IGCSE Thermal Physics Quiz

A liquid at room temperature is put on a metal surface which is also at room temperature. A student blows gently across the liquid and its temperature decreases. What causes the liquid to become cooler?

• Bubbles of water vapour form in the liquid and go into the air.

• The moving air reduces the kinetic energy of all the particles in the liquid.

• Thermal energy flows from the liquid into the metal.

• The more energetic particles in the liquid escape into the air.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Very small pollen grains are suspended in water. A bright light shines from the side. When looked at through a microscope, small specks of light are seen to be moving in a random, jerky manner.

What are the moving specks of light?

• pollen grains being hit by other pollen grains

• pollen grains being hit by water molecules

• water molecules being hit by other water molecules

• water molecules being hit by pollen grains

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

A gas is contained in a sealed container in a laboratory. The temperature of the gas increases. What happens to the average speed and what happens to the total kinetic energy of the gas molecules?

• average speed does not change, total kinetic energy does not change

• average speed does not change, total kinetic energy increases

• average speed increases, total kinetic energy does not change

• average speed increases, total kinetic energy increases

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

The same mass of a gas is trapped in four identical cylinders by a piston that can move. The diagrams show the samples of gas in different conditions of volume and temperature. Which list gives the pressure of the gas in order from lowest to highest?

• 1 → 2 → 3 → 4

• 1 → 3 → 2 → 4

• 4 → 2 → 3 → 1

• 4 → 3 → 2 → 1

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

The liquid level in a thermometer rises when the thermometer is placed in hot water. What causes this?

• The liquid contracts.

• The liquid evaporates.

• The liquid expands.

• The liquid freezes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

The diagram shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer. Which change to the design would result in a more sensitive thermometer?

• Increase the density of the liquid.

• Increase the diameter of the capillary tube.

• Increase the number of scale markings.

• Increase the volume of the bulb.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

A student calculates the energy needed to raise the temperature of an aluminium block from 50 °C to 60 °C. He then does an experiment to measure the energy used to do this. Which statement about the measured energy is correct?

• The measured energy will be greater than the calculated energy because some energy is

  transferred to the surroundings.

• The measured energy will be greater than the calculated energy because the block absorbs

  energy from the surroundings.

• The measured energy will be less than the calculated energy because the mass of the block

  decreases as it gets warmer.

• The measured energy will be less than the calculated energy because the thermal capacity

  of the block is low.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Which statements correctly describes a liquid that is boiling

• no bubbles seen, takes place on the surface only

• no bubbles seen, takes place throughout the liquid

• bubbles seen, takes place on the surface only

• bubbles seen, takes place throughout the liquid

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Which statement about boiling and evaporation is correct?

• Boiling requires a supply of thermal energy but evaporation does not.

• Evaporation takes place at the surface of a liquid but boiling takes place throughout the

  liquid.

• When water boils in a kettle, its temperature decreases.

• When water evaporates, its temperature increases.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Why are small gaps left between the metal rails of a railway track?

• to allow for expansion of the rails on a hot day

• to allow for contraction of the rails on a hot day

• to allow for expansion of the rails on a cold day

• to allow for contraction of the rails on a cold day