IGCSE Physics MCQs 10 - Thermal Properties of Matter

Which change in the design of a liquid-in-glass thermometer makes it more sensitive?

• a larger liquid reservoir

• a longer tube

• a smaller liquid reservoir

• a wider tube

A liquid turns into a gas. This occurs only at one particular temperature, and the change happens throughout the liquid.

What is this process called?

• boiling

• condensation

• evaporation

• fusion

One end of a rod of copper is placed in hot water. Thermal energy travels along the rod to make the other end warmer.

What is the behaviour of the copper at an atomic level that accounts for most of the transfer of thermal energy from one end to the other?

• Atoms at the hot end gain kinetic energy and move towards the other end.

• Atoms at the hot end expand, colliding with other atoms and transferring energy.

• Free electrons at the hot end gain energy and move towards the other end, colliding with atoms along the rod.

• Free electrons at the hot end gain energy from the hot water and move directly to the other end.

The same quantity of thermal energy is supplied to each of four blocks. Each block is made from a different material.

Which block has the greatest thermal capacity?

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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.

An aluminium block has a mass of 200 g.

The specific heat capacity of aluminium is 900 J/(kg °C).

How much energy is needed to increase the temperature of the block from 20 °C to 110 °C?

• 2.0 J

• 2000 J

• 16200 J

• 16200000 J

The diagram shows the apparatus used to measure the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water.

After the water begins to boil, 110 g of water is converted to steam in 120 s.

Using these results, what is the value of the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water?

• 1.8 J/kg

• 1800 J/kg

• 2200 J/kg

• 2200000 J/kg

Some ice is slowly heated and its temperature is measured. A graph is plotted of temperature against time.

Which row describes what happens to the thermal energy and to the temperature in section X?

• Thermal Energy: gained by ice | Temperature of ice: rises

• Thermal Energy: gained by ice | Temperature of ice: stays the same

• Thermal Energy: not gained by ice | Temperature of ice: rises

• Thermal Energy: not gained by ice | Temperature of ice: stays the same

A solid is heated causing it to expand.

What effect does this have on its mass and on its density?

• Mass: decreases | Density: decreases

• Mass: decreases | Density: stays constant

• Mass: stays constant | Density: decreases

• Mass: stays constant | Density: stays constant

The diagrams show four blocks of steel. The blocks are all drawn to the same scale.

The same quantity of thermal energy is given to each block.

Which block shows the greatest rise in temperature?

• A

• B

• C

• D