Use the kinetic theory of matter to explain why melting
requires energy but there is no change in temperature. - (on melting,) bonds between molecules are broken/weakened
- or molecules further apart/are able to slide over one another
- kinetic energy unchanged so no temperature change
- potential energy increased/changed so energy required
Define specific latent heat of fusion. - thermal energy/heat required to convert unit mass of solid to liquid
- with no change in temperature / at its normal boiling point
State what is meant by internal energy of a system
The sum of potential and kinetic energy of atoms due to random distribution
State and explain qualitatively the change, if any, in the
internal energy of 1) a lump of ice at 0C melts to form liquid water at 0C As lattice structure is broken molecules are reduced and no change in kinetic energy. Potential energy increases therefore, internal energy increases.
2) A cylinder containing gas at constant volume is in
sunlight so that its temperature rises from 25-35C Molecules move faster, <c2> is increasing or kinetic energy increases with temperature
There is no change in potential energy and kinetic energy increases, therefore internal energy increases
Two metal spheres are in thermal equilibrium
1)State what is meant by thermal equilibrium - Temperature of spheres is the same, no net transfer of energy between the spheres
2) The water flows into the tube at a temperature of 18C.
When the power of the heater is 3.8KW, the temperature of the water at the outlet is 42C.The specific of water is 4.2Jg-1K-1. i) Calculate the flow rate, in gs-1, of water through the tube Power = m x c x change in temp (where m is mass per second)
3800 = m x 4.2 x (42-18)
m = 38 gs-1
1
Past Paper Questions - Thermal Physics
ii) State and explain whether your answer in (i) is likely to
be an overestimate or an underestimate o the flow rate - Some thermal energy is lost to the surroundings, so rate is an overestimate.
The resistance of a thermistor at 0 C is 3840 . At 100 C
the resistance is 190 . When the thermistor is placed in water at a particular constant temperature, its resistance is 2300 . a) i) Assuming that the resistance of the thermistor varies linearly with temperature, calculate the temperature of the water. - 1 degC corresponds to(3840190)/100
- for resistance 2300 , temperature is 100 (2300 3840) / (190 3840) temperature is 42C
(ii) The temperature of the water, as measured on the
thermodynamic scale of temperature, is 286K. By reference to what is meant by the thermodynamic scale of temperature, comment on your answer in (i). either 286K13C or 42C315K
thermodynamic scale does not depend on the property of a substance
so change in resistance (of thermistor) with temperature is non-linear
(b) A polystyrene cup contains a mass of 95 g of water at
28 C. heat gained by ice in melting = 0.012 3.3 105 J C1 = 3960 J
heat lost by water=0.0954.2103(28) 3960+(0.0124.2103)=0.0954.2103(28)
=16C
Use the first law of thermodynamics to explain why the
specific latent heat of vaporisation is grater than the specific latent heat of fusion for a particular substance When evaporating there is a greater change in the separation of the atoms and a greater change in volume.
The electrical resistance of a thermistor is to be used to
measure temperatures in the range 12C to 24C. Fig. 3.1 shows the variation with temperature, measured in degrees Celsius, of the resistance of the thermistor.
Past Paper Questions - Thermal Physics
a) State and explain the feature of fig. 3.1 which shows
that the thermometer has a sensitivity that varies with temperature.
- The gradient of the graph is a measure of the sensitivity, the
gradient varies with temperature.
b) At one particular temperature, the resistance of the
thermistor is 2040 +- 20 ohms. Determine this temperature, in kelvin, to an appropriate number of decimal places. - 204020 corresponds to 15.00.2C