on a body = Applied force = 2.5N
4. A block A with mass 100kg is resting on another block B of mass
200kg. As shown in the figure below. A horizontal rope tied to a
wall holds it. The coefficient of friction between A and B is 0.2
while coefficient of friction between B and ground is 0.3. What is
the minimum force F required in order B start moving?

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 ANS: two frictional force will work on block B
ie,… F = FAB + FBG = 𝝁𝑨𝑩 𝒎𝑨 𝒈 + 𝝁𝑩𝑮(mA + mB)g
F = 0.2x100x10 + 0.3 x (100+200) x10 = 1100N
5. A 20 kg block is initially at rest on a rough horizontal surface. A
horizontal force of 75N is required to set the block in motion.
After it is in motion, a horizontal force of 60N is required to keep
the block moving with constant speed. What is the coefficient of
𝑭 𝟕𝟓
static friction [ANS: 𝝁𝑺 = 𝟏 = = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟕𝟓]
𝑹 𝟐𝟎𝟎
6. A body of 5kg weight kept on a rough inclined plane of angle 30 0
starts sliding with a constant velocity. What is the coefficient of
√𝟑
friction? [ANS: 𝝁 = 𝒕𝒂𝒏 = = 0.577]
𝟑
7. A body of mass 5kg rests on a rough horizontal surface of
coefficient of friction 0.2. The body is pulled through a distance
of 10m by a horizontal force of 25N. What is the kinetic energy
acquired by it?
ANS: FNET = FAPP – FF= 25 – 𝝁𝒎𝒈 =15N
K.E = Wd = Fs = 15 X 10 = 150 J
8. 300J of work is done in sliding a 2kg block up an inclined plane to a
height of 10 meters. Taking value of g =10m/s2, what is the work
done against friction?
ANS: WdAgainst FRICTION =WdTOTAL – WdAGAINST GRAVITY=300-200=100J
9. A block of mass 50 kg slides over a horizontal distance of 1 m. If
the coefficient of friction between their surfaces is 0.2, then work
done against friction is [ ANS: Wd = Fs = 𝝁𝒎𝒈x s = 100J]
10. A block of mass 1 kg slides down on a rough inclined plane of
inclination 600starting from its top. If the coefficient of kinetic
friction is 0.5 and length of the plane is 1m, what is the value of
work done against friction? [ANS: Wd =Fs= 𝝁𝒎𝒈𝑪𝒐𝒔 𝒔 =2.5J]
11. Give reasons, why?
(a) We sprinkle fine powder on carom board
(b) Sportsmen use shoes with spikes
ANS:
(a) We sprinkle fine powder on carrom board to reduce friction.
(b) Sportsmen use shoes with spikes to increase friction which
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 prevents them from slipping.
12. A batsman hits a cricket ball which then rolls on a level ground.
After covering a short distance, the ball comes to rest. Explain
ANSWER: The ball slows to a stop because there is a force on
the ball opposing the motion.
13. Explain why most of vehicles have their engines directly over the
drive wheel?
ANS: This is a way of increasing frictional force between the two
surfaces. Therefore, the normal force increases on the wheels
14. A 50 kg crate is being pushed across a horizontal floor by a
horizontal force of 575 N. If the coefficient of sliding friction is
0.25, what is the acceleration of the crate? [ANS: 9m/s2]
15. Explain, why sliding friction is less than static friction?
Answer:
When an object starts sliding, the contact points on its surface do
not get enough time to lock in the contact points on the other
object, so the sliding friction is less than the static friction.
16. A force of 30N is used is just sufficient to pull a block of 4kg over a
flat surface. Calculate the angle of friction. [A: tan-1 0.75 or 36.870]
17. A force of 40.0 N accelerates a 5.0-kg block at 6.0 m/s2 along a
horizontal surface
(a) How large is the friction force?
(b) What is the value of coefficient of friction
ANS:
(a) FNET = FAPP – FF → FF = 40 – 5x 6 = 10N
𝑭 𝟏𝟎
(b) 𝝁 = = = 𝟎. 𝟐
𝒎𝒈 𝟓𝟎
18. A 225-kg crate is pushed horizontally with a force of 710 N. If the
coefficient of friction is 0.20, calculate the acceleration of the crate
ANS: FA =710N, 𝝁 = 𝟎. 𝟐, →FNET = ma =FAPP – FF
𝟕𝟏𝟎−𝟒𝟓𝟎
ma = 710 – 225x10x0.2 → 𝒂 = = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟔 m/s2
𝟐𝟐𝟓
19. If you use a horizontal force of 30.0 N to slide a 12.0 kg wooden
crate across a floor at a constant velocity, what is the coefficient of
kinetic friction between the crate and the floor?
𝑭 𝟑𝟎
ANS: FF = F, 𝝁 = = = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟓
𝒎𝒈 𝟏𝟐𝟎
20. A vehicle weighing 19.6kN is drawn up an incline of 2 in 100 at a
rate of 20m/s. If the resistance due to friction be 208N, then what
is the power of the engine? [ANS: P = E/t = Ff x V = (𝝁𝑹 + 𝑭′) x
V = (19600 x 0.02 + 208) x 20 = 1.2 x 104W]
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21. Calculate the work done by an 85.0 kg man who pushes a crate
4.0 m up along a ramp that makes an angle of 200 with the
horizontal. (See Figure below) He exerts a force of 500 N on the
crate parallel to the ramp and moves at a constant speed. Be
certain to include the work he does on the crate and on his body
to get up the ramp.

[ANS: total F = mgsin𝜽 +500 → wd = Fs = 3163 J]

22. A car with a mass 1200kg is travelling at the rate of 70km/h.
suddenly the brakes are applied causing all the tyres to skid. How
far will the car travels before coming to rest? Given that 𝝁 = 𝟎. 𝟐.
[ANS: FFS = 𝝁𝒎𝒈𝑺 = K.E → 𝑺 =96.4 m]
23. The coefficient of friction between tyres and road is 0.5. If an
automobile is travelling at a speed of 28m/s, it will come to rest
after travelling how much distance. [ANS: 78.4m]
24. Two boxes, A and B, are lying on a table and are connected by a
piece of string. The mass of box A is 3 kg and the mass of box B is 2
kg. Assume that the mass of the string is very small, so we can
ignore it. A 30 N pulling force, pointing to the right, is applied to box
B, causing the two boxes to move. The surface acts with a frictional
force of 5,9 N on box A and 4,1 N on box B.

(a) Calculate the acceleration of boxes A and B.

(b) Calculate the magnitude of the tension on the string.
Answer:
(a) FNET = FA - FF → a = 4m/s2
(b) FA – FF = mAa → T – FF = ma → 𝑻 =3x4 +5.9 = 17.9N
25. Why aero planes are streamlined? Where do we find streamlined
shapes in nature?
ANS: Aero planes are streamlined so that air offers minimum
friction. Bodies of birds and fishes are streamlined.

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26. You are driving your car at 24 m/s. What is the shortest distance
in which you can brake to a halt? The coefficient of static friction
between the tires and the road is 0.6.[ANS: 48m]
27. A woman pulls a loaded sled, with a mass of 75 kg, along a
horizontal surface at a constant speed. The woman is pulling with a
rope at an angle of 420 with the horizontal and the coefficient of
friction between the runners and the snow is 0.1.

(a) What is the tension in the rope?

(b) What is the normal force with which the snow pushes
vertically upwards on the sled
Answer:
(a) FF = Tcos 𝛉 = 𝝁𝒌 𝑹 ----- (i), Tsin 𝛉 +R = mg -----(ii)
On solving eqn (i) and (ii), ∴ T = 92. 59N
(b) R = mg – Tsin 𝛉 = 657.41N
28. A trolley of mass 1.5 kg is pulled along by an elastic cord and
given an acceleration of 2m/s2. Find the frictional force acting on
the trolley if the tension in the cord is 5N. [ANS: 2N]
29. A block of metal with a mass of 20kg requires a horizontal force
of 50N to pull it with uniform velocity along a horizontal surface.
Calculate the coefficient of friction between the surface and the
block (Take g = 10m/s2). [ANS: 0.25]
30. Will force of friction come into play when a raindrop rolls down
a glass window pane?
Answer: Yes, there will be friction between a raindrop and a
window plane made of glass. However, because the window
surface is smooth, the frictional force holding the rain drop on
the window surface is weak, and the raindrop rolls down.
31. John exerts a force of 100 N to the right on a box resting on a
rough, horizontal surface. Sarah exerts a force of 50 N to the left
on the box. The friction between the box and the surface is 5 N.

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 Draw a force diagram and calculate the resultant force acting on
the box. ANS: [FNet = 100 – 50 – 5 = 45N, to the right]

32. A wooden box of mass 30kg rests on a rough floor. The

coefficient of friction between the floor and the box is 0.6
(a) Calculate the force required to just move the box.[AN: 180N]
(b) If a force of 200N is applied to the box, with what acceleration
will it move? (Take g = 10m/s2) .[ANS: a = 0.67m/s2]
33. What are the factors affecting friction on an object in a fluid?
ANS:
The factors affecting friction on an object in a fluid are:
(i) Speed of the object with respect to the fluid
(ii) Shape of the object
(iii) The nature of the fluid
34. A man pushes a loaded trolley along a horizontal floor. Draw a well
labeled diagram to identify the forces that are acting on the trolley
Answer:

35. In which case will there be more friction between the truck and
the road: when the truck is empty or when it is loaded?
ANS: when the truck is loaded there will be more friction
between the truck and the road
36. Arrange the following in descending order.
(a) Rolling friction
(b) Static friction
(c) Sliding friction
ANS: Static friction > sliding friction > Rolling friction
37. What is fluid friction? Explain why objects moving in fluids must
have special shapes
Answer: The friction exerted by liquids and gases is called fluid
friction. Object moving in a fluid must have the special shape to
overcome friction and to prevent loss of energy.

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38. Why mountain roads are winded up rather than keeping them
straight?
Answer:
 In order to reduce risk of slipping by increasing friction
between tyres and road. While going up a mountain the
opposing frictional force F=μN=mgcosθ, where θ is the angle
of slope with the horizontal. To avoid skidding F should be large,
so Cos should be large and hence  should be small. Thus if
the roads would be made straight up would have larger slope
ALTERNATIVELY
 If roads of the mountain were to go straight up, the slope ()
would have been large, the frictional force (𝝁𝒎𝒈𝑪𝒐𝒔𝜽) would
be small. Due to small friction, wheels or vehicle would slip.
 Also for going up a larger slope, a greater power shall be
required (see the figure below)

39. A horse continues to apply a force in order to move the cart with
a constant speed. Explain why
[ANS: when the cart starts moving, frictional force starts
working on the wheel of cart in opposite to the motion. So, horse
need to apply continuous force in forward direction to maintain
constant speed.]
40. A wagon with its passenger sits at the top of a hill. The wagon is
given a slight push and rolls 100 m down a 100 incline to the
bottom of the hill. What is the wagon’s speed when it reaches the
end of the incline? Assume that the retarding force of friction is
negligible. [ANS: FNET = P – F = mgSin - 𝝁𝒎𝒈Cos, but 𝝁 =0,
Thus, a = gSin, From: v2 = u2 + 2as → 𝒗 =18.45m/s]
41. Using a horizontal force of 200 N, we intend to move a wooden
cabinet across a floor at a constant velocity. What is the friction
force that will be exerted on the cabinet? [ANS: -200N]

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42. If an object with a mass of 40 kg slides down a surface which has a
coefficient of kinetic friction μk = 0,14, and a slope of 15°, what is
the net force on the object as it slides down the surface? [A: 49.4 N]
43. Calculate the components of the weight of an object when it is
resting on a surface which slopes at an angle of .
[ANS: FParallel = mgSin, Rperpendicular = mgCos]
44. A 8000 kg engine pulls a train of 5 wagons, each of 2000 kg,
along a horizontal track as shown from the figure below.

If the engine exerts a force of 40000 N and the track offers a

friction force of 5000 N, then calculate:
(a) The net accelerating force
(b) The acceleration of the train.
(c) The force of wagon 1 on wagon 2.
ANS:
(a) Net force = 400000 – 5000 = 35000N
𝑭 𝟑𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎
(b) F = ma → 𝒂 = = = 𝟏. 𝟗m/s2
𝒎 𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎𝟎
(c) F21 = m4w × a
F21 = Force applied on Wagon 2 by Wagon 1
m4w = mass of 4 wagons, a = acceleration of the train
the force of wagon 1 on wagon 2 =Force of wagon 2 on wagon1
F21 = (4 × 2000 × 1.944) = 15552 N
45. An object of mass 2 kg is sliding with a constant velocity of 4 ms-1 on
a frictionless horizontal table. The force required to keep the object
moving with the same. [ANS: 0N]
46. Why, it is easier to pull than to push?
ANS:
 When you push there is one component of force that adds to
the weight of the body and hence there is more friction.
 When you pull the vertical component of force is against the
weight of body and hence there is less overall friction. So it is
easy to pull than to push an object.(See fig. below)

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 NB:
 When you pull, Fsinθ (FV) acts upwards along with the weight
(mg) and therefore decreases the normal reaction N. Therefore
the frictional force is reduced and it becomes easy to pull
 When you push, Fsinθ (FV) acts downwards along with the
weight (mg) and therefore increases the normal reaction N.
Therefore the frictional force is increased and it becomes
harder to push than to pull
47. Suppose you are driving a car at a high speed. Why you should
you avoid slamming on your brakes when you want to stop in the
shortest possible distance?
ANS: The brakes may lock and the car will slide farther than it
would if the wheels continued to roll because the coefficient of
kinetic friction is less than the coefficient of static friction. Hence,
the force of kinetic friction is less than the maximum force of
static friction.
48. You are playing with your younger sister in the snow. She is
sitting on a sled and asking you to slide her across a flat,
horizontal field. You have a choice of pushing her from behind,
by applying a force at 300 below the horizontal or attaching a
rope to the front of the sled and pulling with a force at 30 0 above
the horizontal. Which would be easier for you and why?
ANSWER:
 It is easier to attach the rope and pull. In this case, there is a
component of your applied force that is upward. This reduces
the normal force between the sled and the snow. In turn, this
reduces the friction force between the sled and the snow,
making it easier to move.
 But, If you push from behind, with a force downward
component, the normal force is larger, the frictional force is
larger and the sled is harder to move.
MWL GEOFREY M IDEBE (+255 688 – 082 089 – MWANZA) Page 17
49. What force causes an automobile to move?
ANS: the force causing an automobile to move is the force of
friction between the tires and the roadway as the automobile
attempts to push the roadway backward
50. A 10 kg mass is at rest on a horizontal surface with no forces
other than gravity and the normal force acting on it. Given that
the coefficients of static and kinetic friction between the surface and
the mass are 0.5 and 0.2 respectively:
(a) What is the force of static friction between the object and the
surface?
(b) What minimum horizontal force is required to start the object
sliding?
(c) If the force in (b) above continues to act on the object after it
starts sliding, what will be the object’s acceleration?
ANSW:
(d) F = 𝝁𝑺 𝒎𝒈 = 𝟎. 𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟓𝟎 N
(e) F = 𝝁𝑲 𝒎𝒈 =0.2 x 10 x 10 = 20N
𝑭 𝟐𝟎
(f) F = ma → 𝒂 = = = 2m/s2
𝒎 𝟏𝟎
51. A rectangular box of mass 10 kg rests on an incline with coefficients
of static and kinetic friction of 0.55 and 0.25 respectively.
(a) At what angle will the box begin to slide?
(b) If the incline is kept at that angle after the box begins to
slide, what will be the box’s acceleration?
(c) From: 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = 𝜇 → 𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 (0.55) = 28.8 ≈ 290
(d) 𝒂 = 𝒈 (𝑺𝒊𝒏𝜽 − 𝝁𝑪𝒐𝒔𝜽) = 𝟐. 𝟔𝟔m/s2
52. In a car, the brakes stop the tyres while friction between the tyres and
the road surface stops the car. On a wet road the coefficient of kinetic
friction between the road surface and the tyre is 0.1. Two similar
cars, A and B, are travelling at speeds of 15m/s and 30m/s,
respectively. Brakes are suddenly applied on each of the cars. How
far will each of the cars travel before coming to a stop?
[ANS: acceleration for the cars, a = 𝝁𝒈= 0.1x10 = 1m/s2, then from
𝑣2
V2 = u2 + 2as → s = , on solving, A = 112.5m and B = 450m]
2𝑎
53. How much work is done by the boy pulling his sister 30.0 m in a
wagon as shown below? Assume no friction acts on the wagon
[ANS: 1290J]

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54. Can we reduce friction to zero by polishing surfaces or using
large amount of lubricants?
ANS: friction can never be eliminated. No surface is perfectly
smooth. Some irregularities are always there.
55. Mwange has to push a lighter box and Nurujan has to push a
similar heavier box on the same floor. Who will have to apply
larger force and why?
ANS: Nurjan will have to apply a larger force because a heavier
box will offer a higher frictional force than a lighter box and
hence, a greater force will be needed by Nurjan to push the
heavier box.
56. Explain the following:
(a) Why do we slip when we step on a banana peel?
(b) Why it is difficult to move on a smooth and wet floor?
(c) If the outer surface of the tumbler is greasy, would it
become easier or more difficult to hold it?
(d) Why are the sole of your shoes grooved?
(e) Why a vehicle slows down when brakes are applied?
(f) Why does a moving ball on the ground stops after some time?
(g) How can a child pull such pieces of luggage that is fitted
with rollers?
(h) You spill a bucket of soapy water on a marble floor earlier
or accidentally. Would it make it more difficult for you to
walk on the floor? Why?
(i) Why are the tyres with worn out surface replaced?
(j) Why car tyres made of rubber materials not of iron?
(k) Why the tyres are made circular?
(l) Why do gymnasts apply a coarse substance to their hands?
(m) Why do kabaddi players rub their hands with soil
(n) Why machine belts are made of special materials?

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 (o) Why treads are made in the tyres of vehicle
ANS:
(a) We slip when we step on a banana peel because the inner side
of banana peel being smooth and slippery reduces the friction
between the sole of our shoe and the surface of road.
(b) Friction plays an important role while walking on any
surface. On the wet surface the friction is very low than
the normal walking surface as layer of water makes the
floor smooth. The coating of water reduces the friction
and the foot cannot make a proper grip on the floor and it
starts getting to slip on the floor.
(c) This is because the presence of a film of oil on the outer
surface of glass tumbler reduces the friction between glass
tumbler and our hands
(d) The soles of shoes and tyres of vehicles like cars, trucks,
etc., are grooved to provide better grip on the floor or
roads to move safely because grooving increases friction.
(e) This is due to the force of friction which is there between
the brake and the wheel of the vehicle.
(f) The ball stops after some time due to the force of friction
between the ball and the ground.
(g) Rolling friction < sliding friction
(h) When soapy water is spilled on the floor, the friction exerted
by the floor is reduced, Hence the feet will not make a
proper grip on the floor and one tends to slip, making it
difficult to walk.
(i) Tyres of automobiles are made corrugated and rough so
as to provide a better grip on road. Due to this the car,
bikes are prevented from skidding on the ground. Worn
out tyres of automobiles do not provide enough friction
between tyres and road. Thus, tyres do not provide
sufficient grip to car and bikes and chances of skidding on
the road increases. Thus, tyres with worn out surfaces
must be replaced.
(j) The following reasons can be considered
 For making tyres for vehicles, we require a type of
material which can be made into tyre shape easily. Iron
is a lot harder than the rubber and requires more force
and effort. Since rubber can be given a circular shape

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 much more easily than iron, the car tyres are made of
rubber and not of iron.
 Friction between rubber and concrete is less than the
friction between iron and concrete
(k) The tyres of cars or automobiles are made circular for the
purpose of reducing the frictional force. The rolling
friction is lesser than sliding friction; therefore, tyres are
made circular in shape.
(l) Gymnasts apply some coarse substance on their hands to
increase friction for better grip
(m) In order to increase friction and get a better on their
opponent players
(n) Machine belts are made of special materials to increase
friction and drive machine wheels properly
(o) Treads are made in the tyres of vehicles to increase
friction and prevents skidding of vehicles on wet road
57. How does friction help us in walking?
ANS: Due to friction, we are able to push the ground backward
during walking. The reaction of the ground helps us to move
forward.
58. It is difficult to open an inkpot with greasy or oily hands.
Explain.
ANS: When the hands are oily, then the oil acts as lubricant and
reduces the friction. As the friction force is less, it is difficult to
get grip of the inkpot and it becomes difficult to open it.
59. The eraser gets smaller and smaller as you use it more and more.
Explain the reason.
ANS: The eraser gets smaller as we use it more due to frictional
force causing wear and tear of the eraser.
60. Give three examples to illustrate that friction is a necessary evil.
(a) If there was no friction, we would not be able to walk.
(b) If there was no friction, we would not be able to drive
vehicles on the road
(c) If there was no friction, we wouldn't be able to write with a
chalk on the board
61. It is difficult to walk on a wet road. Explain.
ANS: After rain, when the road becomes wet, it results in
reduced friction and hence, the road becomes slippery and it
becomes difficult to walk.

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62. When you apply the brakes, the bicycle stops and the rim of the
wheel becomes hot. Explain the reason
ANS: It is due to friction between the brakes and the rim of the
wheel that it becomes hot.
63. Why does a parachute descend slowly?
Answer: A parachute is a device used to slow down on object
that is falling towards the ground. When the parachute opens,
the air resistance increases. So the person can land safely.
64. When walking on ice one should take short steps. Why?
Answer: It is to avoid slipping. Smaller step causes more normal
force and thereby more friction.
65. When a person walks on a surface, the frictional force exerted by
the surface on the person is opposite to the direction of motion.
True or false?
Answer: False. The frictional force exerted by the surface is not
opposite to the direction of motion.
66. There is a limit beyond which the polishing of a surface increases
frictional resistance rather than decreasing it why?
Answer:
 Due to excessive polishing, more molecules of the two surfaces
come closer. Thus they form more bonds and offer great
resistances.
 Because friction arises due to molecular adhesion i.e. due to
electrostatic forces.
67. Can we predict the direction of motion of a body from the
direction of force on it?
Answer: Yes; In free body diagrams, the force of friction is
always parallel to the surface of contact. The force of kinetic
friction is always opposite to the direction of motion.
68. Why does a matchstick catch fire when rubbed on the rough
surface of the box?
Answer: Due to friction between the stick and rough surface a
matchstick catches fire
69. Why do pieces of luggage fitted with rollers?
Answer: To reduce friction and to pull them easily.
70. Why are wheels of vehicles made circular?
ANS: Rolling friction is always smaller than sliding friction. This
is the reason; the wheels of automobiles are made circular in
shape. When the wheels move by revolving or rolling on the

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 surface, rolling friction acts on it, this shape helps to reduce or to
minimize the friction.
71. What is the cause of friction?
Answer: The irregularities on the two surfaces in contact are the
cause of friction.
72. If we push the book on the table, it stops after sometime. Why?
Answer: When we push the book on a table, a force is applied on
it in the opposite direction of the motion called force of friction.
This force opposes the movement and the book stops.
73. Would it be possible to hold the glass at all if there is no friction?
ANS: it won’t be possible for us to hold the glass at all if there
were no friction
74. Can you imagine being able to walk at all if there were no friction?
Answer: No, we won’t be able to walk if there were no friction
75. Why are the worn out tyres discarded?
Answer: The worn out tyres are discarded because their tread
are worn off and limiting their effectiveness of providing
required amount of friction.
76. Why is it easier for the fish to swim in water?
Answer: Fish can easily swim in water because it has a
streamlined body which produces less friction. So it easily cuts
through water and moves in it very easily.
77. How does the friction depend on the nature of the surface?
Answer: Nature of the surface is one of the factors affecting
friction. When we move on any surface, we apply a force to
overcome the interlocking of the surfaces. Rough surfaces have a
larger number of irregularities and greater frictional force.
78. When the two surfaces are pressed harder, friction increases.
Explain why?
Answer: The friction is caused by the interlocking of
irregularities in the two surfaces. It is obvious that the force of
friction will increase if two surfaces are pressed harder. This can
be experienced by dragging a mat when nobody is sitting on it
and when a person is sitting on it.
79. What is a measure of static friction?
Answer: The force required to overcome friction at an instant an
object starts moving from rest is a measure of static friction
80. What is a measure of sliding friction?
Answer: The force required to keep the object moving with the
same speed is a measure of sliding friction.
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81. Why is it easier to move the box already in motion than to get it
started? (or The sliding friction is slightly smaller than the static
friction. Explain why?)
Answer: When the box starts sliding, the contact points on its
surface, do not get enough time to lock into the contact points on
the floor. So, the sliding friction is slightly smaller than the static
friction. Hence, it is somewhat easier to move the box already in
motion than to get it started.
82. How brakes stop moving bicycles and automobiles?
Answer: When we press the brake lever, the brake pads arrest
the motion of the rim due to friction and the wheel stops moving.
This is how brake stops moving bicycles and automobiles.
83. Why are lubricants applied between the moving parts of a
machine?
Answer: When lubricants are applied between the moving parts
of a machine, a thin layer is formed there and moving surfaces
do not directly rub against each other. Interlocking of
irregularities is avoided to a great extent and the movement
becomes smooth.
84. We use ball bearings between the hub and axle of ceiling fan and
bicycles. Why?
Answer: The rolling friction is smaller than the sliding friction.
In most machines, sliding is replaced by rolling by using ball
bearings to reduce friction. This is why ball bearings are used
between the hub and axle of ceiling fan and bicycle.
85. Which factors affect fluid friction?
Answer:
The speed of the object with respect to the fluid, shape of the
object and nature of the fluid affect fluid friction.
86. In some cases, we deliberately increase friction. Explain why?
Answer:
We need to increase friction in some cases like grooving in the
sole of shoes, the treaded tyres of cars, trucks or other vehicles,
using brake pads in the brake system of bicycles and
automobiles. If we do not do so, we may slip on the floor or
roads, vehicles may slip on the roads and they will not stop, our
bicycles and automobiles will not stop, etc.
87. Cartilage is present in joints of our body, which helps in their
smooth movement. If cartilage wears off, how would this affect
the movement of joints?
MWL GEOFREY M IDEBE (+255 688 – 082 089 – MWANZA) Page 24
 Answer: Wearing off cartilage will make its surface rough and
increase the friction. As a result the movement of joints will
become difficult which may lead to joint pains.
88. Imagine that friction suddenly vanishes. How would life be
affected? List ten such situations.
Answer: If friction suddenly vanishes then:
 No moving object will come to rest.
 We will not be able to stand on a floor.
 Buildings will not remain intact at their places.
 We will not be able to make paintings and drawings.
 Nails and screw will not work.
 Vehicles will not stop by applying brakes.
 We will not be able to write on paper or blackboard.
 Vehicles on the road may slip.
 We will not be able to walk on the road.
 We will not be able to hold things.
89. Match the items given in column I suitably with those given in
column II.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
(d) (f) (e) (g) (b) (c) (a)
90. When the teacher is writing with chalk on the blackboard, its
rough surface rubs off some chalk particles which stick to the
black board. Could it happen if there were no friction between
the chalk and the board?
ANS: No, it will not happen if there were no friction between the
chalk and the blackboard.
91. What would happen if there was no friction on the Earth?
Answer:We won’t be able to walk if there were no friction

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92. If action is always equal to the reaction, explain how a horse can
pull a cart
ANS: According to Newton's third law of motion, action force is
equal to reaction but acts on two different bodies and in opposite
directions. When a horse pushes the ground, the ground reacts
and exerts a force on the horse in the forward direction. This
force is able to overcome friction force of the cart and it moves.
(see fig.below)

93. Why friction can never be entirely eliminated?

ANS: Friction can never be entirely eliminated, because no
surface is perfectly smooth, there are always some irregularities
present in it.
94. A create of mass 10 kg is pulled up a rough incline with an initial
speed of 1.5m/s The pulling forces is 100 N parallel to the incline,
which makes an angle of 20o with the horizontal. The coefficient of
kinetic friction is 0.4 and the crate is pulled 5m. Determine the
increase in internal energy of the crate-inline system owing to
friction [ANS: hint: increase in internal energy = friction force x
distance, Increase in internal energy = fk xd = 𝝁mgCos x d =80 J]
95. A 6kg mass is resting on a horizontal surface. It is determined that
a force of 20 N will start the object sliding and keeps it sliding with
an acceleration of 0.83 m/s2. What are the coefficients of static and
kinetic friction between the mass and the surface?
20
[ANS: FAP = FF = 𝜇mg = 20 N → 𝜇𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 = = 0.33, when keeps
60
sliding, FNET = ma = 4.98 N, but FNET = P – F → F = P – FNET
𝐹 15.02
F = 15.02, → 𝜇k = = = 0.25
𝑚𝑔 60
NB: when a body is at rest or moves with a constant velocity (ie,,. a =
0m/s2), FAPP = F

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96. A block weighing 20N rests on a horizontal surface. The coefficient of
static friction between the block and surface is 0.4 and the coefficient
of kinetic friction is 0.20.
(a) How much is the friction force exerted on the block?
(b) How much will the friction force be if a horizontal force 5N is
exerted on the block?
(c) What is the minimum force that will start the block in motion?
(d) What is the minimum force that will keep the block in motion once
it has been started?
(e) If the horizontal force is 10N, what is the friction force?
ANSW: Given: 𝝁𝑺 = 𝟎. 𝟒, 𝝁𝑲 = 𝟎. 𝟐
(a) F = 𝝁𝑺 𝑹 = 0.4 x 20 = 8N
(b) Since FAPP < Fr, Fr = 5N
(c)Minimum force required to start the motion, F= FS =8N
(d) Minimum force required to keep the motion, F=FK = 𝝁𝑲 𝑹
FK = 0.2 x 20 = 4N
(e)FA > FS motion started and FA > FK hence motion continues.
∴ Fr = 4N
97. A block of mass 1000 kg lying steady on the horizontal surface of a
table needs 200 N horizontal force to came into motion. What is the
coefficient of static friction between the block and the surface of table?
[ANSW: 0.02]
98. A 5 kg box on a horizontal table is pushed by a horizontal force
of 15 N as shown on the right. If the coefficient of friction is 0.4,
will the box move?

[ANS: Given: FAPP = 15N, Max Possible friction = 𝜇R = 0.4 x 5 x 10

= 20N, Since FAPP < F, the box will not move]
99. A plank with a box on it at one end is gradually raised about the
other end. As the angle of inclination with the horizontal
reaches 300 the box starts to slip and slides 4.0 m down the plank in
4.0s. The coefficients of static and kinetic friction between the box
and the plank will be, respectively:

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 𝟏
[ANS: 𝝁S = tan = 0.5774, 𝝁k = 0.5196, Hint: s = ut + at2,
𝟐
a = g(Sin𝜽 - 𝝁kCos𝜽)]
100. A block of mass 1 kg pushed up a surface inclined to horizontal at
an angle of 30o a force of 10 N parallel to the inclined surface
(figure). The coefficient of friction between block and the incline
is 0.1. If the block is pushed up by 10 m along the incline, calculate,
increase in potential energy

ANS: Increase in Potential energy = mg(hSin)=1×10×5=50J

101. A block of mass 10 kg is moving up an inclined plane of
inclination 30o with an initial speed of 5 m/s. It stops after 0.5 s,
what is the value of coefficient of kinetic friction? [ANS: 0.5774]
102. A wooden block of mass 8 kg slides down an inclined plane of
inclination 30∘ to the horizontal with constant acceleration 0.4m/s2.
What is the force of friction between the block and inclined plane
(given, g=10m/s2) [ANS: Hint: Fnet = ma = FA – FF, FF = 36.8N]
103. A box of mass 5kg is at rest on a wooden floor. The coefficient of
static friction is 0.42 and the coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.15.
Find the acceleration if a force of
(a) 15 N is applied to the box
(b) 25 N is applied to the box
ANW:
𝑭 −𝝁 𝟏𝟓−𝟎.𝟏𝟓×𝟓×𝟏𝟎
(a) FNET = ma = FA – FR → 𝒂 = 𝑨 𝑲 = =
𝒎 𝟓
𝟕.𝟓
=1.5m/s2
𝟓
𝑭𝑨 −𝝁𝑲 𝟐𝟓−𝟎.𝟏𝟓×𝟓×𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟕.𝟓
(b) FNET = ma =FA – FR → 𝒂 = = = =3.5m/s2
𝒎 𝟓 𝟓
104. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the tyres of a car and
the road is 0.7. The car brakes are applied and it travels a
distance of 120 m before stopping. What was the car’s velocity
just before the brakes were applied?
ANS: 𝝁𝑲 = 0.7, s = 120m, v =?
Acceleration due to friction (retardation), a = 𝝁𝒈 = 0.7 x 10 = 7m/s2
(as FNET = Fr)
From: v2 = u2 + 2as → 𝒗 = √𝟐𝒂𝒔 = √𝟐 × 𝟕 × 𝟏𝟐𝟎 =41m/s
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105. The brakes of a car moving at 20m/s along a horizontal road are
suddenly applied and it comes to rest after travelling some distance.
If the coefficient of friction between the tyres and the road
is 0.90 and it is assumed that all four tyres behave identically, find
the shortest distance the car would travel before coming to a stop.
[ANS: 22.2 m]
106. If it takes 1 N to push horizontally on your book to make it
slide at constant velocity, how much force of friction acts on
the book? ANS: Horizontally, your 1 N force acts to the right
while the friction force acts to the left. If the book slides at
constant velocity that means it moves with zero acceleration so
the net force must be zero. Therefore, the friction force is
also 1 N.
107. A 5kg concrete block is at rest on a table where the coefficients
of static and kinetic friction are 0.55 and 0.30, respectively. The
block is attached to a hanging 3kg mass by a string passing over
a frictionless pulley as shown in the figure below

ANS: let m1 = 5kg, m2 = 3kg, 𝝁𝒌 = 𝟎. 𝟑, g = 10m/s2

For m1: T – FR = m1a ----- (i)
For m2: m2g – T = m2a ----- (ii)
On combining equation (i) and (ii) we get,
𝑔(𝑚2 −𝜇𝑘𝑚1 )
m2g – 𝜇𝑘 m1g = a (m1+m2) → 𝑎 = = 1.875m/s2
𝑚1 +𝑚2
Since acceleration is (+ve), this indicates that the concrete block
will slide
108. Why it is convenient to pull luggage bags fitted with rollers?
ANS: This is because rolling reduces friction; it is always
easier to roll than to slide a body over another.
109. When we try to push a very heavy box kept on ground, it
does not move at all. Which force is preventing this box to
move forward? Where does this force act?
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 ANS: Whenever we push a very heavy box kept on the
ground, it does not move at all because frictional force
balances the force that we apply. So, there is no net
movement of this box. It acts in a direction opposite to the
force we apply.(see the figure below)

Self Assessment – 02
1. Why wheel is said to be one of the greatest inventions of mankind?
2. A loaded trailer weighing 25 tonnes is being towed at constant
speed across a level roadway whose coefficient of dynamic
friction is 0.25. Determine the frictional force in the trailer?
3. Why friction is called necessary evil?
4. Why does a box on a rough, steep slope remain stationary?
5. A crate of soda of mass 10 kg was accelerated from a velocity of
10 m/s to 20 m/s when a force of 50 N was applied on it. Find
the displacement of the crate.
6. Explain that friction is a friend or foe with best examples
7. In which case will there be more friction between the truck and
the road : when the truck is empty or when it is loaded ?
8. Explain briefly why is it easier to pull a lawn roller than to push
it?
9. Explain why, it is easier to drag a mat on floor when nobody is
sitting on it but much more difficult to drag the same mat when
a person is sitting on it.
1. A student puts his pencil into an empty trough and observes the pencil
from the position indicated in the diagram alongside in Fig.

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 (a) What change will be observed in the appearance of the pencil
when water is poured into the trough?
(b) Name the phenomenon which accounts for the above started
observation.
(c)Complete the diagram showing how the student's eye sees the
pencil through water.
(d) State whether the bending of pencil will increase or decrease if
water is replaced by another liquid which is optically more dense
than water. Give reason for your answer.
ANSW:

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 Chapter 4:
DISPERSION AND COLORS
PART: I
Definitions of terms, Laws, Rules and Principles
1. Additive mixing of Colours - Is the mixing of coloured light
2. Angle of Deviation, D - Is the angle formed by the intersection of
the incident ray direction and the emergent ray direction
3. Angle of Deviation–is the angle between emergent ray and the
normal
4. Anti-solar point -Is a point that lies directly opposite the sun from
the observer, that is, on the line from the sun through the observer.
5. Colour is the property of light that reaches our eyes.
6. Colour filters - Are materials made of glass or celluloid that let
through light of certain colours only.
7. Complementary Colour - Is the colour that when mixed in a
definite ratio produce white (required) colour. See the figure below.

8. Deviation - bending of a ray of light from its path.

9. Dispersion of white light is the splitting of white light beam into its
component colours.
10. Impure Spectra - Impure spectrum is the one in which the colors
not clearly separated from each other.
11. Light spectrum - is a band of light waves of different frequency
(and color) obtained when light is dispersed.
12. Minimum Angle of Deviation, 𝑫𝒎𝒊𝒏 - Is the deviation angle
occurs when the emergent ray is refracted at an angle equal to the
angle of incidence

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 13. Monochromatic Light - Is the light which consists of only one
color. Example, red colour.
14. Pigments - these are substances which give color to paints by
reflecting light of certain colors only and absorbing all other colors.
15. Polychromatic Light - Is the colour which consists of more than
one color. Example, sunlight.
16. Primary colour is a colour that cannot be created by mixing other
colours.
17. Prism is a solid piece of glass or transparent material that has at
least two planes inclined toward each other through which light is
refracted. (OR - Prism is a transparent refracting medium
bounded by two plane surfaces inclined at the same angle.)
18. Pure spectrum is the one in which the colours are clearly
separated from each other.
19. Rainbow is a natural phenomenon of dispersion of sunlight by
raindrop.
20. Rays leaving the prism is called emergent ray
21. Rays entering the prism is called incident ray
22. Refracting angle – the angle subtended by the two rectangular
surfaces of the prism at the refracting edge
23. Refracting edge - the line along which two rectangular surfaces of
a prism meet.
24. Scattering of light - spreading of light when it falls on various
types of suspended particles in its path
25. Spectrum - Is a band of seven colors formed by the dispersion of
white light
26. Secondary colour is a colour created by mixing other colours.
27. Subtractive mixing of pigments - Is the mixing of colours of
different paints (pigments)
28. Mixing different paints results in a darker colour because most of
the light wavelengths are absorbed. (see the figure below)

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Important note (Area of concentration)

1. The necessary conditions for the formation of the rainbow:

 Sun should be at your back to observe the rainbow.
 The sun needs to be low in the sky, at an angle of less than 42°
above the horizon. The lower the sun in the sky the more of an
arc of a rainbow the viewer will see
 Rain, fog or some other source of water droplets must be in front
of the viewer
2. Formation of rain bow
A rainbow is caused by sunlight and atmospheric conditions. Light
enters a water droplet, slowing down and bending as it goes from air
to denser water. The light reflects off the inside of the droplet,
separating into its component wavelengths--or colors. When light
exits the droplet, it makes a rainbow. (see the fig. below)

Alternatively:
 Rainbow is formed when an observer positioned between the sun
and rain shower. A ray of light passing overhead strikes a drop of
water in the atmosphere and is refracted and reflected as shown in
the figure above. The small angular difference between the
returning violet and red rays causes us to see the bow.
3. A secondary rainbow appears if the sunlight is reflected twice
inside the water droplets. Secondary rainbows are fainter, and
the order of the color is reversed, with red on the bottom.

PART: II – QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

1. For each of the items choose the correct answer among the given
alternatives and write its letter in the box provided
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 (i) Light cannot be dispersed by a glass prism because it
A. has a high frequency C. has a long wavelength
B. does not have component colours D. is not refracted in glass
(ii) In white light of sun, maximum scattering by the air molecular
present in the earth’s atmosphere is for:
A. red colour B. yellow colour C. green colour D. blue colour
(iii) The deviation produced by an equilateral prism when a ray of
light is incident on it, does not depend on:
A. Angle of incidence C. Color of light
B. Material of prism D. Size of prism
(iv) With increase in angle of incidence of incident light, the angle of
deviation produced by the prism:
A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. First decreases, becomes minimum and then increases.
D. First increases, becomes maximum and then decreases.
(v) In refraction of light through a prism, the light ray:
A. Suffers refraction only at one face of the prism
B. Emerges out from the prism in a direction parallel to the incident ray.
C. Bends at both the surfaces of prism towards its base
D. Bends at both the surfaces of prism opposite to its base.
(vi) When a white light ray falls on a prism, the ray at its first surface
sufferes:
A. No refraction C. Only dispersion
B. Both deviation and dispersion D. Only deviation
(vii) Dispersion of light by a glass prism takes place because:
A. The lights of different colors have different intensities.
B. The light of different colors have different speeds in medium
C. The light of different colors have different frequencies
D. The lights of different colors have different energies.
(viii) In the spectrum of white light by a prism, the color at the
extreme end opposite to the base of prism is:
A. Violet B. Yellow C. Red D. Blue
(ix) In white light of sun, maximum scattering by the air molecules
present in the earth’s atmosphere is for:
A. Red color B. Yellow color C. Green color D. Blue color
ANS:
(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix)
B D D C C B B C D

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2. How many colors are there in white light? Name the various
colours of white light.
ANS: White light consists of seven colors. These are Red,
Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet (ROYGBIV)
3. What is the appearance of a plant with green leaves and red
flowers when placed in:
(i) Green light (ii) Yellow light (iiii) Blue light
ANSWER:
(i) In Green light, the plant will appear with green leaves and
black flowers
(ii) In Yellow light, the plant will appear with green leaves and
red flowers
(iii) In Blue light, the plant will appear all of it black
4. Which color of light bends the most and which the least while
passing through a prism?
ANS: Violet light bends the most and red light bends the least
while passing through a prism
5. Why Does a Rainbow Appear After the Rain?
ANSW:
 A rainbow appears after the rain because it requires water
droplets to form. You can’t see one if it hasn’t rained, as it needs
the sun reflecting on the water for its formation.
 If it doesn’t rain or if there isn’t any fog, you can’t see a
rainbow. Water is necessary for its formation because it acts
like prisms to reflect the light.
6. Why do soap bubbles sometimes colorful?
ANS: It is because of the atmospheric refraction. When a white
light passes through it, it disperses the white light into its
component colors (ie ROYGBIV – colors)
7. Name three factors on which the deviation produces by a prism
depends and state how does it depend on the factors stated by you.
ANS:
The deviation produced by the prism depends on the following
four factors:
(i) The angle of incidence - As the angle of incidence increases,
first the angle of deviation decreases and reaches to a minimum
value for a certain angle of incidence. By further increasing the
angle of incidence, the angle of deviation is found to increase.
(ii) The material of prism (i.e., on refractive index) - For a given
angle of incidence, the prism with a higher refractive index
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 produces a greater deviation than the prism which has a lower
refractive index.
(iii) Angle of prism- Angle of deviation increases with the increase
in the angle of prism.
(iv) The colour or wavelength of light used- Angle of deviation
increases with the decrease in wavelength of light.
8. The diagrams (a) and (b) in figure below show the refraction of a
monochromatic ray of light through a prism and a parallel sided
glass block respectively.
(i) In each diagram, label the incident, refracted, emergent rays
and the angle of deviation.

(ii) In what way the direction of emergent ray in the two cases
differ with respect to the incident ray? Explain your answer
ANSWER:
(i) In figure (a) and (b)

(a)AB represents incident ray. BC represents refracted ray. CD

represents emergent ray. <EOD represents Angle of deviation.
(b) AO represents incident ray. OB represents refracted ray. BC
represents emergent ray. As the incident ray is parallel to the
emergent ray in a glass block, hence no angle of deviation is
formed.
9. You are given a disc divided into seven sectors with colours
violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red in them. What
would be its colour when it is rotated rapidly?
Solution: Newton demonstrated that the recombination of seven
colours produces white light. When the disc is rotated rapidly, it
appears to be white. (see the figure below)

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10. How does the deviation produced by a triangular prism depend
on the colours (or wavelengths) of light incident on it?
ANS: The deviation caused by a prism increases with the
decrease in the wavelength of light incident on it.
11. Where, with respect to the concave mirror, will an image of the
moon be formed?
ANS: At the focal point, because the incoming rays are parallelel
12. How does the refractive index of a medium depend on its
temperature?
ANS: the refractive index of a medium decreases with increase in
temperature of medium. This is because speed of light in a
medium increases with increase in temperature
13. How does the refractive index of a medium depend on the
wavelength of light used?
ANS: the refractive index of a medium increases with decrease in
wavelength. This is because in a medium, Red light travels faster
than the violet light.
14. Light of a single color is passed through a liquid having a piece
of glass suspended in it. On changing the temperature of liquid,
at a particular temperature the glass piece is not seen.
(a)When is glass piece not seen?
(b) Why is the light of a single color not used?
ANS:
(a)The glass piece cannot be seen when the refractive index of
liquid becomes equal to the refractive index of the glass.
(b) Light of the single is used because the refractive index of a
medium (liquid or glass) is different for the light of different
colors
15. In which direction does a ray of light bend while emerging out of
a prism?
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 ANS: The light ray on emerging out of prism always bends
toward the base of the prism.
16. How does the speed of light in glass change on increasing the
wavelength of light?
ANS: The Speed of light increases with increase in the
wavelength.
17. Which colour of white light travels (a) fastest (b) slowest, in glass?
ANS: Red colour travels fastest and Blue colour travels slowest
in glass.
18. Explain the cause of dispersion of white light through a prism.
ANSWER:
When white light is incident on the first surface of a prism and
enters in glass, light of different colours due to different speeds in
glass, is refracted or deviated through different angles. Thus the
dispersion of white light into its constituent colours takes place at
the first surface of prism. Thus the cause of dispersion is the
change in speed of light with wavelength or frequency.
19. Explain why a green object heats up more in sunlight than a
white object.
ANSWER:
 A green object only reflects green light .Other colours of light are
absorbed by the green object causing its temperature to increase
 A white object reflects all the colours of light. More energy is
absorbed by the green object therefore its temperature will be
higher than the white object.
20. White light is shining on a green leaf and on a bottle of red juice.

Describe what is happening to the spectrum colours of light in

each diagram.
ANS:
 The leaf is reflecting green light. All other colours of light are
being absorbed by the leaf
 The red juice is transmitting red light. All other colours of
light are being absorbed by the juice

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21. Explain briefly, with the help of a neat labelled diagram, how
white light gets dispersed by a prism.
ANS: When white light is incident on the first surface of a prism
and enters in glass, light of different colours due to different
speeds in glass, is refracted or deviated through different angles.
Thus the dispersion of white light into its constituent colours
takes place at the first surface of prism.

On the second surface, only refraction takes place and

different colours are deviated through different angles. As a
result, the colours get further separated on refraction at the
second surface (violet being deviated the most and red the least).
22. Copy the diagram given below and complete the path of light ray
till it emerges out of the prism. The critical angle of glass is 420. In
your diagram mark the angles wherever necessary.

[ANS:]
NB: PQ enters the prism at AB where i =00, thus it does not
undergo any refraction, also r =00 when the ray reaches the
base of the prism (BC) where its i =600 which is more than its
critical angle (420). Thus, this incident ray (PQ) does not
enter the next medium instead it undergoes total internal
reflection. When this reflected ray (RS) reaches at AC, its
i =00. Again it does not undergo any refraction, which causes
the angle of emergence to become 00

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23. Draw the diagram of a right angled isosceles prism which is used to
make an inverted image erect.

24. In the figure below, ABC is one of face of a right angled isosceles
glass prism

Draw a ray diagram showing how the prism can turn a ray of light
through 1800 (ANS: OR ---- See the question No.25)
25. A ray of light PQ is incident normally on the hypotenuse of a right
angled prism ABC as shown in the diagram below

(i) Copy the diagram and complete the path of the ray PQ till it
emerges from the prism.
(ii) What is the value of the angle of deviation of the ray?
(iii) Name an instrument where this action of the prism is used.
ANS:
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 (i) The required diagram is shown in the given figure with ray PQ
emerging out of the prism.

(ii) Angle of deviation is the angle between incident ray and the
refracted ray, so here angle of deviation (δ)=1800
(iii) This phenomenon of turning the light ray by 1800 is used in
prism binoculars for 1800 coverage range in vision.
26. The fig. below shows how a right-angled prism may be used to
change the direction of a ray of light.

(a) Explain why the ray of light does not change direction at D
and at F.
(b) State one property of the light which does change at D and at
F. At each point say whether it increases or decreases.
ANSWE:
(a)The ray hits at right angles to the surface or angle i = 0° (it
travels along the normal)
(b) The velocity(speed) /wavelength increases at F, and decreases at D
27. If a blue object in a dark room is illuminated with a red light,
what colour will the object appear? (ANS: It will appear black)
28. The danger signal is red. Why?
ANS:
o Since the wavelength of red light is the longest in the visible
light, the light of red colour is scattered the least by the air
molecules of the atmosphere and therefore the light of red
colour can penetrate to a longer distance.
o Thus red light can be seen from the farthest distance as compared
to other colours of same intensity. Hence it is used for danger
signal so that the signal may be visible from the far distance.
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29. How does the speed of light in glass change on increasing the
wavelength of light? Solution
ANS: Speed of light increases with increase in the wavelength
30. Fig below shows a thin beam of white light from a source S
striking on one face of a prism

(a)Complete the diagram to show effect of prism on the beam

and to show what is seen on the screen.
(b) A slit is placed in between the prism and the screen to pass
only the light of green colour. What will you then observe on
the screen?
(c) What conclusion do you draw from the observation in part (b)
above?
ANSWER:
(a) Constituent colours of white light are seen on the screen
after dispersion through the prism.

(b) When a slit is introduced in between the prism and screen

to pass only the light of green colour, only green light is
observed on the screen.
(c) From the observation, we conclude that prism itself
produces no colour.
31. Why is white light considered to be polychromatic in nature?
ANS: It is because white light is a mixture of different colors or
wavelengths. On passing white light through a prism, a spectrum
(ie., a band of different colors) is seen.
32. Out of blue and red light which is deviated more by a prism?
Give reason.

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 ANS: Blue light suffers more deviation by prism than red light.
This is happen due to high value of refractive index of material
of prism for blue color because of its smaller wavelength in
visible spectrum.
33. Explain for the following:
(a)The color of the sky away from the direction of the sun is blue.
(b) How would the sky appear when seen from the space
(moon)? Give reason
(c) Why does the sun appear red at sunset and sunrise?
(d)The sky at noon appears white. Give reason
(e) The clouds are seen white. Explain.
ANS: (Use the same concept of scattering of white light)
(a) The sun light that reaches the earth’s atmosphere is
scattered in all directions by the gases and dust particles
present in the atmosphere.
 The blue color is scattered more and hence the sky
appears blue.
 The reason for the more scattering of blue color is that the
wavelength of the blue light is shorter than the other light.
 So blue light is scattered in all directions by the tiny
molecule of air in earth’s atmosphere.
(b) On the moon, since there is no atmosphere, therefore no
scattering of sun light incident on the moon surface. Hence
to an observer on the surface of the moon (space), no light
reaches the eye of the observer except the light directly
from the sun. Thus the sky will have no color and will
appear black to an observer on the moon surface
(c) See the question No. 52.
(d) At noon, the sun is above our head, so we get light rays
directly from the sun without much scattering of any
particular color. Further, light has to travel less depth of
atmosphere; hence the sky is seen white.
(e) The clouds are nearer the earth surface and they contain
dust particle and aggregates of water molecules of sizes
bigger than the wavelength of visible light. Therefore, the
dust particles and water molecules present in clouds
scatter all colors of incident white light from the sun to the
same extent and hence the scattered light reaches our eye,
the clouds are seen white.

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34. A ray of light is incident at an angle 72 0 on an equilateral prism
gets deviated through an angle 450 on passing through the prism.
Calculate the angle of emergence of the ray. Use A = 60 0
ANS:
From: → 72+ i2 = 600 + 450
∴ 𝒊𝟐 = 𝟏𝟎𝟓 − 𝟕𝟐 = 𝟑𝟑0
35. The speed of light in air is 3 x 108 ms-1. Calculate the speed of light
in glass. The refractive index of glass is 1.5. (ANS: 2 x108m/s)
36. What should be the angle of incidence for a ray of light which
suffer a minimum deviation of 360 through an equilateral prism?
ANS: For equilateral prism, A = 600 and given that = 360
From: → 36 = 2𝒊 − 𝟔𝟎 → 𝟑𝟔 + 𝟔𝟎 = 𝟐𝒊
𝟗𝟔
∴ 𝒊 = = 𝟒𝟖0
𝟐
37. A ray of light incident at an angle 48 0 on a prism of refracting
angle 600 suffers minimum deviation. Calculate the angle of
minimum deviation.(ANS: Dmin = 2i – A = 96 – 60 = 360)
38. A light ray of yellow color is incident on an equilateral glass
prism at an angle of incidence equal to 480 and suffers minimum
deviation by an angle of 360
(i) What will be the angle of emergence? (ANS: i2 = 480)
(ii) If the angle of incidence is changed to (a)300 (b) 600 , state
whether the angle of deviation will be equal to, less than or
more than 360? (ANS: (a) more than 360 (b) more than 360)
39. A ray of light is normally incident on one face of an equilateral
glass prism. Answer the following:
(a)What is the angle of incidence on the first face of the prism?
(b) What is the angle of refraction from the first face of the
prism?
(c) What will be the angle of incidence at the second face of the
prism?
(d) Will the light ray suffer minimum deviation by the prism?
ANS: (a) 00 (b) 00 (c) 600 (iv) No
40. Why do different colors of light refract at different angles in the
formation of a spectrum?
ANSW:
This is because each colors of white light travels at a
different speed in glass. This results in different colors of light
being refracted at different angles

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41. (a) If a monochromatic beam of light undergoes minimum
deviation through an equiangular prism, how does the
beam pass through the prism, with respect to its base?
(b) If white light is used in same way as in part (a) above, what
change is expected in the emergent beam?
(c) What conclusion do you draw about the nature of white
light in part (b)?
ANS:
(a) If a monochromatic beam of light undergoes minimum
deviation through an equiangular prism, then the beam
passes parallel to the base of prism.
(b) White light splits into its constituent colours i.e., spectrum
is formed.
(c) We conclude that white light is polychromatic.
42. A ray of white light is passed through a glass prism and
spectrum is obtained on a screen.
(a) Name the seven colours of the spectrum in order.
(b) Dow the colours have the same width in the spectrum?
(c) Which of the colour of the spectrum of white light deviates
(i) the most (ii) the least?
ANS:
(a) Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red.
(b) No, different colours have different widths in the spectrum.
(c)(i) Violet colour is deviated the most.
(ii) Red colour is deviated the least.
43. Why does the Sun look reddish at sunset or sunrise?
ANS: During sunset or sunrise, the sun is just above the
horizon, the blue colour gets scattered most by the atmospheric
molecules while red light gets scattered least, hence the sun
appears red.
44. The wavelengths for the light of red and blue colours are roughly
7.8 × 10-7 m and 4.8 × 10-7 m respectively.
(a)Which colour has the greater speed in vacuum?
(b) Which colour has the greater speed in vacuum?
ANS:
(a) In vacuum, both have the same speeds.
(b) In glass, red light has a greater speed.
45. A ray of light incident at an angle of incidence ‘i’ passes through
an equilateral glass prism such that the refracted ray inside the

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 prism is parallel to its base and emerges from the prism at an
angle of emergence ‘e’.
(i) How the angle of emergence ‘e’ related to the angle of
incidence ‘i’?
(ii) What can you say about the value of the angle of deviation in
such a situation?
ANSWER:
(i) Angle of emergence = angle of incidence.
(ii) Angle of deviation becomes minimum in this situation.
46. A prism is made of glass of unknown refractive index. A parallel
beam of light is incident on a face of the prism. The angle of
minimum deviation is measured to be 40°. What is the refractive
index of the material of the prism? The refracting angle of the prism
is 60°. If the prism is placed in water (refractive index 1.33), predict
the new angle of minimum deviation of a parallel beam of light.
[ANS: 1.53, 100]
47. Rock salt prism is used instead of glass prism to obtain the infra
red spectrum. Give reason.
ANS: The reason is that glass absorbs the infra red radiations
while the rock salt does not absorb them.
48. A prism causes dispersion of white light while a rectangular glass
block does not. Explain.
ANS:
 In a prism, refraction of light takes place at the two slant
surfaces. The dispersion of white light occurs at the first
surface of prism where its constituent colours are deviated
through different angles. At the second surface, these splitted
colours suffer only refraction and they get further separated.
 But in a rectangular glass block, the refraction of light takes
place at two parallel surfaces. Although the white light splits
into its constituent colours on refraction at the first surface of
glass block, but these colurs on suffering refraction at the
second surface emerge out in form of a parallel beam, which
gives an impression of white light.
49. Explain the formation of Rainbow
ANS: When white light from the sun passes through droplets of
water, dispersion occurs which breaks the light into components
50. Draw a graph between the angle of incidence and angle of
deviation for an equilateral prism. On the graph clearly show the
angle of minimum deviation.
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51. How does the angle of deviation produced by a prism change
with increase in the angle of incidence. Draw a curve showing the
variation in the angle of deviation with the angle of incidence at a
prism surface.
ANS: As the angle of incidence increases, the angle of deviation
decreases first and reaches to a minimum value (𝜹𝒎 ) for a certain
angle of incidence. By further increasing the angle of incidence, the
angle of deviation is found to increase.

52. Vehicles moving in foggy weather use yellow – color head light,
why?
ANS: The yellow color has small scattering and optimum
sensitivity
53. Why are some colors of light more strongly refracted than others
when they enter glass?
[ANS: because their speed decreases more]
54. What is the cause of dispersion of white light as it passes through
a prism?
ANS: It occurs because colors of white light travel at different
speeds through the prism. When white light consisting of seven
colors falls on a glass prism, each color in it is refracted by a
different angle, with the result that seven colors are spread out to
form a spectrum.
55. Why the Ocean looks blue?
ANS: The Ocean looks blue because Red, Orange and Yellow
(long wavelengths light) are absorbed more strongly by water
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 than Blue (short wavelength light). So when white light from the
sun enters the ocean, it is mostly the blue that gets returned
56. Why does an object appear coloured when light falls onto it?
ANS: it is because the object reflects light of its color falling onto
it, and absorbs the rest.
57. With the help of a labeled diagram, explain why the sun appears
reddish at the sun – rise and sun – set.
ANS:

 At the time of sunrise and sunset, the light from the sun has to
travel the longest distance of atmosphere to reach the observer.
 The light travelling from the sun loses blue light of short
wavelength due to scattering, while the red light of long
wavelength is scattered a little, so is not lost much. Thus blue
light is almost absent in sunlight reaching the observer, while
it is rich in red color.
58. A red bus with blue letter on its stops in front of a yellow light at
right. Describe the appearance of the bus
ANS: In yellow light
 The red bus will appear red because yellow is composed of
green and red
 The blue letters will appear black
59. State the cause of dispersion of white light passing through a
glass prism. How did Newton show that white light of sun
contains seven colours using two identical glass prisms. Draw a
ray diagram to show the path of light when two identical glass
prisms are arranged together in inverted position with respect to
each other and a narrow beam of white light is allowed to fall
obliquely on one of the focus of the first prism.
ANS: Different colours of white light bend through different
angles with respect to the incident ray as they pass through a
prism. Violet light bends the most and red the least. Thus, the
each colour emerges along different paths and white light gets
dispersed. Newton used two glass prisms, with one prism in

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 inverted position to show that white light contains seven colours.
The set up is shown below.

60. The following diagram shows a 600, 300, 900 glass prism of critical
angle 420. Copy the diagram and complete the path of incident ray AB
emerging out of the prism marking the angle of incidence on each surface.

ANSW: Given: the Critical angle of the prism is 420.

The ray AB is incident on the face YZ at an incidence angle 300 which
is smaller than critical angle of prism. So, the ray refracts at the face
XZ and emerges away from normal N as shown in the figure.

61. White light is incident on the face AB from two different

directions of a 450 – 450 – 900 glass prism as shown in the figure
below.

Copy the diagram and trace the path of light until it emerges from the
prism in each case.
ANSW:
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62. Draw a ray diagram to show the refraction of a monochromatic
ray through a prism when it suffers minimum deviation. How is the
angle of emergence related to the angle of incidence in this position.
ANS:
 Below diagram shows the refraction of a monochromatic light ray
through a prism when it suffers minimum deviation:

 In an equilateral prism, when the prism is in minimum deviation,

the angle of incidence i1 is equal to the angle of emergence r2.
 Hence, Angle of emergence (r2) = Angle of incidence (i1).
63. The figure below shows a graph of the angle of deviation against the
angle of incidence of the prism

(a)At what angle of incidence does the angle of deviation have its
minimum value? [ANS: 500]
(b)What is the minimum value of the angle of deviation? [ANS: 37.50]
64. A ray of light is incident on an equilateral glass prism at 40 0 to the
normal as shown in the figure below.

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 Given that the refractive index of the glass is 1.52 and that of air is 1,
determine
(i) The first angle of refraction (r0)
(ii) The angle of incidence at the second refracting surface of the
prism (i1)
(iii) The second angle of refraction (r1)
(iv) The angle of deviation (𝛿 )
ANS:
Given: A = 600, i0 = 400, 𝜇𝑔 = 1.52, 𝜇𝑎 = 1, r0 =?,
Consider the figure below

𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑖 𝑆𝑖𝑛40 𝑆𝑖𝑛40 𝑆𝑖𝑛 40

(i) From: 𝑎𝜂𝑔 = = → 1.52 = → 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑟0 =
𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑟 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑟0 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑟0 1.52
𝑆𝑖𝑛 40
𝑟0 = Sin-1 ( ) = 250
1.52
(ii) A = 𝑟0 + 𝑖1 → 𝒊𝟏 = 𝐴 − 𝑟0 = 60 − 25 = 350
Alternatively: 600 + a = 1800, ------ (supplementary angles)
a = 180 – 600 =1200, but r0 + a + i1 = 1800
→ 𝒊𝟏 = 180 – (25 + 120) = 350
𝜂2 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑖 𝜂1 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑖 1.52 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑖1
(iii) = → 𝜂1 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑖 = 𝜂2 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑟 → 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑟1 = =
𝜂1 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑟 𝜂2 𝜂2
1.52 ×35
𝑟1 = Sin-1 ( ) = 60.70
1
(iv) Angle of deviation, 𝜹 = 𝑖0 + 𝑟1 − 𝐴 = 40 + 60.70 – 60 = 40.70
Alternatively; 𝜹 = b + c = (40 – 25) + (60.7 – 35) = 40.70
65. The diagram below shows two identical prisms A and B placed
with their faces parallel to each other. A ray of light of single
colour PQ is incident at the face of the prism A. Complete the
diagram to show the path of the ray till it emerges out of the prism B.

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 [Hint: The emergent ray out of the prism B will be parallel to the
incident ray PQ]

66. Explain how radio waves, microwaves and infrared radiation

might all play a part when you watch a television show.
ANS: Microwaves may transfer signals to and from satellite;
radio waves are broadcast, and received by an aerial; remote
control uses infrared.
67. Explain how information is transmitted using optical fiber ANS:
 Light enters one end of the fiber and strikes the boundary
between the two materials at an angle greater than the critical
angle, resulting in total internal reflection at the interface.
 The reflected light now strikes the interface on the opposite
wall and gets totally reflected again.
 This process continues all along the glass pipe until the light
emerges at the far end (see figure below)

68. Light of a single colour is passed through a liquid having a piece

of glass suspended in it. On changing the temperature of liquid,
at a particular temperature, the glass piece is not seen.
(a)When is the glass piece not seen?
(b) Why is the light of a single colour used?
ANSW:
(a)The glass piece is not seen when the refractive index of liquid
becomes equal to the refractive index of glass.
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 (b) Light of a single colour is used because the refractive index of a
medium (glass or liquid) is different for the light of different colours.
69. An object is viewed through a glass prism with its vertex
pointing upwards. Draw a ray diagram to show the formation of
its image seen by the observer.
ANSW:
 Let two rays OA and OL from a source O are incident on the
prism. They are refracted along AB and LM from first face of the
prism. These two rays again refract from the second face of the
prism emerge out along BC and MN respectively such that they
appear to come from I.

 Thus, observer sees the object O raised to the position I.

70. A red and a green pencil are taken in a room illuminated with
green light. State the appearance for each
ANS: The red pencil will absorbs green color and green pencil will
reflects green color. Therefore red pencil will appear black (dark) and
green pencil will appear green
71. A pure red object on a black background seems to disappear
when illuminated with pure green light. Explain why
ANS:
 A pure red object reflects only red light and absorbs any other
light. Now since we are illuminating the object with green light,
no light will be reflected and the object will appear to be black.
 But since the background is already black, we will not be able to
see the difference between the object and the background. Hence
the object will be disappeared
72. A book which looks red in white light is viewed in magenta light. In
what color does it appear? [ANS: Red]
73. A blue shirt looks blue when visible light ("ROYGBIV") shines
upon it. Use your physics understanding to explain this phenomenon.
ANSW: A blue shirt contains a pigment which absorbs all the colors
of visible light except for blue. Since blue is reflected to our eyes, the
shirt looks blue.

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74. White light is viewed through a combination of yellow filter and a
green filter held in contact. What color is seen? [ANS: Green]
75. What color would be seen if white light is viewed through
(a) Red filter [ANS: Red]
(b) A yellow filter [ANS: Yellow]
(c) An orange filter? [ANS: Orange]
76. What is the appearance of a red dress in a closed room
illuminated only by green light?
ANS: The dress appears black, because red pigment absorbs
green light
Self Assessment – 4
1. A glass prism can be used to show the dispersion of white light to
form a spectrum.
(a) Draw a diagram to show how a ray of white light is dispersed as
it passes through a prism?
(b)Which color of light is most strongly dispersed (deflected) as it
passes through the prism?
(c) Which color has the longest wavelength?
(d)Which color has the highest frequency?
(e) Explain why some colors of light are more strongly dispersed
than others?
2. Jessie is wearing a blue with red spots necktie. What is the
appearance of the necktie in
(i) blue light? (ii) red light? (iii) yellow light?
3. What causes light to refract when it passes through two adjacent
media of different densities?
4. (a) Draw a diagram to show how a right - angled isosceles glass
prism can be used to turn a ray of light through 90°.
(b) What is an advantage of using a prism rather than a silvered
mirror for the purpose in (a) above?
5. Explain how a pure spectrum of white light can be produced on a
screen. How would the appearance of the spectrum be changed if a
sheet of yellow glass were placed in the path of the rays?
6. Beams of red and blue light overlap where they fall on a white
screen. What is the resulting colour of the screen?
7. What colour results when
(a) Magenta and yellow paints are mixed,
(b)Yellow and peacock blue paints are mixed?

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8. A red tomato rests on a yellow table cloth. What colours will the
tomato and cloth appear in
(a) red light,
(b)green light?
9. What is meant by the electromagnetic spectrum? What evidence is
there that both radio waves and light are electromagnetic waves?
10. The diagram shown below in Fig. below shows the path taken by a
narrow beam of yellow monochromatic light passing through an
equiangular glass prism. Now the yellow light is replaced by a
narrow beam of white light incident at the same angle. Draw another
diagram to show the passage of white light through the prism and
label it to show the effect of prism on the white light.

1. An objective lens of a compound microscope forms an image of length

6cm when an object is placed in front of it. The focal lengths of the
objective lens and eyepiece lens are 10cm and 4cm, respectively. If the
distance separating the two lenses is 26cm,
(a) What is the size of the object?
(b)At what distance from the eyepiece will a 6cm image be formed?
Given: p
(a)
2. Given below is a diagram depicting a defect of the human eye.
Study it and answer the questions that follow:

(a)Name the defect shown in the diagram.

(b) Give two possible reasons for this defect.
(c) Name the parts labeled A to D.
(d) Name the type of lens used to correct this eye defect.
(e) Draw a labeled diagram to show how the above-mentioned defect
is rectified using the lens named above.

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 ANSW:
1. The diagram shows a bimetallic strip used as a thermostat in a
circuit. The copper expands more than the invar for the same
temperature rise. What will be switched on when the bimetallic
strip becomes hot?

ANSW: l
2. The diagram below shows a bimetallic thermostat used to
regulate a cooler and a heater in a classroom as shown below.
The metal on tops expands less than the metal below

To keep the temperature in the room constant, which of the two

devices, A or B, should be the heater? Explain your answer
ANS: A k
3. A pendulum clock loses 12s a day if the temperature is 400 C and
gains 4s a day if the temperature is 200C. Find the temperature at
which the clock will show correct time, and the coefficient of linear
expansion , 𝜶 of the metal of the pendulum
ANS:
Given: lost time, t = 12s at T1 = 400, gained time, t = 4s at T2 =200c,
1. Thermal stresses caused by uneven cooling can easily break
glass cookware. Explain why Pyrex®, a glass with a small
coefficient of linear expansion, is less susceptible.
2. Liquids and solids expand with increasing temperature, because the
kinetic energy of a body’s atoms and molecules increases. Explain
why some materials shrink with increasing temperature.
3. Explain the following:
(a) If a mercury thermometer with a thick-walled bulb is put into
a hot liquid, the mercury level first falls slightly before rising
quickly.
(b)A stopper may often be loosened by heating the neck of the

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 Chapter 7: HEAT TRANSFER
PART: I Definitions of terms
1. Absorber is a material that delivers/gain all radiant energy.
A surface that absorbs (or emits) all radiant energy is called black body.
2. Bad Conductors (Thermal Insulators) - Are materials that cannot
allow heat to flow through them easily.
3. Conduction Is the transfer of heat though matter from a region of
higher temperature to a region of lower temperature.
4. Convection of Heat - Is the transfer of heat in fluids (liquids and
gases) by currents
5. Emitter is a material that delivers out all radiant energy.
6. Forced convection – is a type of heat transfer in which fluids are
forced to move, in order to increase the heat transfer. Everyday
examples of this can be seen with air conditioning, central heating, a
car radiator using fluid, or a convection oven, a ceiling fan, a pump etc.
7. Good Conductors - Are the materials that allow heat to flow through
them easily.
8. Good radiators of heat are also good absorbers
9. Land breeze blows during the night from land to sea and the land
becomes cooler faster than the sea. The air above the sea becomes
less dense (i.e. warmer) and rises. The cooler air from the land moves
in to take its place.
10. Land and sea breezes are a result of expansion of air caused by
unequal heating and cooling of adjacent land and sea surfaces
 Sea breeze occurs during the day time where the land is
warmer than the sea thus the air over the land surface
becomes less dense and so it rises. The space left is occupied by
cooler air from above the sea surface.

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  Land breeze occurs during the night time where the sea is hotter
than the land thus the air over the sea becomes less dense and
therefore replaced by cooler, denser air from the land.

11. Metal Foil - Is the polished material used to cover items to minimize
heat loss by radiation.
12. Natural convection – is a method of heat transfer in which the
motion of the fluid is influenced by the natural means.
13. Radiation Is the movement of heat by waves emitted by vibrating
particles of hot substances
14. Radiator is a heat exchanger used to transfer thermal energy from
one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating.
Radiators are most used in car, buildings and electronics
15. Reflector is a material (surface) that bounces back all radiant energy
16. Thermopile T is an instrument used to converts radiant heat energy
into electrical energy
17. Thermos flask is a device used to hold hot or cold liquid for long
period of time.
18. Ventilation is the process by which impure and warm air in a room is
continuously replaced by fresh and cool air

Important note (Area of concentration):

1. Types of energy transfer
Conduction Convection Radiation
Heat transfer takes The heat transfer Heat transfer occurs
place between objects takes within the fluid. through EMW without
by direct contact. involving particles.
The heat transfer takes The heat transfer The heat transfer
place due to the occurs due to the occurs in all objects
difference in difference in density. with a temperature
temperature. greater than 0 K.
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 The heat transfer in The heat transfer in The heat transfer in
conduction is slow convection is faster. radiation is the fastest.
It does not follow the It does not follow the It follows the law of
law of reflection and law of reflection and reflection and
refraction. refraction. refraction.
Occurs in solids, Occurs in fluids, by Occurs at a distance
through molecular actual movement of and does not heats
collisions matter the intervening
substance.
It uses heated It uses intermediate It uses
substance to transfer substance to transfer electromagnetic
energy energy waves
It helps the heat to It helps the heat to It helps the heat to
flow between objects pass through fluids pass through empty
in direct contact spaces
Examples of Examples of Convection: Examples of
Conduction:  Hot air rising, Radiation:
 Touching a stove cooling, and falling  Heat from the sun
and being burned (convection currents) warming your face
 Ice cooling down  An old-fashioned  Heat from a light
your hand radiator (creates a bulb
 Boiling water by convection cell in  Heat from a fire
thrusting a red-hot a room by emitting  Heat from anything
piece of iron into it warm air at the top else which is
and drawing in cool
warmer than its
air at the bottom).
surroundings.

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 2. Radiation is the fastest method of heat transfer from a hot body to a
cool body
3. We can hold a glass rod for a longer time than a metal rod when
both the rods are heated it is because glass is a poor conductor of
heat than iron
4. Factors affecting the rate of conduction
 Length of the material
The longer the material, the more the time it will take to conduct
heat through it. (Increase in length decrease in rate of conduction)
 Cross-sectional area of the conductor (A)
The larger the cross-sectional area, the faster the rate of heat
conduction
 Difference in temperature between the two ends of the material
The higher the difference, the faster the rate of conduction
 Thermal conductivity of the material.
This is a measure of the rate at which a material conducts heat. The
higher the thermal conductivity of the material, the faster the rate
of conduction
5. Practical uses of good conductors
 Cooking vessels are made of metals so that they can readily absorb
heat energy and transfer it to food.
 Mercury is used in thermometer because it is a good conductor of heat
 Cooling coils of air conditioners and refrigerators are made of
copper as they readily conduct away heat
6. Examples of good conductors are metals (eg aluminium, silver,
copper, mercury, lead, iron, zinc etc)
7. Examples of bad conductors are air, water, wood, rubber, glass,
Asbestos paper, concrete, brick, etc
8. Things which are bad conductors of heat are used as insulators. In
same occasions it is important
 To prevent heat loss from a hot body
 To prevent heat from entering cold body.
9. Applications of bad conductors in everyday life:
 The handles of saucepans, teapots, kettles, etc, are always made
from substances like wood, plastic, etc, to prevent heat from
entering the hand so that it can he held comfortably
 Air is a poor conductor of heat, this is why heat from our bodies
does not escape easily to the atmosphere

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  Fur, wool, cotton wool, cork, feathers, sawdust, trapped air in
birds’ feathers etc. act as good insulators.
 Fur and feathers keep most animals and birds warm during winter.
 Birds flutter their feathers in cold weather to trap air between
their feathers
 Woolen clothes or blankets are used to keep people warm on
cold days (winter).
 In cold countries, glass windows in houses are double paned
 Refrigerators, ice boxes, ovens, solar heater panels and
connecting pipes are made of double walls with filling of cork, air,
cotton wool or polyurethane in between their walls.
 Quilts are always filled with either cotton or foam
 Sawdust is used to cover up ice blocks because it has good
insulating properties.
 Building materials like brick, asbestos, mud, grass, etc., are bad
conductors of heat. They do not permit heat and cold to pass through
the walls of bricks. They keep the houses warm in winter and cool
in summer. Roof sheds are made of asbestos for the same reason.
 Vehicles carrying inflammable materials such as petrol are
covered with materials of bad conductors of heat. Otherwise,
the petrol can get heated up and catch fire.
10. The use of a non conducting material to reduce heat from escaping
is called lagging
11. Applications of good conductors in everyday life: Metals are
good conductors of heat, therefore cooking utensils, kettles,
irons, boilers, are always made up of iron, copper, Aluminum,
or their alloys.
 Examples of conduction in everyday
(i) When ironing a piece of clothing, the iron is hot and the heat is
transferred to the clothing
(ii) A heat exchanger uses a hot fluid to conduct heat to a cooler
fluid without the two actually coming into direct contact
(iii) If you touch a hot stove, heat will be conducted to your finger
and your skin will burn.
(iv) If you leave a metal spoon propped up in a pot, it will become
hot from the boiling water inside the pot
(v) If you are cold and someone holds you to warm you, the heat is
being conducted from his body to yours.

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 (vi) Chocolate candy in your hand will eventually melt as heat is
conducted from your hand to the chocolate.
(vii) Sand can conduct heat. This is why walking on the beach on a
hot summer day will warm your feet.
(viii) Light bulbs give off heat. If you touch a light bulb when it is
on, your hand will get burned.
(ix) Cooking utensils, saucepans, kettles and boilers are made of
metals where direct heating is involved.
(x) Soldering iron is made of iron with a tip made of copper because
copper is a much better conductor of heat than iron.
12. Application of Heat (thermal) Radiation:
 We wear white or light-coloured clothes in summer because they
are poor absorbers and good reflectors of heat. This way they keep
us cool. On the contrary, we prefer to wear dark- coloured clothes
in winters because they absorb most of the heat of sun and keep
our body warm.
 Radiators of heat in cars, machines and air conditioners are
painted black so as to have cooling effect by radiating most heat.
 Base of cooking utensils is made black. Such a black surface
absorbs more heat from the surroundings. This is because
conduction, convection and radiation of heat are minimum.
 In cold areas, a greenhouse is used for the better growth of plants.
Radiation from the sun passes through the glass or plastic and
warms up the soil and plants. Plants and soil absorb and emit
radiation and increase the temperature in the greenhouse.
Plants grow well in the increased temperature of the
greenhouse.
 Vacuum flasks are designed to keep liquids hot by minimizing
heat losses in four possible ways conduction, convection,
radiation, and evaporation.
(a) Conduction and convection through the sides of the flask
are prevented by a vacuum between the double glass walls
of the flask.
(b) Conduction through the trapped air above the liquid is
minimum since air is a very poor conductor of heat. The
stopper is usually made of plastic which is also a poor
conductor of heat.
(c) Evaporation and convection occur only when the plastic
stopper is removed during use.
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 (d) Heat loss by radiation is harder to stop as radiant heat can
pass through a vacuum. To minimize heat loss through
radiation, the walls of the glass are silvered so as to reflect
the radiant heat back into the hot liquid.
 Teapots, the shiny surfaces are bad emitters of radiation, shiny
teapots can keep tea warmer than a black teapot for a longer
time.
 The cooling fins at the back of our refrigerator need to radiate
their heat quickly to the surroundings. Its surface is made rough
and painted black.
 When we sit beside a fire, the heat of fire reaches us by radiation.
 Room (electric) heaters have bright polished surfaces which act
as good reflectors of heat. Such surfaces absorb very little heat
and reflect towards us most of the heat radiations. These surfaces
remain cool even after continuous use of heaters. The highly
polished surfaces of spacecraft reflect most of the heat radiated
from the sun.
13. The following are the uses of convection:
 Car engines are cooled by convection currents in the water pipes.
Water is a very good substance to carry the unwanted heat away
from the engine to the radiator.
 The freezer in a refrigerator is located at the top section so that the
entire chamber of the refrigerator is coded quickly due to convection.
 Land and sea breezes are caused due to convection currents.
 Rising air over the land are convection currents and are used by
glider pilots to keep their gliders in the sky.
 Air conditioners are installed near the ceiling of the room, to allow
the setting up of convection currents. The air-conditioner releases
cool dry air into the room. As cool air is denser, it sinks. The warm
air, being less dense, will rise. The air circulated and the
temperature of the air will eventually fall to the desired value.
 For proper ventilation of building, windows must be open near the
bottom and top of the walls so as to let pass. In cool air near the
bottom and hot air out of the roof. Since density of hot air is lesser
than the density of cold air so, hot air rises up.
 Convection currents set up by electric gas or cool heaters help to
warm our houses and offices
 Central heating system in buildings work on the principle of
convection.
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 14. Consider the emission and absorption of radiation for the
given materials
Surface Emitter Absorber Reflector
Dull black surface Best Best Worst
Colored surface Good Good Bad
White surface Bad Bad Good
Shining silvered surface Worst Worst Best
15. Generally good conductors of heat are good conductors of
electricity too. Exception mica is a good conductor of heat, but poor
conductor of electricity.
16. Liquids except Hg are poor conductors of heat. Gases are still
poorer conductors of heat.

Part: II – Questions with answers

1. For each of the items choose the correct answer among the given
alternatives and write its letter in the box provided
(i) How may heat be transferred though a vacuum?
A. by convection only B. by radiation only
C. by conduction only D. by convection and radiation
(ii) Which of the following is the poorest conductor of heat?
A. air B. brass C. vacuum D. water E. wool
(iii) How is heat transferred through the walls of a steel radiator?
A. conduction only B. convection only C. radiation only
D. conduction and convection E. convection and radiation
(iv) Which of the following will be the best absorber of infra-red
radiation?
A. dark animal fur B. shiny metal tray C. white plastic bag
D. window glass E. writing paper
(v) A vacuum will prevent heat transfer by
A. conduction only B. convection only C. radiation only
D. conduction and convection
E. conduction, convection, and radiation
(vi) How is heat transferred through the base of a metal saucepan?
A. Conduction only B. Radiation only
C. Conduction and convection D. Convection and radiation
(vii) The diagram shows a vacuum flask and an enlarged view of
a section through the flask wall.

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 The main reason for the silvering is to reduce heat transfer by
A. conduction only B. conduction and convection
C. radiation only D. radiation and convection
(viii) The windows of many modern buildings are 'double-glazed' (i.e.
have two thicknesses of glass with a small air space between) to
reduce heat losses to the outside. This is mainly because
A. Evaporation of moisture from the outside of the windows is
reduced
B. Convection currents cannot pass through the extra layer of glass
C. Radiated heat is not transmitted through the air space
D. Air is a very bad conductor of heat
E. Glass is a very bad conductor of heat
(ix) The fastest mode of transfer of heat is:
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. All the above three
(x) Heat loss from surface by radiation can be reduced by:
A. Keeping it in a dark C. Polishing the surface
B. Blackening the surface. D. Keeping the surface in a vacuum.
(xi) Which of the following is the very poor conductor of heat?
A. Water B. Metals C. Liquids other than water D. Steam
(xii) In a thermos flask, the vacuum between its walls reduces the
heat loss by:
A. Conduction C. Convection D. Radiation
B. Conduction and convection both
ANS:
(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) (xi) (xii)
B C A A D A C D C C A B
1. (viii) [The air trapped between the sheets of glass is a bad
conductor of heat and this reduces the heat loss from the house.
It is also true that glass is a bad conductor and this fact also
reduces the heat loss, but the main reason is the poor
conductivity of air. A thick sheet of glass would be cheaper but
not so effective.]

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1. The table describes some properties of a perfect black body. Put a tick
in the correct box to show whether the statement is true or false.
Property True False
A black body absorbs all radiation that falls on it 
A black body always reflects radiation at a 
longer wavelength than that which it receives
A black body is an excellent emitter of radiation 
A black body transmits all the radiation that 
falls on it
2. A Bunsen burner is used to heat a beaker full of water
(a)Explain how energy is transferred through the bottom of the beaker
(b) Explain how energy is transferred through the water
(c)A student’s hand, several cm to one side of the Bunsen burner,
starts to feel hot. Name the process by which energy is
transferred from the burner to the student’s hand
ANS:
(a) The glass molecules gain energy which is passed on to
neighbouring molecules
(b) The water near the bottom of the beaker heats up first,
expands, and rises up to the top. The colder water, being
denser sinks to the bottom to be heated up. Thus, a
convection current is set up which transfers heat energy
through the water
(c) Radiation
3. A person sitting on a beach on a calm hot summer's day is aware
of a cool breeze blowing from the sea. Explain why there is a breeze.
ANS:
The land has a lower specific heat capacity than the sea and in
daytime the land is hotter than the sea. The air above the land is
warmer and less dense than the air over the sea, and it rises, the
cold air from the sea coming in to take its place.
4. Difference between
(a) conduction and convection (b) conductors of heat and insulators
ANS:
(a) Conduction Convection
(i) Is the transfer of heat from (i) Is the transfer of heat by the
one particle to another actual movement of molecules
particle without the from one part to another
movement of the particle (ii) Transfer of heat by
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 (ii) Transfer of heat by convection occurs in liquid
conduction occurs in solids and gases
(b) conductors of heat Insulators
(i) Is the substance which (i) Is the substance which does
conduct heat easily not conduct heat easily
(ii) All metals like gold, silver, (ii) Wood, paper, plastic, wool
copper etc, conduct heat etc,,. do not conduct heat
(iii) Heat conductors are used to (iii) Insulators are used to make
make kitchen utensils handle of kettles, teapots etc.
5. Explain why, In cold weather the metal blade of a knife feels
colder than the wooden handle
ANS:
This is because the metal is a good conductor of heat, when it
comes into contact with skin the heat from the skin can easily
pass through the metal blade. Wood is not such a good conductor
and the heat cannot easily pass from the hand to the wood.
6. How can you show that bottle contains air?
ANS: Under supervised or controlled conditions, push a lighted taper
into the bottle. If the taper continues to burn, there is air in the bottle
7. Why Liquids are Poor Conductors of Heat
Pure liquids have molecules further apart from each other. Although
molecules move about within the liquid bulk, they are slow to pass
heat to other regions compared to the free electrons in metals. This is
because there are large intermolecular distances between liquid
molecules. There are also fewer collisions between the molecules.
Electrolytes, e.g., salt solution, are better conductors of heat than pure
liquids because of an increased compactness of the particles.
8. (i) One end of a wooden spoon is dipped in a cup of ice cream.
What change will be observed at its other end?
(ii) Why do we use handle of wood in frying pan?
ANS:
(i) When one end of a wooden spoon is dipped in a cup of ice
cream, there will be no change in the temperature of its
other end because wood is a bad conductor of heat so there
will be no flow of heat from one end to other.
(ii) Material of pan is a good conductor of heat. So, a handle of
wood (which is a bad conductor of heat) is used in a frying
pan so that it does not get heated by conduction.

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9. (i) An iron ball at 40oC is dropped in a mug containing water at
40oC. What will be the passage of flow of heat in the system?
Explain
(ii) How the heat flows in a body having one end cool and other
at high temperature?
ANS:
(i) There will be no flow of heat either from iron ball to water or
from water to iron ball since both water and iron ball are at
same temperatures so heat transfer will not take place.
(ii) Heat flows from higher temperature to lower temperature. So
heat will go from hotter end to colder end.
10. How does heat flow from one object to another
ANS: In solids, the heat is transferred by the process of
conduction. Heat is transferred from hotter end to the colder end
of the object. In this process, molecules of the substance do not
move but only heat energy is transferred.
11. Why is a ventilator in a room?
ANS: Ventilators are provided in rooms for proper ventilation
because when we breathe out in a room, the air in the room
becomes warm and impure. The warm air is less dense so it rises
up and moves out through ventilators. Thus the cold fresh air
comes in the room through the windows to take its place.
12. State the direction of heat transfer by way of convection.
ANS: By the process of convection, heat is always transferred
vertically upwards. This happens because the medium particles
near the source of heat absorb heat from the source and they
start moving faster. As this result to medium at this place
becomes less dense so it rises up and the medium above becomes
much denser, moves down and takes their place. This current is
set up in the medium which is called as convection current.
13. State a situation where the color of black is used to maximize heat
loss and situation where it is used to maximize heat gain
ANS:
a. Cooling fins at the back of some refrigerators and in motor
cars are painted black to maximise thermal energy transfer to
the surrounding as black colour is a good emitter of radiant heat.
b. Solar panels are painted black to maximise the thermal energy
absorption as black colour is a good absorber of radiant heat.
14. Black body radiation is white. Comment.

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 ANS: White radiations include all possible wavelengths. Since
black body absorbs all wavelengths, on being heated to a suitable
temperature, it will emit radiations of all wavelengths. So black
body radiations is white
15. What is the nature of heat radiations?
ANS: Electromagnetic waves.
16. The earth without its atmosphere would be inhospitably cold.
Comment.
ANS: The atmosphere serves purpose of a blanket over the
earth and it does not allow earth’s heat to be radiated during
night
17. Explain the following:
(a)A wooden knob and a metal latch on a door are both at room
temperatures. Why the latch is colder to touch.
(b) Water is heated generally from below.
(c) Land becomes warmer than water during the day.
(d) Why in cold countries windows have two glass panes with a
thin layer of air between them?
(e) In winter the human body covered with a blanket keeps warm.
(f) It is better to use thin blankets to keep the body warm rather
than using a single blanket of thickness equal to their
combined thickness.
(g)In winter the birds fluff up their feathers.
(h) Old quits are less warm than the new ones.
(i) On a hot sunny day, it is advisable to wear light coloured clothes.
(j) We feel warmer in a fur coat. Why?
(k) If air is bad conductor of heat, why do we not feel warm
without clothes?
(l) Why snow is a better heat insulator than ice?
(m) When glass and copper rods are heated up to some
temperature and then if the hot areas are touched, why copper
piece seems warmer than the glass rod?
(n) Ventilators are provided in rooms just below the roof. Why?
(o) Why coolant coil fitted on the ceiling of the refrigerator?
(p) Why is it hotter at the same distance over the top of a fire than
in front of it?
(q) A body with a large reflectivity is a poor emitter. Why?
(r) Why are steam pipes wrapped with insulating materials?
(s) Animals curl into a ball when they feel very cold. Why?

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 (t) An ink dot on a cup of porcelain appears dark. When the same cup
is heated to a high temperature, the dot becomes brighter than rest
of the cup?
(u) Why in summer days does the fan give hot air first in a closed
room when it is switched on?

Solution:
(a)This is because metal is a good conductor and as soon as we
touch it heat from our hand flows to the latch and we feel cold
while on the other hand wood is a bad conductor of heat, heat
of our hand does not flow into it therefore it does not feel cold.
(b) This is because water itself is a bad conductor of heat and the
transfer of heat through convection take place vertically upwards.
(c) This is because water has more specific heat capacity so it
absorbs the heat and heats up slowly but on the other hand
land has less specific heat and it heats up faster than water.
(d) This is because in between these two glass panes, a thin layer
of air is present: air being a bad conductor obstructs the
conduction of heat from the room to outside.
(e) In winters, the human body covered with a blanket keeps
warm because the blanket has air trapped in it which provide
heat insulation to the body from the surroundings and keep us
warm
(f) It is better to use two thin blankets to keep the body warm
rather than using a single blanket of equal thickness because
in between the two thin blankets there is more air trapped
than in the single blanket of equal thickness so using two thin
blankets better heat insulation is provided to the body from
the surroundings and keep us warm
(g)In winter the birds fluff their feathers in order to trap air in
their feathers so that the air provides heat insulation to their
body from the surroundings and keep them warm and save
them from winter.
(h) Old quilts are less warmer than new ones because the cotton
in the old quilt gets compressed and very little air will remain
trapped in it, hence heat insulation is quite poor
(i) People wear light colured clothes in winter because these
clothes reflect most of the sun's radiations and absorb only a
little of them. Therefore, they keep themselves cool.

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 (j) Air enclosed in the fur coat cannot escape because fur is a bad
conductor of heat.
(k) This is because when we are without clothes, air carries away
heat from our body due to convection and hence we can feel cold.
(l) Sometimes, when atmospheric temperature falls below 0 oC,
water vapours, instead of condensing, freeze directly as small
ice particle. These particles coalesce to form snow. Snow has
air enclosed in it. Which reduces the chance of heat loss by
conduction
(m) Copper is a good conductor of heat, glass is bad conductor of
heat.
(n)Air respirated out is hotter and hence rarer. It rises up in the
room. So it finds its way out of the room through the
ventilators which are provided just below the roof.
(o) Air in the upper part becomes denser on cooling and moves
downward while the warm and lighter air in the lower part
moves upward and establishes convection currents.
(p) Convection is in upward direction
(q) It will be a poor absorber of heat. Poor absorbers are poor
emitters also.
(r) To minimise the loss of heat due to radiation
(s) The energy radiated per unit time is directly proportional to
the surface area of the body. By curling into a ball, the surface
area of the body of the animals decreases and hence loss of
heat is reduced.
(t) Good absorbers are good emitters too. Ink dot appears dark
as it is a good absorber .So it is a good emitter when heated.
(u) In a closed room the hot air remains at top because it is lighter.
So when fan is turned on, it circulates the upper air first and it
gives a current of hot air.
18. Explain the following:
(a) Why is radiator of motor car painted black?
(b) Water should be used to put off electrical fires.
(c) Heat from the sun heats up earth, but the air in the
atmosphere does not get heated up.
(d) The top of a roof made of asbestos is painted white
(e) A tile floor feels colder than a wooden floor when you walk on
it, even when both are at same temperature. Why?
(f) Stainless steel pans are usually provided with copper bottoms.
Why?
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 (g) When a pan is removed from the fire, it slowly cools down.
Why does it cool down?
(h) A brass tumbler feels much cooler than wooden tray on a
chilly day
(i) Why should air coolers be kept higher up in the room, and
not down like the heaters?
(j) why in hot water sugar is dissolved
(k) Why room heaters should be placed at the floor of the room?
(l) It is hotter at the same distance over the top of a fire than it is
on the side of it. Why?
(m) The bottoms of the cooking utensils are painted black. Give
the reason.
(n) Why is the freezing chest in a refrigerator fitted near its top
(o) Why is an oven made of double walls with the space in
between filled with cork?
(p) Why do we use cooking utensils made up of copper?
(q) Why is a tea kettle provided with an ebonite handle?
(r) In summer, ice is kept wrapped in a gunny bag. Explain the
reason.
(s) the water pipes are covered with cotton during very cold water
(t) Why are chimneys provided over furnace in factories?
(u) A house with thick walls is likely to be cooler during hot seasons.
(v) Eskimos make double walled ice houses. Why?
(w)Why no heat sensation is felt when a burning match stick is held
in the fingers?
(x) At what temperature would a block of wood and a block of
metal feel equally cold or equally hot, when touched?
(y) A cloudy night is hotter than a clear sky night. Why?
(z) Why do fire workers wear bright clothes?
ANS:
(a) Black color is a good absorber of heat and also good radiator
of radiant heat. Radiators of motor car painted black because
it absorbs heat energy from the engine and also radiate it
quickly and cool off the engine
(b) Convection is the mode of heat transfer in liquids, taking
place by the actual movement of molecules. So, we should not
use water to put off electrical fires. Impure water is a
conductor of electricity
(c)Heat is transferred from the sun to the earth without heating
the air in between. This process of transfer of heat is called
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 radiation where the medium in which the heat travels does not
play any role
(d) White color is a poor absorber and good reflector of heat. So
that most of the sunlight fall on the roof is reflected back and
the house becomes cool.
(e)All materials conduct heat to different extents. Some are good
conductors of heat and some are bad conductors of heat. In
this case, tile floor is a good conductor of heat. Hence, it feels
colder compared to wooden floor.
(f) Stainless steel pans are usually provided with copper bottoms
because copper is a better conductor of heat than stainless
steel hence cooking of food becomes faster.
(g) When the pan is removed from the fire, it slowly cools down.
The heat is transferred from the pan to the surroundings since
heat flows from a hotter object to a colder object.
(h) Brass is a good conductor of heat. Therefore when one
touches the brass tumbler, heat is conducted from the body to
the tumbler easily. So the temperature of the body reduces
and the brass tumbler feels much cooler than a wooden tray.
In case of wooden tray, wood is a poor conductor of heat and
therefore very little heat is conducted from the body to the
wooden tray. Hence there is a very small drop in the
temperature of the body and it does not feel cool.
(i) Cool air is denser so it moves down whereas warm air is
lighter so rises up hence convection currents are formed that
helps in circulating the cold air and keeps the room cool. If the
air cooler is not kept higher up, then the cool air will remain
at the surface layer and warm air will remain at the top, hence
no circulation of air will take place and room will remain
warm.
(j) Sugar dissolves better and faster in hot water than in cold
water. This is because hot water has more energy than the
cold water. When water is heated, its molecules gains more
energy and moves faster. While doing so, the molecules of
water comes in contact with sugar particles more frequently
than it does in cold water. Thus, sugar dissolves faster in hot
water.
(k) Room heaters are placed at the floor of the room so that the
air heated by it rises up and sets up the convection current in
the room quickly and uniformly.
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 (l) Convection takes more heat upwards. Towards the top, the air
gets heated by convection. Therefore, the hand above the
flame feels hot. On the sides, however, there is no convection
and air does not feel as hot as at the top.
(m) It is because black surface absorbs more heat and so the
contents of the utensil get cooked rapidly.
(n) It is because it cools the remaining space of the refrigerator
by convection current. Air near the top comes in contact with
the freezing chest, gets cooled, becomes denser and therefore
descends while the hot air from the lower part rises and hence
convection currents produce cool the whole space inside.
(o) It is because the wool or cork are the insulator of heat which
prevent the heat of the oven from escaping.
(p) Cooking utensils made up of copper so that the heat is easily
conducted through their base and the handles provided are
the bad conductors to hold them easily as handles will not
conduct heat from the utensils to our hands.
(q) Tea kettle is provided with an ebonite handle because ebonite
being the insulator of the heat, does not pass heat from the
utensils to our hand.
(r)In summer, ice is kept wrapped in a gunny bag because air is
filled in the fine pores of the gunny bag, which is the insulator
of heat. The air does not allow heat from outside to pass
through it to the ice. Thus, the ice is prevented from melting
point.
(s) The water pipes are covered with cotton during very cold
weather because the cotton has air trapped in its fine pores
which acts as an insulator of heat. And so they do not pass
heat from water inside the pipes to the outside atmosphere.
(t) Chimneys are provided over the furnace in factories because the
hot gases coming out of the furnace are less dense than the air.
They rise up through the chimneys. Chimneys help to remove the
undesired fumes, smokes from the factories.
(u) A house with thick wall will conduct less heat to the interior
than that with thinner wall
(v) Air enclosed between the walls is a bad conductor of heat,
which reduces out flow of heat from inside the houses.
(w)Wood is a bad conductor of heat. So little heat reaches the
hand

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 (x) If the temperature of both wood and metal are same as that
of the temperature of human body.
(y) This is because in the cloudy night heat radiated from earth
is reflected back to earth and hence temperature of earth does
not fall.
(z)Fire worker wears bright clothes because bright clothes are
good reflector of heat. They send back the heat falling on
them. Thus fire workers do not catch fire and heat easily.
19. Water is a bad conductor of heat but we heat water without any
difficulty. How is this possible?
ANS: this is possible through the process of heat transfer by
convection where it involves the actual movement of molecules
from one part to another.
20. The iron nails from aluminium rods falls faster than from iron
rod. What do you conclude from this statement?
Answer: It means that aluminium is a better conductor of heat as
compared to iron. So it passes heat much quickly to the iron nails and
they fall down due to melting of wax.
21. On a cold winter night, why do we feel colder when the sky is
clear than when it is cloudy?
Answer: As clouds are bad conductor of heat, they do not allow the
warm air around us to flow up. So heat remains near the ground and
we feel warmer
22. When does the conduction of heat stop in two bodies in contact?
Answer: The conduction of heat stops in two bodies in contact when
the two bodies attain equal temperature. That is the two bodies have
no temperature difference
23. Why should we wear dark coloured clothes in winter and light
coloured clothes in summer?
Answer: Bright clothes objects tend to reflect back the heat more,
than to absorb the heat. Therefore, it is advisable to wear them in
summer. On the other hand, dark colored clothes have a greater
tendency to absorb and hence “retain” the heat. Hence they are worn
in winter
24. Write some facts which indicate that sun light reaches to us by
method of radiation?
Answer: Medium is required for transfer of heat by conduction and
convection process. When you stand under the sun, you experience
heat. Heat reaches up to us from the sun. It is necessary to know the
following facts:
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  Air is poor conductor of heat hence heat is not transferred by
conduction method in air.
 Sun’s heat does not reach up to us by convection process also.
Because you know that, convection will start only after earth is
heated.
 There is vacuum between the sun and earth i.e. there is no
medium. Hence sun’s heat cannot reach up to us by conduction or
convection method because medium is required for both methods.
It means that sun’s heat reached us by some other method called
radiation.
25. Why does a piece of ice when touched with hand appear cool?
Explain.
Solution: On touching a piece of ice, heat flows from our hand
(hot body) to the ice (cold body), and hence, it appears cold.
26. Explain the three modes of transfer of heat. [ANS:]
(i) Conduction involves the transfer of heat from the hot end to
the cold end from particle to particle of the medium.
(ii) Convection is the transfer of heat from one body to another by
actual movement of the particles of the medium
(iii) Radiation is the transfer of heat from one body to another
without the need of an intervening material medium
27. State a situation where the colour white is used to minimise heat
loss and a situation where it is used to minimise heat gain.
ANS:
(i) During winter when the surrounding is colder than the human
body, people wear white to minimise thermal energy loss to the
surrounding as white colour is a poor emitter of radiant heat.
(ii) During a sunny day when the surrounding is hotter than the
human body, people wear white to minimise thermal energy
gain from the sun as white colour is a poor absorber of
radiant heat.
28. The delivery bag for pizza is made of soft plastic with many air
sacs in it. The bag has a silvery surface. Why is pizza sealed in
such a delivery bag for delivery service?
ANS:
 Air is a poor conductor of heat. The air sacs minimise the
transfer of thermal energy from the hot pizza to the
surrounding by conduction.

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  The pizza is sealed in the bag, such that hot air does not flow
out of the bag, to prevent thermal energy transfer from the
pizza to the surrounding by convection.
 A silvery surface is a bad emitter of radiant heat. The silvery
surface thus minimize thermal energy transfer from the pizza
to the surrounding by radiation
29. Small amount of ice at -10ºC is poured into a big glass of coloured
water at 0ºC.
(a) Why does thermal energy transfer from water to ice?
(b) Assuming that there is no loss of energy to the surrounding,
what will happen to the ice and the coloured water?
(c) Assuming that there is no energy loss to the surrounding,
when will the transfer of thermal energy between the ice and
coloured water stop?
ANS:
(a) Thermal energy always transfers from a region of higher
temperature to a region of lower temperature.
(b) The temperature of the ice increases. Some coloured water
freezes to ice at 0ºC.
(c) The transfer of thermal energy between the ice and
coloured water stops when the ice gains enough energy to
be at the same temperature as the coloured water.
30. A saucepan with a thick copper base contains water and is placed
on a flat electric hot plate.
(a)State the process by which energy is
(i) Transferred from the hot plate to the water
(ii) Spread through the water
(b) State one reason why the water would reach boiling point
more rapidly with a lid on the pan
(c) The sides of saucepans are often polished. How does this
reduce heat loss?
ANSWER:
(a) (i). conduction (ii). convection
(b). Heat lost by convection is reduced by the lid
(c). Polished surfaces are poor emitters of heat. Hence heat lost
by radiation is minimized.
31. Explain why the heating element is placed near the bottom of the
kettle. ANS: there can be no convection if it is heated at the top
(only the top would be heated in this case and smaller amounts of
water can be boiled)
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32. The door canopy below shows in a striking way the difference
between white and black surfaces when radiation falls on them.
Explain why.

ANS: Black surfaces absorb radiation better than white ones

so the ice on the black sections of the canopy melts faster than
on the white sections
33. (a) The Earth has been warmed by the radiation from the Sun
for millions of years yet we think its average temperature
has remained fairly steady. Why is this?
(b) Why is frost less likely on a cloudy night than a clear one?
ANS:
(a) The Earth radiates energy back into space
(b) Clouds reduce the amount of energy radiated into space,
keeping the ground warmer
34. Why it takes longer to boil a tea on top of high mountains than at
the sea level?
ANS:
 Boiling point is directly proportional to the atmospheric
pressure/Pressure. At higher altitudes atmospheric pressure
decreases as compared to the sea level. So the boiling point of
water also reduced. We know water boils at 100°C at
atmospheric pressure. Now the pressure gets reduced. So
water boils at below 100°C.
 Now come into cooking. It needs heat .Heat is directly
proportional to temperature. At higher altitudes because of the
reduced boiling point temperature as compared to the boiling
point temperature at atmospheric pressure (100°C). After reaching
boiling point temperature is uniform. So the heat capacity
reduced..So it will take longer time to cook at higher altitudes.
35. Heat energy may be transferred by conduction, convection and
radiation. Describe three experiments, one for each process, to
illustrate the methods of heat transfer.
ANS:

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  A metal rod is placed on a tripod. The rod should be long
enough to ensure both ends are well clear of the tripod. A
bunsen burner is placed under one end. Very soon the other
end becomes warm; its temperature rises. This can be detected
simply by feeling the end of the rod. Heat has been passed
down the rod by conduction
 Convection may be demonstrated using the apparatus shown
in the diagram below. A box has two chimneys as shown. A
lighted candle is placed under one of the chimneys and the
glass front closed. Very soon smoke from the smouldering
taper will be seen passing through the box and out of the
chimney above the candle. Convection currents of air are
passing through the box.

 Sit in front of an electric fire which has a shiny reflector

behind it. You will feel the radiation reflected on to your body.
The heat has not arrived by conduction because air is a bad
conductor. Hot air convection currents will rise above the
element and circulate "around the room but this is not how
most of the heat reaches your body. Most of it has arrived as a
result of radiation from the element falling on your body.
36. Some electrical devices, such as power transistors, can become so
hot that they do not function properly. In order to prevent this
they are fastened in good thermal contact with a 'heat sink, such
as a piece of aluminium sheet with aluminium fins as shown in the
diagram below.

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 (i) What is meant by 'good thermal contact'?
(ii) Explain how the heat is carried away from the electrical
device to the air outside it.
(iii) Why does the heat sink have fins?
(iv) Discuss whether the heat sink would operate better if it were
placed with its fins horizontal, rather than vertical as shown
in the diagram.
ANS:
(i) Contact so that heat can flow from one body to the other.
Some air between the two bodies would prevent good thermal
contact.
(ii) Heat is conducted from the device along the aluminium sheet
and through the fins. The air in contact with the aluminium
and fins becomes warm and the less dense warm air rises
carrying its heat with it. Denser colder air replaces the warm
air and the process continues. At low temperatures very little
heat is lost by radiation.
(iii) The fins increase the area of surface in contact with the air,
thus increasing the heat loss from the metal surfaces.
(iv) It operates better if placed vertically because the convection
currents can flow more freely.
37. The diagram below shows part of a household hot water system.

(i) Why is pipe A connected between the top of the boiler and
the top of the storage tank?
(ii) Why is pipe B connected between the bottom of the boiler
and the bottom of the storage tank?
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 (iii) What is the function of pipe C?
(iv) Suggest, with reasons, what might be added to the hot water
system above to make it more efficient
ANS:
(i) And
(ii) The hot, less dense water in the boiler rises and goes via the
pipe A to the top of the storage tank. The denser, colder
water from the bottom of the storage tank passes into the
boiler. The pipe A is connected to the top of both tanks
because hot water is less dense than cold water, and pipe B
is connected to the bottom of both tanks because cold
water is more dense than hot water.
(iii) C is an expansion pipe. It is a safety precaution to allow
steam to escape should the water boil. It also allows any
dissolved air which is released from the heated water to
escape, thus helping to prevent air locks.
(iv) Lagging should be added round all the hot pipes and round
the hot water tank. This will reduce the heat lost to the
atmosphere and make the system more efficient.
38. Explain why:
(a) A body with large reflectivity is a poor emitter
(b) A brass tumbler feels much colder than a wooden tray on a
chilly day
(c)The earth without its atmosphere would be inhospitably cold
(d) Heating systems based on circulation of steam are more
efficient in warming a building than those based on
circulation of hot water
ANS:
(a)A body with a large reflectivity is a poor absorber of light
radiations. A poor absorber will in turn be a poor emitter of
radiations. Hence, a body with a large reflectivity is a poor emitter.
(b)Brass is a good conductor of heat. When one touches a brass
tumbler, heat is conducted from the body to the brass
tumbler easily. Hence, the temperature of the body reduces
to a lower value and one feels cooler.
Wood is a poor conductor of heat. When one touches a
wooden tray, very little heat is conducted from the body to
the wooden tray. Hence, there is only a negligible drop in the
temperature of the body and one does not feel cool. Thus, a
brass tumbler feels colder than a wooden tray on a chilly day.
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 (c)Without its atmosphere, earth would be inhospitably cold. In
the absence of atmospheric gases, no extra heat will be trapped.
All the heat would be radiated back from earth’s surface.
(d)A heating system based on the circulation of steam is more
efficient in warming a building than that based on the
circulation of hot water. This is because steam contains
surplus heat in the form of latent heat (540 cal/g).
39. Why no convection current if water heated from top?
ANS: The hot less dense water remains at the top while the
cold denser water remains at the bottom. Hence no convection
current is produced.
40. In cold countries, the water pipes are covered with poor
conductors. Why?
Solution: In cold countries, water pipes are covered with poor
conductors because poor conductor prevents water from freezing
and thus prevent these pipes from bursting.
41. Name three devices which are used to detect heat radiations.
[ANS: Blackened bulb thermometer, Differential air thermo
scope and Thermopile]
42. Why do we wear woolen clothes in winter?
Solution: because woolen clothes have tiny pores and air is
trapped in these pores and being a bad conductor, the trapped air
obstructs the flow of body heat to the surroundings.
43. How heat is lost when a hot bowl is moved from oven to table?
ANS:
 Heat is lost by radiation because the hot bowl is at a higher
temperature than its surroundings.
 Heat is also lost by convection. The hot air above the hot bowl
is less dense than the surrounding air.
44. How would you demonstrate that water is a poor conductor of
heat?
ANS: Put some ice wrapped in a metal gauze (so that it sinks) in a
test tube which is nearly full of water. Carefully heat the water at
the top of the tube until it boils. The water and ice at the bottom
of the tube remain cold because the water (and of course the
glass) are poor conductors of heat (See the fig below)

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45. What causes winds?
Answer: The uneven heating of the earth’s surface is the main
cause for the winds. On being heated more the air raises up and
hence low pressure is created. Hence, the air in high pressure
occupies the low-pressure region causing the wind.
46. Explain how energy is transferred from the heating element
throughout the water in an electric kettle.
ANS: The water in contact with the heating element gets hotter.
Hot water is less dense than cold water so the hot water rises. The
denser surrounding cold water flows in to take its place. These
circulating convection currents gradually transfer the heat
throughout the water in the kettle.
47. A piece of iron is heated in a furnace until it is white hot. How
will the radiation emitted from the hot metal, differ from the
radiation emitted when the metal was cold?
ANS:
 Emitted waves will be at a higher frequency / shorter
wavelength.
 Emitted waves will be more intense / higher energy.
48. The black cube below is in a warm room. Its temperature is
constant. What is the relationship between radiated and absorbed
radiation for this object?

ANS: Black cube will be emitting radiation. At the same rate

that it is absorbing radiation
49. The diagram shows how the Earth absorbs and emits radiation.

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 Use the diagram to help explain how changes between absorbed
and emitted radiation could affect the temperature of the Earth.
ANS:
 If more radiation is absorbed than emitted. The average
temperature of the Earth will increase.
 Anything which prevents emitted radiation from escaping
Will contribute to increasing the Earth’s temperature.
50. Why is a ventilator provided in a room?
ANS: A ventilator is provided in a room because it helps in
removing the hot air from the room and allows the fresh and cold
air to come in.
51. If air is a bad conductor of heat, why do we not feel warm
without clothes?
ANS: This is because when we are without clothes, air carries
away heat from our body due to convection and hence we feel cold.
52. What is the reason behind rising of temperature inside a
greenhouse?
Solution: The temperature in a green house rises because heat
enters the house through the glass but cannot escape out, because
the glass reflects the heat back to the inside of the house. This
makes glass house warmer than the outside environment.
53. Draw a neat and labeled diagram of a vacuum flask (thermos
flask). Explain, how it minimizes loss of heat by preventing
conduction, convection and radiation.
ANS: Heat transfer is minimized because of:
(i) The vacuum between the two walls, rubber, glass, cork and
air do not allow the loss of heat by conduction.
(ii) Cork in the neck of flask and the cup over it prevent loss of
heat by convection.
(iii) Heat cannot be lost by conduction or convection because of
vacuum between the two walls.
(iv) Heat loss is also minimized by radiation, by making outer
surface of inner wall and inner surface of outer wall

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 silvered. The inner wall is a bad radiator and the outer wall
is a good reflector of radiation.

54. Explain each of the following:

(i) A candle placed at the bottom of a gas jar soon goes out, but if
a partition is carefully lowered down the middle of the jar so
that the top half of the jar has a partition in it, the candle will
stay alight.
(ii) Many good insulators of heat are porous materials.
ANS:
(i) Warm air rises up one side of the partition and cold air
comes down the other side supplying oxygen to the flame.
(ii) The trapped air is a poor conductor
55. The diagram shows the essential features of a solar heating panel.
A small electric pump circulates a liquid through the pipes. State
briefly why
(i) The pipes and back plate are blackened
(ii) There is a mineral fibre backing to the panel
(iii) The glass sheet increases the energy collected by the panel by
a large factor.

ANS:

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 (i) Black surfaces are better absorbers of heat than shiny or light
coloured surfaces. The solar panel works better if as much
heat as possible is absorbed from the Sun's rays.
(ii) The mineral fibre is a poor conductor and this reduces the heat
escaping from the copper pipes.
(iii) The electromagnetic waves emitted by the copper pipes are of
much longer wavelength than the rays arriving from the
Sun. They are not transmitted by the glass
56. In which part of a fridge or a microwave oven do we have
magnetic strips installed? Why?
ANS: Are fitted on the doors of a microwave ovens or a fridge,
used to keep away cold.
57. Explain why, A house with thick walls is likely to be cooler during
hot seasons.
ANS: A thick wall conducts less heat interior than a thinner wall.
58. The diagram below shows two air filled bulbs connected by U –
tube partly filled with a low density (or light) oil.

(a) Describe how the levels of oil in the limbs X and Y change
after the electric bulb is lighted.
(b) Account for your observation.
ANS:
(a) The level of oil in limb X falls while in limb Y, the level of oil
rises
(b) Black bulb absorbs heat, so air inside expands and pushes
down the oil of limb X which passes to the limb Y
59. Explain how the water in a beaker gets heated when a burner is
kept below it?
60. Explain how the air in a room gets heated when a room heater
kept on a floor in a corner of the room is switched on?
ANS:
This occurs when air is heated by the heater in one part of the
room, it transfers heat by convection. When the heater kept on
the floor in a room is switched on, the air near the heater gets
heated, expands and become lighter. This hot air (being lighter)
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 rises above the top of the heater and carries its heat along with it.
The cold air from above (being denser) sinks downwards to the
bottom of the heater to take the place of hot rising air. This cold
air also gets heated by the heater and rises upwards carrying its
heat upwards. And more cold air sinks downwards towards the
heater. This process of hot air rising upwards and cold air sinking
downwards takes place again and again due to which all the air in
the room gets heated uniformly after some time. A room heater
heats all the air in a room by setting up convection currents in the air.
61. Why is a frying pan made of metal but the handle is made of
plastic or wood?
ANS:
This is because plastic (or wood) is a poor conductor of heat. A
plastic (or wooden) handle prevents the heat from hot cooking
utensil reaching our hand so that we can lift the hot cooking
utensil safely from its handle.
62. Name the three ways in which heat can flow
63. Why stainless steel frying pans are provided with copper
bottoms?
ANS:
Copper metal is a much better conductor of heat than stainless
steel (due to which it can transfer the heat of gas stove burner to
the food kept inside much more quickly).
64. How does double-glazing prevent heat loss from a home?
ANS: Heat energy reaches the interior pane of glass. The heat
energy is conducted through the glass. The air cavity between the
two panes of glass in the window acts as an insulator and reduces
heat loss by conduction
65. Describe a simple experiment to demonstrate what a convection
current is.
ANS: Place a crystal of dye at the bottom of a beaker of water.
Then heat the water. As you heat the water the dye will rise up
with the warm water and then sink down with the cooler water.
The cycle of rising and falling water is known as a convection
current. (See the figure below)

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66. If you wish to stay cool on a hot, sunny day, which colour Tshirt
would you wear. White or black?, why?
ANS: White, because White is a good reflector of heat radiation,
whereas black is a good absorber of heat radiation. If you wore a
black Tshirt on a hot, sunny day then the T-shirt would absorb a
high percentage of the incident heat radiation and you would thus
feel warmer. Whereas if you wore a white Tshirt on a hot, sunny
day more of the incident heat radiation would be reflected and
you would feel cooler
67. Why is the storage tank in hot-water heating systems usually
located above the boiler?
ANS: The warm water heated by the boiler will then rise to fill
the storage tank. Also, the cooler water will sink to be heated by
the boiler.
68. What causes the wind?
The air close to the Earth’s surface gains heat energy from the
ground by conduction. This warmer air is less dense than the
cooler air above and so rises up through the cooler air. Cooler air
then moves in to take the place of the warmer air that has risen
up. These movements of air are what we can feel as the wind.
69. State the applications of thermal radiation.
(i) Kettles, cooking pans and iron boxes have polished surfaces to
reduce heat loss through thermal radiation.
(ii) Petrol tanks are painted silvery bright to reflect away as much
heat as possible.
(iii) Houses in hot areas have their walls and roofs painted with
bright colours to reflect away heat, while those in cold regions
have walls and roofs painted with dull colours.
(iv) In solar concentrators, electromagnetic waves in the form of
radiant heat are reflected to a common point (focus) by a
concave reflector. The temperature at this point can be
sufficiently high to boil water.
70. Teapots are often shiny, why?
ANS: This is because shiny surfaces are good reflectors of heat
radiation. The shiny surface of the teapot will therefore reflect
any heat radiation trying to escape from the teapot back in. This
means any tea poured into the teapot will stay warmer for longer.
71. Buildings in the Mediterranean are often painted white. Why?
ANS: This is because white surfaces are good reflectors of the
heat radiation. This means that during the day it helps to keep
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 the insides of buildings as cool as possible by reflecting heat
radiation away from the building.
72. Why it is not possible for heat transfer by convection to take
place in solids?
ANS: Heat transfer by convection involves movement of matter
(molecules) while in solids there is no movement of molecules
from one place to another.
73. A piece of blue glass heated to a high temperature and piece of red
glass at room temperature, are taken inside a dimly lit room, what
will be observed?
ANS: When blue glass is heated at high temperature, it absorbs all
the radiation of higher wavelength except blue. If it is taken inside a
dark room, it emits all the radiation of higher wavelength, hence it
looks brighter red as compared to the red piece.
74. The following figure shows two air – filled bulbs connected by a U
– tube partly filled alcohol. What happens to the levels of alcohol
in the limbs X and Y when an electric bulb is placed midway
between the bulbs is lighted.

ANS:
The black color being a better absorber of heat, bulb X gets
more heated due to heat radiated by the electric bulb resulting
in the expansion of air inside it. The expanded air requires
more space and thus pushes the alcohol towards limb Y
75. Two identical vessels shown in Figure below. Containing equal
volumes of water are placed in the sun. One vessel A is blackened,
while the other vessel B has the bright polished surface.

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 (i) Which of the two thermometers T 1 and T2 will record a higher
temperature? Give a reason for your answer.
(ii) The two vessels are now emptied and placed inside the room.
Both the vessels are then filled with boiling water. Which
thermometer will show a higher temperature after 15 minutes?
Give a reason for your answer.
ANS:
(i) T1. Reason: Black surface is a good absorber of heat of sun
than the polished surface.
(ii) T2. Reason: Black surface is a good emitter of heat than the
polished surface.
76. How can the radiating power of a surface be increased?
ANS: By making the surface rough and blackened.
77. Which serves the purpose of an insulator: still air or moving air?
(ANS: Still air)
78. What steps would you take to make the radiating power of a
surface as small as possible?
ANS: The surface is made smooth, shiny or polished.
79. In a solid, heat is not transferred by the process of convection.
Give reason. (ANS: In solid, atoms cannot leave their positions)
80. State the direction in which heat is transferred by way of
convection. ANS: Vertically upwards.
81. On a bright sunny day, a boy standing on a sea shore is flying a
kite. In what direction will his kite fly? Explain your answer.
ANS: Away from the sea, Reason: Hot air rises above the land
and cool air flows from the sea towards the land
82. Complete the following:
(a) Heat transfer in solids is by ---------, in liquids is by---------and
in gases is by---------(A: conduction, convection, convection)
(b) Good absorbers are ------------ radiators (ANS: good)
(c)Black or dull surfaces are ----reflectors (ANS: poor, good)
(d) Highly polished surfaces are -------------------- absorbers of
heat, but ----------------- reflectors. (ANS: poor, good)
83. A red hot iron ball is suspended from the ceiling of a room by a
thin metallic wire.
(a) Name the ways in which the balls loses heat.
(b) Name the ways by which it loses the heat least. Give a reason
for your answer.
(c) Explain what role the air in the room plays in the loss of heat.
Solution:
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 (a) Conduction, convection and radiation
(b) Conduction since heat is lost by conduction only by the
thin metallic wire
(c) Convection currents are set up in air
84. A red hot brick is placed on an iron tripod stand which stands on
a large block of copper. Describe briefly the ways in which the
brick loses heat
ANS:
The brick loses heat by conduction through iron tripod stand to
the copper block which is then radiated away and convection
currents are set up in the surrounding air. It is also loses heat by
radiation.
85. A quantity of water in a calorimeter with a lid as shown in the
figure below cools from 500C to 450 C in time t. How would t be
affected if the experiments were performed with the same volume
of water in the same calorimeter

(i) With the lid removed as shown in figure (b),

(ii) With the lid removed, but the outer surface of the calorimeter
blackened as shown in figure (c)? give reason to your
answer
ANS:
(i) t decreases since heat is lost by convection
(ii) t decreases more since heat is lost both by convection and
radiation.
86. In boiling of water in a steel utensil by using a stove, describe the
process of heat transfer.
ANS: At first, heat is transferred from the stove to utensil by
conduction .Then heat is given to water by conduction through
utensil and then in water, heat flows by convection.
87. Explain briefly, why holes are left below the chimney of a
kerosene lamp or kitchen.
ANS: Holes are left below the chimney of kerosene lamp or
kitchen in order to allow soot go away and air to enter in order to
support combustion

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88. What part does convection play in the spreading of energy
around a room from an electric heater?
ANS: Warm air rises above the heater, and moves around the
room. Cold air flows in to replace it and so is heated.
89. Write a brief explanation of convection, using the terms
expansion, density and gravity.
ANS: When a fluid is heated, its expansion causes its density to
decrease. It rises because it is less dense than the surrounding air.
Cooler, denser air sinks as a result of the pull of gravity.
90. Why is it important to wear a hat on a very cold day?
ANS: Heat is lost from head by convection, and a hat greatly
reduces this.
91. Why would it not be a good idea to fit an electric heater near the
ceiling in a room?
ANS: No convection current would be established because the air
heated by the heater cannot rise.
92. Suppose that you have a matt black surface and shiny black
surface.
(a) Which is a better absorber of infrared radiation?
[ANS: Matt black]
(b) Which is a better emitter of infrared radiation?
[ANS: matt black]
(c)Which is a better reflector of infrared radiation?
[ANS: shiny black]
93. At a camp site there are tents of two shades – one made with
black fabric and the other with white fabric. Which one will you
prefer for resting on a hot summer afternoon? Give a reason for
your choice. Would you like to prefer the same tent during
winter?
ANS: In summer I would choose tent with white color fabric as
white is a bad absorber and good reflector of heat, But in winter I
would choose tent with black color fabric as black is a good
absorber and bad reflector
94. While constructing a house in a coastal area, in which direction
should the windows preferable face and why?
ANS: The window of house in a coastal area should preferable
face towards the sea as sea breeze will keep it cool during the
day time.
95. If a drop of water falls on a very hot iron, it does not evaporate
for a long time. Why?
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 ANS: A vapor film is formed between water drop and the hot
iron. Vapour being a poor conductor of heat makes the water
droplet to evaporate slowly
96. Explain the following:
(a) It is cool in the shade, when it is hot outside.
(b) Cooking utensils are often blackened at the bottom, but they
are polished at the top and on the sides.
(c)The inside of a closed car parked in the sun is much warmer.
(d) The inside of a vehicle with a highly polished light colored
surface is a little cooler than that of a dark rough textured one.
(e)On opening the windows of a glass walled room, the inside
temperature falls.
ANSWER:
(a)As earth surface gets heated by sun rays and due to process of
convection the air near earth surface open to sunlight get
heated while in shade sun rays does not fall on earth surface so
air near that surface would not heat up.
(b) The inside of a car with its window closed is hotter than
outside due to green house effect as the glass in the windows
absorbs infrared radiations of the sun but do not allow them to
escape or reflect back, thus increasing the temperature of the
car on the inside.
97. Is it possible to heat a liquid or gas from above? Explain your
answer (ANS: NO, Reason: the liquid or gas is heated by
convection in which heat is transferred upwards, not downwards
or sideways)
98. By the process of convection, heat is always transferred vertically
upwards. Give reason.
99. Why are cooking vessels made of aluminium and not iron.
[ANS: because the thermal conductivity of aluminium is larger
than that of iron]
100. Why are stadium seats made of plastic and not steel.
[ANS: because plastic are bad conductors of heat]
101. Why flame is in always upward direction.
ANS: A candle flame points upwards because flame is extremely
hot, and thus less dense than air, and thus rises. (A hot air balloon
floats for the exact same reason).
102. The figure below shows an electric kettle. Which is the best
position to place the heating element? Explain your answer.

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 ANS: The best position is C, since the portion of fluid which is
heated becomes less dense and rises. Cooler fluid moves down to
replace the rising warmer fluid.
103. Why is not possible for heat transfer by convection to take
place in solids?
ANS: Heat transfer by convection involves movement of matter
(molecules) while in solids there is no movement of molecules
from one place to another.
104. When a Bunsen burner is lit below a wire, it is noted that the
flame initially burns below the gauze as shown in the figure (a)
below. After sometime, the flame burns below as well as above
the gauze as shown in the figure (b)

ANS:
(a) In figure (a). Gauze conducts heat away, temperature above
it is lower than the ignition temperature of the gas
(b) In figure (b) gauze is hotter than ignition temperature of
the gas hence the gas lights.
105. Why are gases poor conductors of heat?
ANS: molecules of a gas are very far apart from each other so
heat conduction is difficult.
106. Give two ways through which heat losses by convection can be
prevented. [ANS: by vacuuming and by filling air cavities with
insulating materials]
107. Cooking vessels are often painted black from outside and white
from inside . State the reason.
[ANS: cooking vessels are painted black from the bottom to
absorb more heat and get heated quickly. Cooking vessels are
highly polished from inside to reduce loss of heat and keep warm
for a longer time]
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108. Why does heat transfer by radiation not require a medium?
[ANS: because it involves electromagnetic waves]
109. The diagram shows the design of a solar cooker. The cooker
heats water using infrared radiation from the Sun.

(a) Why is the inside of the large curved dish covered with shiny
metal foil?
(b) Which would be the best colour to paint the outside of the
metal cooking pot? Black, silver or white. Give reason
(c)Why does the cooking pot have a lid?
ANS:
(a) Shine surfaces are good reflector of heat
(b) Black, because black is best absorber of heat
(c)In order to reduce energy loss (to reduce heat lost by water
by convection) so as temperature of water rises faster
110. List three areas where heat transfer through each of the
following methods is applied:
(a) Conduction
(b) Convection
(c)Radiation
ANSW:
(a) motion engines, piston and cylinders are made of aluminium
due to its low density and high conductivity, cooking metal
(b) land and sea breeze, domestic hot water supply, air
conditioners
(c)thermos flask, solar cookers, heat from the sun to the earth

Self Assessment – 7
1. Explain the following:
(a) Flannel keeps the ice unmelted, but keeps the people warm
(b) Boiler is covered with a layer of asbestos.
(c)A wire gauze is generally used when a glass vessel is heated over a
flame
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 (d) The temperature of water at the bottom of a test tube remains
nearly unaffected when heated near the mouth of the test tube.
(e)A newly made quilt is warmer than an old one.
(f) On a cool day, a piece of iron on being touched by the hand
appears colder than a piece of wood.
(g) An empty test tube tilted downwards, on heating at its bottom,
does not become warm at its mouth.
2. Explain the formation of land and sea breezes. Draw diagrams.
3. The figure below shows a container in which a lighted candle C has
been placed. The container has two openings, one at A and other at B.
(a) In the diagram insert arrows to show which way the smoke from
an external source placed near A moves when it reaches A and
leaves from B. Give reason for your markings.

(b) How is your answer stated above affected if the external source is
placed near B?
4. How will you minimize heat loss from a vessel containing hot liquid
are due to each of the following:
(a) Convection (b) Conduction (c) Radiation
5. The diagram below shows a way of demonstrating a convection
current in air.

(a) Explain why air rises above the hot flame.

(b) Explain why colder air flows downwards through the ‘chimney’
6. Figure below shows a rectangular box with two tubes A and B at the
top. A burning candle C is placed under the tube A. The candle is
seen to burn brightly. Explain

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 (a)How is the air in the box circulating? Show it by means of arrows.
(b) How would you demonstrate the circulation?
(c)What will happen if the opening B is closed?
7. Why is a ventilator provided in a room?
8. Explain how heat transfer by convection takes place.
9. Why hollow bricks are used in the construction of rooms in a cold
storage?
10. Why is the freezing chest (or cooling unit) in a refrigerator fitted near
the top?
11. Draw a labeled diagram of a thermos flask and state how the transfer
of heat is minimized in it.
12. In thermos flask, give reason for the following:
(i) A vacuum is created between the two walls of glass bottle.
(ii) The two walls of the glass bottles are highly silvered on the
vacuum side.
(iii) The glass bottle is covered with a cork stopper.
(iv) The glass bottle is placed in a plastic case by surrounding the
bottle with cork.
13. In a thermos flask, explain how the heat losses are minimized from
its contents by
(i) Conduction
(ii) Convection
(iii) Radiation
14. How woolen clothes keep us warm during cold winter days?
15. Why wearing more layers of clothing during winter keeps us warmer
than wearing just one thick piece of clothing?
16. Describe two methods to detect the presence of heat radiations.
17. Describe an experiment to show that a black or dull surface is a
beater absorber of heat radiations than a polished one.
18. Name the process by which a slice of bread gets heat from the heated
filament in a toaster. Give reason for your answer.
19. Name the process by which heat is transmitted from the filament of
an evacuated electric bulb to its glass case. Give reason for your
answers.
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20. Draw a clear labeled diagram of an experiment to compare the
absorbing powers of two different surfaces, a shiny white and a dull
black.
21. The figure below shows a water heater in which water is heated by a
gas burner from below. A and B are two pipes
(i) Name the pipe used as inlet for cold water.
(ii) Name the pipe used as outlet for hot water.
(iii) Show the direction of convection currents in the diagram so as to
obtain hot water continuously.

22. Explain the following:

(a) A chimney smokes when a fresh fire is stated under it.
(b) Small holes are provided at the bottom of the chimney in an oil lamp.
(c)Land becomes warmer than water during the day.
23. Why is a room heater in a room installed near the floor of the room?
24. “An air conditioner in a room is installed near the floor”. Comment
on it. [Hint: it is a false statement]
25. Why is the freezing chest (cooling unit) in a refrigerator fitted near
the top?
26. Why are the mud houses provided with thatched roofs?
27. Why in cold countries windows have two glass panes with a layer of
air in between them?
28. How is insulation obtained from the heat of sun in the house from the
roofs side in a hot country?
29. In a thermometer, mercury is taken as the thermometer liquid instead
of water. Why?
30. Explain how the blowing of sea breeze and land breeze take place in
coastal areas?
31. Why do people prefer to wear white clothes in summers?
32. Why is it better to wear dark clothes in winter?
33. Why is the box of a solar cooker painted black from inside?

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34. It is advised that the outer walls of houses should be painted white in
places with hot climate? Explain?
35. What is meant by convection? Explain with the help of an example?
36. Define radiation? What are infra-red radiations?
37. Why the Sun’s heat not reach earth by conduction or convection?
38. What are good conductors of heat? Give examples?
39. What are bad conductors of heat? Give examples?
40. Copper fins are used in a radiator of an engine. Why?
41. Explain the process of conduction in solids, convection and radiation.
42. How does the process of conduction differ in metals and non –
metals? Explain
43. Describe an experiment to demonstrate that copper is a better
conductor of heat than wood.
44. Explain how you would show in the Laboratory that water is a bad
conductor of heat.
45. Why are refrigerator painted white?
46. Explain why in a very cold morning a piece of metal bar feels much
colder to the hand than a piece of wood.
47. Briefly explain why holes are left below the chimneys of kerosene
lamp or kitchen.
48. Explain how heat transfer by convection is in affect application of
Archimedes’s principle
49. What does the high specific heat capacity of water have to do with
convection current in air at the sea – shore?
50. Explain why the feet feel colder when a person stands on a cemented
floor than on a wooden floor.
51. While heating water in a beaker, a wire gauze is placed below the
beaker. Explain.
52. The ventilators for a room are put near the roof and not near the
floor. Explain why.
53. The diagram below shows a vacuum flask with an enlarged view of
the part circled:
(a)State the material parts A and C are made of.
(b) State what types of heat energy are reduced by or prevented by
the parts marked B, C and D.
(c)Explain how A is effective in reducing heat transfer.
54. Explain why a swimmer would prefer to put on wet clothes before
diving into cold water?
55. Explain how a knowledge of heat transfer affects the design of a vacuum flask,
56. Explain how a greenhouse acts as a ‘heat-trap’
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57. Describe experiments to study factors affecting the absorption and
emission of radiation
58. Describe the effect of surface colour and texture on the emission,
absorption and reflection of radiation.
59. Explain that good absorbers are also good emitters
60. Explain the following:
(a)Two thin blankets are warmer than a single thick one.
(b) Flames go upwards.
(c)A person should crawl close to the floor in a smoke-filled room.
(d) A chimney and a fire help to ventilate a room.
61. Explain the following:
a. A vacuum is the worst possible conductor of heat.
b. Double glazing keeps rooms warm in winter and cool in summer.
c. In hot weather, ice cream will take a long time to melt if
newspaper is wrapped round it.
d. There is frequently a cold draught below a closed window.
e. Pouring boiling water into a tumbler made of thick glass is liable
to crack the glass, but if boiling water is poured into a tumbler of
thin glass, the glass is unlikely to crack.
f. Pipes carrying cold water in the home in winter time are lagged.
g. Eskimos can keep themselves warm in a cold climate by building
huts made of ice.
h. A fan rotating in a room may cause you to feel much cooler but a
thermometer in the room will show the same temperature as
before the fan was switched on.
i. The ice compartment in a refrigerator is placed at the top of the
refrigerator compartment.
j. Fur coats would not look as nice if worn inside out but they would
be much more effective in keeping the occupant warm.
k. Heat energy from the Sun has been falling on the Earth for many
millions of years, yet the temperature of the Earth remains
approximately constant.
62. Explain why a coal or log fire which uses a chimney helps to
ventilate a room.
63. What part do conduction, .convection and radiation play in cooling a
motor car engine?
64. How does a pie being cooked in a heated oven receive its heat?
Discuss this in terms of conduction, convection and radiation and
explain by which method most of the heat reaches the pie. How does
the centre of the pie become warm?
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65. What explanation can you give for the fact that you can sit indoors
on a sunny day and feel the warmth of the Sun, yet if you put a glass
fire screen in front of a rue very little heat reaches you.
66. Describe the construction of a Thermos flask. Explain how heat
losses by conduction, convection and radiation are eliminated or
reduced. How in fact is any heat lost from the flask? Is the flask just
as effective for storing cold liquids as hot liquids?
67. Describe on a molecular and atomic scale how heat energy is
conducted along a metal ro
1. Semitractor trucks use four large 12-V batteries. The starter
system requires 24 V, while normal operation of the truck’s
other electrical components utilizes 12 V. How could the four
batteries be connected to produce
(a) (i) 24 V? (i) 12 V?
(b) Why is 24 V better than 12 V for starting the truck’s engine
(a very heavy load)?
ANSW:
2. Fig. below shows three bulbs A, B and C each of rating 100 W,
220 V connected to the mains of 220 V. Answer the following:

(a) How is the bulb A connected with the mains? At what

voltage does it glow?
(b) How are the bulbs B and C connected with the mains? At
what voltage does the bulb B glow?
(c) How is the glow of bulbs A and C affected if bulb B gets
fused?
(d) How is the glow of bulbs B and C affected if bulb A gets
fused?
Solution:
3. State one advantage of using the main switch in house wiring.
Solution:

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 Welcome!
They are now
available in hardcopy

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