Class Surname Other Name(s) Sex Marks
(F/M)
Thermal Physics Topic Test
1. A curved, glass tube is open at one end and sealed at the other.
A dense liquid is poured into the tube. The liquid traps air in the sealed end.
Fig. 1.1 shows the tube, the liquid and the trapped air.
Fig. 1.1
(a) The difference between the liquid levels is h. At room
temperature, h is 0.57 m.
The density of the liquid is 1.4 × 104 kg/m3.
The gravitational field strength g is 10 N/kg and the
atmospheric pressure is 1.0 × 105 Pa.
Calculate the pressure of the trapped air.
pressure = .......................................... [3]
(b) The trapped air in the tube is heated.
(i) The height of the trapped air in the tube is x.
Explain, in terms of molecules, why x changes when the air is heated.
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(ii) The trapped air reaches a constant temperature that is greater than its initial temperature.
Describe and explain the change in h in terms of the pressures involved.
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2. Most substances expand when they are heated.
(a) (i) State one example where expansion is useful.
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(ii) State one example where expansion causes a problem.
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(b) Explain, using ideas about molecules, why solids expand when heated.
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(c) When equal volumes are heated through the same temperature rise, the expansions of solids, liquids
and gases are different.
Complete each of the two sentences using one of these expressions:
much-larger slightly-larger much-smaller slightly-smaller
I. The expansion of a solid is ................................................ than the expansion of a liquid.
II. The expansion of a gas is ................................................ than the expansion of a liquid. [2]
3 An experiment is carried out to find how the pressure of a fixed mass of air at room temperature varies
with volume. Fig. 3.1 shows the apparatus used. The syringe is sealed at one end and the piston is free to
move up and down as different metal weights are used.
Fig. 3.1 Fig. 3.2
(a) State the unit in which pressure is measured.
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(b) Fig. 3.2 shows the axes for a graph of pressure against volume for the air in the syringe.
One point is plotted on the graph at pressure of P0 and volume V0.
The temperature of the air is kept constant.
On Fig. 3.2,
(i) plot points at volumes of 0.5 V0 and 2.0 V0, [1]
(ii) complete the graph. [1]
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4 (a) Some sources of energy, used to produce electricity, may run out in the future.
Underline the two sources of energy that are likely to run out first, before the others. [1]
coal oil solar tides wave wind
(b) Fig. 4.1 is a simplified diagram of a geothermal power station.
Fig. 4.1
(i) Thermal energy is given to the water as it passes through rocks underground.
Describe the process by which this thermal energy causes the turbine to turn.
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(ii) Water from the cooling tower at 30 °C passes into the ground and is heated to 160 °C.
The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg °C).
Calculate the thermal energy (heat) needed to heat 90 kg of water from 30 °C to 160 °C.
Assume that the water underground at that depth boils at 160 °C.
thermal energy = ......................................................... [2]
5 One form of latent heat is the thermal energy needed to melt a solid.
(a) Define specific latent heat of fusion.
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(b) Fig. 5.1 shows one method of measuring the thermal energy needed to melt ice. The ice is
contained in a glass funnel and covered with an insulator.
Fig. 5.1
(i) The heater is switched on and the ice melts.
Given that the specific latent heat of fusion of ice is
3.3 × 105 J / kg.
Calculate the heat energy needed to melt 5.0 g of
ice.
energy = .......................................................... [2]
(ii) Before the heater is switched on, thermal energy from the room causes some of the ice to melt.
Describe the process by which the ice gains thermal energy from the air.
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6. A student uses a pump to inflate a bicycle tyre.
Fig. 6.1 shows the pump and the tyre.
Fig. 6.1 (not to scale)
(a) Explain, in terms of molecules, how the trapped air inside the pump exerts a pressure.
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(b) The pressure of the trapped air in the pump is 3.8 × 105 Pa and the cross-sectional area of the piston
is 6.1 × 10–4 m2.
(i) Calculate the force exerted on the piston by the trapped air in the pump.
force = ......................................................... [2]
(ii) The student pushes the handle to the right and the piston forces the trapped air into the tyre. The force
exerted by the student is less than the value in (a)(i).
Suggest one reason why.
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(c) The temperature of the air in the pump remains constant as the handle moves to the right.
Explain, in terms of its molecules, why the pressure of a gas increases when its volume is decreased at
constant temperature.
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7 Fig. 7.1 shows a cylinder with a piston that contains a gas.
Fig. 7.1
(a) A liquid occupies a much smaller volume than a gas which has the same number of molecules.
Explain why there is this difference.
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(b) The volume of the gas changes from V1 to V2 as the piston moves into the cylinder. This increases the
pressure from P1 to P2. The temperature remains the same.
(i) State the formula that relates V1, V2, P1 and P2.
................................................................................................................................................ [1]
(ii) The initial pressure of the gas in the cylinder is 1.2 × 105 Pa and its initial volume is 100 cm3. The
cross-sectional area of the piston is 5.0 cm2.
The piston is pushed in a distance of 8.0 cm.
Calculate the final pressure of the gas in the cylinder.
pressure = ......................................................... [3]
8 Fig. 8.1 shows some parts of a thermocouple thermometer that is being used to determine the
temperature of a liquid.
Fig. 8.1
(a) (i) Suggest an appropriate material for:
• X ........................................................
• Y ......................................................
• Z. ...................................................... [1]
(ii) Suggest a component that has to be connected at the output.
.............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(b) All types of thermometer require the measurement of a physical property that varies with temperature
in order to obtain a value for the temperature.
(i) State the physical property of a thermocouple thermometer that is used in this way.
.................................................................................................................................... [1]
(c) State two advantages of a thermocouple thermometer over a liquid-in-glass thermometer.
1. . .............................................................................................................................................
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2. ..............................................................................................................................................
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