Practice Worksheet - Thermal Physics

1 The diagram represents three changes of state. Each pair of diagrams A, B and C shows the
arrangement of molecules in a substance before and after it changes state.

Give the term used for each change of state.

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B ...........................................................

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

[Total: 3]

2 A beaker contains water. Some of the water evaporates.

Evaporation changes the temperature of the water that remains in the beaker.

State and explain the change in temperature of the water due to evaporation.

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Shiv Nadar School Faridabad

[Total: 3]

3 A student has four rods of identical size. The rods are made of copper, brass, iron and glass.

Describe an experiment to compare thermal conduction along the rods.

You may draw a labelled diagram to help with your answer.

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[Total: 3]
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4 The diagram shows equipment used to demonstrate convection in air. A burning candle is placed
beneath glass tube A.

The arrows in the diagram show the directions in which air moves.

Explain why the air moves as shown in the diagram.

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[Total: 3]
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5 The diagram shows an electric kettle containing cold water.

The metal heating element heats the water.

Explain how thermal energy from the heating element is transferred to all the water in the kettle.

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[Total: 4]

6 A bicycle tyre contains air. The tyre is sealed and does not leak.

The temperature of the air in the tyre increases by 20 °C. The volume of the tyre does not change.

(a) State how the increase in temperature affects the motion of the air molecules in the tyre.

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(b) State how the increase in temperature changes the pressure of the air in the tyre.

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[Total: 2]

7 The diagram shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer.

(a) Add the missing labels to the diagram. [2]

(b) The thermometer in the diagram is designed to measure a range of temperatures from 0 °C
to 100 °C.

State the name of a suitable liquid for use in this thermometer.

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(c) Describe and explain the changes in the thermometer in the diagram when the temperature
of the liquid increases.

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[Total: 5]

8 Explain, in terms of forces between molecules, why gases expand more than liquids when they
have the same rise in temperature. Assume that the pressure remains constant.

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[Total: 2]

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

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[Total: 2]

10 A metal container is used to cook food. The metal container has thick walls.

The metal container is spherical. The spherical container has a smaller surface area than a long,
thin container of the same volume.

Explain the advantage of using a spherical container.

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[Total: 1]

11 A metal container is used to cook food. The metal container has thick walls. Hot cooking oil at a
temperature of 120 °C is poured into the container.

The outside surface of the container gets hot. Some thermal energy passes through the metal
because vibrating atoms in the metal collide with neighbouring atoms and transfer energy to them.

Explain how the rest of the thermal energy is conducted through the metal container to the outside
surface by another process.

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[Total: 3]
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12 The diagram shows a thermometer.

State the name of this type of thermometer.

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[Total: 1]

13 A metal container is used to cook food. The metal container has thick walls. Hot cooking oil at a
temperature of 120 °C is poured into the container.

The outside surface of the container is brightly polished and shiny.

Explain how this reduces the power that needs to be supplied to keep the oil at the correct
temperature.

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

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

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[Total: 1]

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

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

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[Total: 4]