Section A: Multiple-choice Questions

1. Which of the following shows the state change during melting?

✅ Answer: A (P → Q)

Explanation: Melting is the process of a solid turning into a liquid.

P = Solid (particles tightly packed) Q = Liquid (particles loosely packed but still close)

So, P → Q shows melting.

2. Which of the following shows the state change during sublimation?

✅ Answer: A (P → R)

Explanation: Sublimation is the change from solid directly to gas. P = Solid, R = Gas

So, P → R shows sublimation.

3. A solid is heated until it melts into a liquid, and then boils into a gas. Which sequence shows the decreasing
volume?

✅ Answer: B (Gas, Liquid, Solid)

Explanation: Gas has the most volume (particles far apart), Then liquid, Then, solid (particles closely packed).

4. Which of the following does not absorb energy from its surroundings?

✅ Answer: B

Explanation: All state changes absorb or release energy. But condensation releases energy. However, the correct
answer according to logic should be B (Condensation) — it does not absorb energy; it releases it. > ✅ Corrected
Answer: B

5. Which gas will reach the far end of the room fastest?

✅ Answer: D (Y, warmer)

Explanation: Y has smaller mass (lighter), Warmer temperature increases kinetic energy, So, lighter gas + warmer →
fastest movement.

Section B: Structured Questions

✅ Two processes between: Q to R: Condensation (gas → liquid) ;S to T: Freezing (liquid → solid)

(b) ✅ Explanation (Kinetic Particle Theory): From R to T, particles lose energy and move more slowly. They come
closer together. Forces of attraction become stronger. Movement reduces until they are tightly packed in fixed
positions (solid).

2. Explain the observations: (a) Ice cream softening from freezer: Ice cream absorbs heat from surroundings.
Particles gain energy and start moving more freely. Solid structure breaks down → becomes soft/liquid.

(b) Smell from eggs frying in pan: Heat increases particle movement (kinetic energy). Gas particles (smell) move
faster and spread out (diffusion).

(c) Wet clothes dry faster on sunny day: Higher temperature increases evaporation. Water molecules gain more
energy and escape into the air as vapor quickly.

3. Figure 2.34 – Diffusion of gases

(a) What happens when glass cover is removed:

Hydrogen gas (lighter) diffuses faster downword into nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide (heavier) diffuses slowly
upward. Eventually, the gases mix uniformly.

(b) If gases are switched:

Now nitrogen dioxide is on top and hydrogen below. Hydrogen (lighter and faster) will still diffuse upward quickly.
Nitrogen dioxide will slowly diffuse downward. Overall: Rate of diffusion same, but slower mixing due to heavier
gas on top.

Question 4 (a): Why is the volume less than 50 cm³ when 25 cm³ of water and 25 cm³ of ethanol are mixed?

Answer: Water and ethanol molecules are different in size and structure. Ethanol molecules can fit into the
spaces between water molecules due to their smaller size and weaker intermolecular forces. This leads to
intermolecular attraction and reduced total volume when mixed. Hence, the total volume is less than 50 cm³.

Question 4 (b): Why did the volume reduce further after 2 hours on a hot day?

Answer: On a hot day, evaporation occurs. Ethanol has a lower boiling point and weaker intermolecular forces
than water, so it evaporates faster. As the liquid evaporates, its volume reduces.
Question 5 (a): Answer: When warm air contacts the chilled water pipes, the faster-moving particles in the warm
air transfer energy to the colder water. This causes the air particles to lose kinetic energy, move slower, and the
temperature of the air drops — cooling the room.

Question 5 (b): Traditional air conditioners use refrigerant gases. Explain what happens to the gas particles when
they encounter warm air.

Answer: Refrigerant gases absorb heat from the warm air. The gas particles gain kinetic energy, move faster, and
evaporate (change from liquid to gas). This process absorbs heat from the surrounding air, cooling the room.

Let's practise 2.1

1. Explain the following in terms of the kinetic particle theory:

(a) Your coffee takes the shape of the mug it is in.

Ans: Coffee is a liquid. The particles in a liquid are closely packed but can slide over one another. This allows the
liquid to flow and take the shape of any container it is in, such as a mug.

(b) You can smell the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee from across the room.

Ans: The aroma is carried by gas particles. Gas particles are far apart and move quickly in all directions. They spread
out (diffuse) through the air, allowing the smell to reach across the room.

(c) The baked pastry you enjoy does not take the shape of the bowl it is in.

Ans: A baked pastry is a solid. In solids, particles are closely packed in a fixed arrangement and can only vibrate in
place. Because of this, solids have a fixed shape and do not take the shape of the container.

2. Dry ice sublimes into carbon dioxide gas at room temperature.

(a) Explain what happens to the particles as dry ice sublimes.

Ans: Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. During sublimation, the particles gain energy and change directly from a solid
to a gas. The particles break away from their fixed positions and move freely as gas particles.
(b) Hence, explain why dry ice occupies less space than carbon dioxide gas.

Ans: In a solid (dry ice), the particles are closely packed together. In a gas, particles are very far apart and spread
out in all directions. So, the same number of particles in a gas occupy much more space than in the solid form.

Let’s practice 2.2

1. When an apple is removed from a refrigerator and is left on a table for a few minutes, fine droplets of water
appear on the apple. Describe how the water droplets are formed.

Ans: The cold surface of the apple cools the air around it. Water vapour in the warm surrounding air loses heat
when it touches the cold apple. The water vapour condenses into tiny water droplets on the apple’s surface. This is
called condensation.

2. Air fresheners are commonly used when odours are detected in a room. Would you expect the fragrance to be
stronger on a warmer or cooler day? Explain your answer.

Ans: The fragrance would be stronger on a warmer day. On a warm day, the particles in the air freshener gain more
energy and move faster. This increases the rate of diffusion, allowing the fragrance particles to spread out more
quickly and widely through the air. Therefore, the smell reaches your nose faster and smells stronger.

3. The smell of curry lingers in the kitchen long after it is cooked. However, the smell of a gas leak from the
kitchen stove clears very quickly. Using the kinetic particle theory, suggest why the smell of curry lingers far
longer than the odour of a gas leak.

Ans: The smell of curry comes from larger, heavier particles (M = 138), while cooking gas has lighter particles (M =
48). According to the kinetic particle theory: Lighter particles move faster and diffuse more quickly. Heavier
particles move slower and linger longer in the air. So, the lighter cooking gas particles spread and clear quickly
when the stove is turned off or the window is opened. The heavier curry smell particles move more slowly and
remain suspended in the air for a longer time, making the smell linger.