Thermal Physics — Numerical Practice
Covers: specific heat capacity (c = ΔE/(mΔθ)), temperature conversion (K = °C + 273), and gas behaviour (pV = constant). 18 questions.
A. Specific Heat Capacity
Calculate the energy needed to raise the temperature of 2 kg of water by 20°C. (specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J/(kg°C))
A 500 g piece of metal absorbs 9000 J of energy, and its temperature rises by 30°C. Calculate its specific heat capacity.
Calculate the energy needed to raise the temperature of 3 kg of a substance (specific heat capacity 900 J/(kg°C)) by 15°C.
A 4 kg object with a specific heat capacity of 800 J/(kg°C) absorbs 24000 J of energy. Calculate its temperature rise.
1.5 kg of a liquid (specific heat capacity 2500 J/(kg°C)) cools from 80°C to 20°C. Calculate the energy released.
Compare the energy needed to heat 1 kg of water (c = 4200 J/(kg°C)) and 1 kg of aluminium (c = 900 J/(kg°C)) by the same 10°C rise. State which needs more energy, and by how much.
Describe an experiment to measure the specific heat capacity of a metal block using an electrical heater.
A 2 kg block absorbs energy from a 200 W heater running for 60 s. Calculate the total energy absorbed, then its temperature rise if its specific heat capacity is 1000 J/(kg°C).
B. Temperature Conversion
Convert 25°C to kelvin.
Convert 373 K to °C.
Convert −18°C to kelvin.
Convert 0 K to °C, and explain what this temperature represents physically.
C. Gas Behaviour (pV = constant)
A gas at 300 kPa with a volume of 0.4 m³ is compressed to 0.1 m³ at constant temperature. Calculate the new pressure.
A gas at 150 kPa with a volume of 0.9 m³ is compressed until its pressure is 450 kPa. Calculate the new volume.
A gas at 2 atm and 5 L expands to 10 L at constant temperature. Calculate the new pressure.
Explain, in terms of particles, why compressing a gas at constant temperature increases its pressure.
A syringe contains gas at 100 kPa in a volume of 20 cm³. The plunger is pushed in, reducing the volume to 8 cm³ at constant temperature. Calculate the new pressure.
Describe the shape of a graph of pressure against volume for a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature.
Mastery Test
Convert 50°C to kelvin.
Convert 300 K to °C.
Calculate the energy needed to raise the temperature of 4 kg of a substance (c = 500 J/(kg°C)) by 12°C.
A 2 kg object absorbs 5000 J of energy and its temperature rises by 5°C. Calculate its specific heat capacity.
A 3 kg object with specific heat capacity 1200 J/(kg°C) absorbs 18000 J of energy. Calculate its temperature rise.
A gas at 200 kPa and 0.3 m³ expands to 0.6 m³ at constant temperature. Calculate the new pressure.
A gas at 3 atm and 4 L is compressed to 2 L at constant temperature. Calculate the new pressure.
Explain what is meant by absolute zero.
Explain, in terms of particles, why the pressure of a gas increases when it is heated at constant volume.
Calculate the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 25°C. (c = 4200 J/(kg°C))
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