Two identical ceramic tiles have different surface finishes. Both begin at 18 °C and are exposed to the same infrared lamp for 5 minutes. The tiles have equal masses and are placed the same distance from the lamp.
| Tile finish | Temperature after 5 minutes |
|---|---|
| Dull red | 31 °C |
| Polished silver | 23 °C |
Which conclusion about the tiles' absorption of infrared radiation is best supported by the results?
The polished silver tile absorbed less because its temperature rose less.
The tiles absorbed equal amounts because they received radiation for the same time.
The polished silver tile absorbed more because it stayed cooler.
No conclusion is possible because the tiles reached different final temperatures.
96 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 5.3 Black body radiation, covering 5.3.1 Emission of radiation and temperature, 5.3.2 Radiation balance and constant temperature, and 5.3.3 The temperature of the Earth. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.