States of Matter & Thermal Capacity Practice Questions

Which statement describes the arrangement and movement of the particles in a solid?

Put a cross (☒) in the box next to your answer.

☐ A particles are far apart and move randomly at high speed

☐ B particles are close together in a fixed, regular arrangement and vibrate about fixed positions

☐ C particles are close together and slide over each other

☐ D particles are far apart and are held in fixed positions

The substance is now a gas.

Describe the movement of the particles in the gas compared with the movement of the particles in the same substance when it is a liquid.

Calculate the volume of the block in $\mathrm{m^3}$.

volume = ............................................... $\mathrm{m^3}$

Calculate the density of the aluminium.

density = ............................................... $\mathrm{kg/m^3}$

Calculate the thermal energy transferred to the oil.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

thermal energy = ............................................... J

The same amount of thermal energy is transferred to $0.45\ \mathrm{kg}$ of water.

The specific heat capacity of water is $4200\ \mathrm{J/kg\ ^\circ C}$.

State and explain whether the temperature rise of the water would be greater or smaller than the temperature rise of the oil.

State the melting point of ice shown by these results.

melting point = ............................................... °C

Explain, in terms of energy, why the temperature does not change between 2 minutes and 6 minutes.

Describe how the student could determine the density of the brass used to make the key.

The student now tries to use the same method to find the density of a cork stopper.

Explain why this method does not give a correct value for the volume of the cork.

Calculate the volume of $2.0\ \mathrm{kg}$ of solid iron.

volume = ............................................... $\mathrm{m^3}$

When the iron melts, the $2.0\ \mathrm{kg}$ of iron occupies a larger volume.

Explain, in terms of the arrangement of the particles, why the density of molten iron is less than the density of solid iron.

Calculate the electrical energy transferred to the heater in the $5.0$ minutes.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

energy = ............................................... J

Assume all of this energy is transferred to the aluminium block.

Calculate the specific heat capacity of aluminium.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

specific heat capacity = ............................................... $\mathrm{J/kg\ ^\circ C}$

The accepted value for the specific heat capacity of aluminium is $900\ \mathrm{J/kg\ ^\circ C}$.

Explain why the student's value is larger than the accepted value.

Define the term specific heat capacity.

Explain the difference between specific heat capacity and specific latent heat.

Water in a pan is boiling at $100\ ^\circ\mathrm{C}$. The pan continues to be heated but the temperature of the water does not rise.

Explain, in terms of the particles, why energy must still be supplied.

State the freezing point of stearic acid shown by these results.

freezing point = ............................................... °C

Explain why the temperature stays the same between $6$ minutes and $10$ minutes, even though the stearic acid is still transferring energy to the surroundings.

The boiling tube contains $0.025\ \mathrm{kg}$ of stearic acid.

The specific latent heat of fusion of stearic acid is $1.99 \times 10^5\ \mathrm{J/kg}$.

Calculate the thermal energy transferred to the surroundings while the stearic acid freezes.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

thermal energy = ............................................... J

Calculate the student's value for the specific heat capacity of water.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

specific heat capacity = ............................................... $\mathrm{J/kg\ ^\circ C}$

The accepted value for the specific heat capacity of water is $4200\ \mathrm{J/kg\ ^\circ C}$.

Explain why the student's value is higher than the accepted value.

State one change to the apparatus that would reduce the unwanted energy transfer to the surroundings.

$500\ \mathrm{g}$ of ice is sealed inside a container and left until it has all melted.

What is the mass of the water in the sealed container after melting?

Put a cross (☒) in the box next to your answer.

☐ A $0\ \mathrm{g}$

☐ B $250\ \mathrm{g}$

☐ C $500\ \mathrm{g}$

☐ D $1000\ \mathrm{g}$

Explain why melting ice is described as a physical change and not a chemical change.

A pan of water is boiled on an open hob. The total mass of the pan and its contents decreases by $120\ \mathrm{g}$.

Explain why this does not mean that mass has been destroyed.

A student is given a bottle of cooking oil, an electric immersion heater with a joulemeter, and the usual laboratory equipment.

Devise a plan the student could follow to determine the specific heat capacity of the cooking oil.

Your plan should include the apparatus used, the measurements taken and how the results are used.

Calculate the thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of the ice from $-15\ ^\circ\mathrm{C}$ to $0\ ^\circ\mathrm{C}$.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

thermal energy = ............................................... J

Calculate the total thermal energy needed to change the $0.080\ \mathrm{kg}$ of ice at $-15\ ^\circ\mathrm{C}$ into water at $25\ ^\circ\mathrm{C}$.

Use equations selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

total thermal energy = ............................................... J

The ice is heated by a $60\ \mathrm{W}$ heater.

Calculate the minimum time this heater would take to change the ice at $-15\ ^\circ\mathrm{C}$ into water at $25\ ^\circ\mathrm{C}$.

time = ............................................... s

Calculate the energy transferred by the kettle during the $4.0$ minutes of boiling.

energy = ............................................... J

Calculate the student's value for the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

specific latent heat of vaporisation = ............................................... J/kg

The accepted value for the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water is $2.26 \times 10^6\ \mathrm{J/kg}$.

Explain why the student's value is larger than the accepted value.