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2.2 Thermal properties and temperature

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Question 96

A student investigates the thermal properties of dry soil and water.

She is provided with the following temperatures at the beginning of the experiment:

  • Room temperature (initial temperature of soil and cold water), θS=21.0∘C\theta_{\text{S}} = 21.0^\circ\text{C}θS​=21.0∘C
  • Initial temperature of hot water, θH=85.0∘C\theta_{\text{H}} = 85.0^\circ\text{C}θH​=85.0∘C
a.

She pours 100 cm3 of hot water into a beaker containing dry soil at room temperature. After stirring, she measures the highest temperature reached by the mixture:

θM1=73.0∘C \theta_{\text{M1}} = 73.0^\circ\text{C} θM1​=73.0∘C
  1. Calculate the temperature rise θR\theta_{\text{R}}θR​ of the soil using the equation θR=θM1−θS\theta_{\text{R}} = \theta_{\text{M1}} - \theta_{\text{S}}θR​=θM1​−θS​.
  2. Calculate the temperature fall θF\theta_{\text{F}}θF​ of the hot water using the equation θF=θH−θM1\theta_{\text{F}} = \theta_{\text{H}} - \theta_{\text{M1}}θF​=θH​−θM1​.
  3. Calculate the ratio S S\,S using the equation S=θRθF\displaystyle S = \frac{\theta_{\text{R}}}{\theta_{\text{F}}}S=θF​θR​​. Give your answer to a suitable number of significant figures.
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b.

She pours 100 cm3 of hot water into a clean beaker containing 100 cm3 of cold water at room temperature. After stirring, she measures the highest temperature reached by this mixture:

θM2=51.0∘C \theta_{\text{M2}} = 51.0^\circ\text{C} θM2​=51.0∘C
  1. Calculate the temperature rise θR\theta_{\text{R}}θR​ of the cold water using the equation θR=θM2−θS\theta_{\text{R}} = \theta_{\text{M2}} - \theta_{\text{S}}θR​=θM2​−θS​.
  2. Calculate the temperature fall θF\theta_{\text{F}}θF​ of the hot water using the equation θF=θH−θM2\theta_{\text{F}} = \theta_{\text{H}} - \theta_{\text{M2}}θF​=θH​−θM2​.
  3. Calculate the ratio W W\,W using the equation W=θRθF\displaystyle W = \frac{\theta_{\text{R}}}{\theta_{\text{F}}}W=θF​θR​​.
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c.

The student predicts that S S\,S should be equal to 5×W5 \times W5×W. State whether the results support this prediction. Justify your answer by comparison of the calculated values.

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d.
  1. Explain briefly what the student does after pouring the hot water into the beaker and before taking the temperature, in order to obtain a reliable value for the maximum temperature.
  2. The student measures the volume of the dry soil using a measuring cylinder before beginning. Select which of these precautions she should take to obtain an accurate reading (select all that apply):
    • Take the reading at the bottom of the meniscus.
    • Tap the measuring cylinder gently to make sure the top of the soil is horizontal.
    • View the scale of the measuring cylinder at right angles.
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Markscheme

2.2 Thermal properties and temperature Questions

  1. IGCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /2.2 Thermal properties and temperature

528 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 2.2 Thermal properties and temperature, covering 2.2.1 Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases, 2.2.2a Internal energy and temperature, 2.2.2b Specific heat capacity, 2.2.3a Melting, boiling, condensation and solidification, 2.2.3b Evaporation, and 2.2.3c Cooling by evaporation. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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