Thermal Physics: Complete Chapter Review
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Question 1
A student observes three samples of the same substance in different states. Which statement correctly describes the arrangement and motion of particles in a solid compared to a liquid?
Question 2
When a substance changes from a liquid to a gas at its boiling point, which statement is correct?
Question 3
Which property is characteristic of gases but NOT of solids or liquids?
Question 4
A teacher demonstrates Brownian motion by observing smoke particles in air under a microscope with a bright light shining from the side. The smoke particles appear to move randomly. What causes this motion?
Question 5
What is absolute zero?
Question 6
In a Brownian motion experiment, which particles can actually be seen through the microscope?
Question 7
Gas particles exert pressure on the walls of their container. Which statement best explains the mechanism of gas pressure?
Question 8
A physics laboratory is at a temperature of 20°C. What is this temperature in Kelvin?
Question 9
A gas occupies a volume of 2.0 m³ at a pressure of 100 kPa. If the volume is compressed to 0.5 m³ at constant temperature, what is the new pressure?
Question 10
According to the kinetic theory of gases, what happens to the average kinetic energy of gas particles when the temperature increases at constant volume?
Question 11
A railway line is constructed using steel rails. Gaps are left between adjacent rails. In terms of particle motion and arrangement, why do solids expand more than liquids, but gases expand most of all when heated?
Question 12
A Physics teacher heats 0.5 kg of water from 20°C to 80°C. The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/(kg·°C). How much energy is supplied to the water?
Question 13
A student notices that water in a shallow dish evaporates faster than water in a narrow beaker, even though both contain the same volume. Which three factors increase the rate of evaporation? (Select the BEST combination)
Question 14
Which statement correctly describes a key difference between evaporation and boiling?
Question 15 [5 marks]
A student investigates the melting of ice. They place 200 g of ice at 0°C in a beaker and supply energy using an electrical heater. After some time, all the ice has melted to water at 0°C. The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is 336,000 J/kg.
(a) Calculate the energy required to melt all the ice. [3]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Convert mass to kg: 200 g = 0.2 kg (1 mark)
- • Use equation: E = ml (1 mark)
- • E = 0.2 × 336,000 = 67,200 J (1 mark)
(b) Explain why the temperature remains at 0°C while the ice is melting, even though energy is being supplied. [2]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Energy is used to break/overcome bonds/forces between particles (1 mark)
- • Not used to increase kinetic energy / temperature (1 mark)
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP:
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP: Students often forget to convert grams to kilograms! Also, marks are lost when students say "bonds are broken" without specifying these are intermolecular forces, not chemical bonds.
Question 16 [4 marks]
A brass plug has a diameter of 4.00 cm at 20°C. When heated to 100°C, the diameter increases.
(a) Describe, in terms of particles, why the diameter of the brass plug increases when heated. [2]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Particles vibrate more / have more kinetic energy (1 mark)
- • Particles take up more space / move further apart / amplitude of vibration increases (1 mark)
(b) State one practical application where thermal expansion is useful and one consequence where it can cause problems. [2]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Useful application: bimetallic strip in thermostat / railway expansion joints / fitting metal rims on wheels (1 mark)
- • Problem/consequence: bridges buckling / railway tracks bending / concrete cracking / pipes bursting (1 mark)
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP:
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP: Do not say "particles expand" or "atoms get bigger" - particles themselves do not change size! It is the spacing between particles that increases.
Question 17 [7 marks]
A student plans to measure the specific heat capacity of a metal block using an electrical heating method.
📐 Diagram: An insulated metal block with a heater inserted in a hole, and a thermometer in another hole
(a) State the measurements that need to be taken to calculate the specific heat capacity. [4]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Mass of metal block (1 mark)
- • Initial and final temperature / temperature change (1 mark)
- • Voltage across heater and current through heater (1 mark)
- • Time heater is switched on (1 mark)
(b) The block is wrapped in insulation. Explain why this is important for the accuracy of the experiment. [2]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Reduces heat loss / energy loss to surroundings (1 mark)
- • So (more of) the electrical energy heats the block / measured energy = energy absorbed by block (1 mark)
(c) Suggest one improvement to increase the reliability of the results. [1]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Repeat the experiment / take multiple readings and calculate average (1 mark)
- • OR: Stir/mix the block material if liquid (1 mark)
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP:
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP: "Accuracy" vs "Reliability" - Insulation improves ACCURACY (reduces systematic error). Repeating improves RELIABILITY (reduces random error). Don't confuse these terms!
Question 18 [5 marks]
A student investigates how pressure varies with depth in a liquid using a manometer attached to a pressure sensor at different depths in water.
(a) The student records these results: Depth (cm): 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 Pressure (kPa): 100, 101, 102, 103, 104 Describe the relationship between depth and pressure. [2]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Pressure increases as depth increases (1 mark)
- • The relationship is linear / directly proportional / constant increase (1 mark)
(b) Explain, in terms of the liquid particles, why pressure increases with depth. [2]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • More liquid / weight of liquid above the point (1 mark)
- • More particles colliding with / pressing on the surface / greater force (1 mark)
(c) State one precaution the student should take to obtain accurate readings. [1]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Measure depth from surface to center of sensor (1 mark)
- • OR: Keep sensor horizontal / level (1 mark)
- • OR: Ensure no air bubbles in tube (1 mark)
- • OR: Wait for reading to stabilize (1 mark)
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP:
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP: Students often say "weight of water pushes down" which is too vague. Must mention particles or force per unit area for full marks!
Question 19 [5 marks]
On a hot day, a student notices that they feel cooler when wearing a damp shirt compared to a dry shirt.
(a) Explain, in terms of particle energy, why evaporation causes cooling. [3]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • More energetic / faster-moving particles escape from surface (1 mark)
- • Average kinetic energy of remaining particles decreases (1 mark)
- • Temperature of liquid decreases / cooling occurs (1 mark)
(b) The student stands in front of a fan. Explain why this increases the rate of cooling. [2]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Air movement removes water vapor / evaporated particles (1 mark)
- • Allows more evaporation / particles to escape from surface (1 mark)
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP:
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP: Must mention "more energetic" or "faster-moving" particles escape - not just "particles escape". Average kinetic energy decreases is the key mark scheme phrase!
Question 20 [6 marks]
A sealed syringe contains air at atmospheric pressure (100 kPa) with a volume of 50 cm³ at room temperature.
(a) The plunger is pushed in slowly, reducing the volume to 20 cm³. The temperature remains constant. Calculate the new pressure. [3]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • p₁V₁ = p₂V₂ (1 mark)
- • 100 × 50 = p₂ × 20 (1 mark)
- • p₂ = 250 kPa (1 mark)
(b) Explain, in terms of particle collisions, why the pressure increases when the volume decreases at constant temperature. [3]
✓ MARK SCHEME:
- • Particles collide with walls (1 mark)
- • Same number of particles in smaller volume / particles closer together (1 mark)
- • More frequent collisions / collisions per unit time increases (1 mark)
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP:
⚠️ EXAMINER TRAP: Students often say particles move faster - WRONG! At constant temperature, particle speed stays the same. It's the FREQUENCY of collisions that changes, not their force!
📊 Quiz Summary
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📚 Paper Types in This Quiz:
- • Paper 2 (MCQ): Questions 1-14 - Multiple choice testing quick recall and application
- • Paper 4 (Structured Theory): Questions 15-16, 19-20 - Extended written responses with mark schemes
- • Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): Questions 17-18 - Experimental design and data analysis
💡 Exam Tip: For Gas Laws calculations, always check your units match! Convert temperatures to Kelvin (K = °C + 273) and ensure pressure and volume units are consistent before applying p₁V₁ = p₂V₂. In Paper 4 questions, use MARK SCHEME KEYWORDS for maximum marks!
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