Chapter 6: Thermal Energy and Society

Mini Investigation: Will It Pop?, Analysis: TC = TK – 273

page 269 Solution:
A. Answers may vary. Sample answer: TC = TK ! 273
For the water-filled balloon: water has a high heat = 200 ! 273
capacity. This means that it takes lots of heat to TC = !73 °C
increase the thermal energy of the water. When the
temperature of the water increases, the liquid boils Statement: The temperature 200 K is equal to
becoming a gas. The gas expands the balloon sides –73 °C.
until the balloon bursts. (b) Given: TK = 373 K
For the air-filled balloon: air has a low heat Required: TC
capacity. It is a ready conductor of heat. Heating Analysis: TC = TK – 273
the balloon quickly increases the thermal energy of Solution:
the air, causing the gas to expand until the balloon TC = TK ! 273
bursts. = 373 ! 273
TC = 100 °C
Section 6.1: Warmth and Statement: The temperature 373 K is equal to
Coldness 100 °C.
Tutorial 1 Practice, page 273 (c) Given: TK = 298 K
1. (a) Given: TC = 32 °C Required: TC
Required: TK Analysis: TC = TK – 273
Analysis: TK = TC + 273 Solution:
Solution: TC = TK ! 273
TK = TC + 273 = 298 ! 273
= 32 + 273 TC = 25 °C
TK = 305 K Statement: The temperature 298 K is equal to
Statement: The temperature 32 °C is equal to 25 °C.
305 K.
(b) Given: TC = – 10 °C Mini Investigation: Film Canister
Required: TK Thermometer, page 273
Analysis: TK = TC + 273 A. The density of a liquid changes with
Solution: temperature. This is the basis of any liquid
TK = TC + 273 thermometer. For a film canister thermometer, the
density of liquid water decreases as the
= !10 + 273
temperature of the water increases from 0 °C to
TK = 263 K room temperature. The density decreases because
Statement: The temperature – 10 °C is equal to the volume of the liquid water increases as its
263 K. temperature increases.
(c) Given: TC = 95 °C B. The distance the liquid rises will be noticeable
Required: TK but measurements will vary from student to
Analysis: TK = TC + 273 student. Therefore, the thermometer cannot be very
Solution: accurate.
TK = TC + 273 C. The thermometer could be improved if
= 95 + 273 narrower straws or very narrow hollow cylinders
like capillary needles were used so that minute
TK = 368 K
increases in the height of the water in the straw
Statement: The temperature 95 °C is equal to could be measured. Another improvement would
368 K. be to use a liquid with a lower boiling point than
2. (a) Given: TK = 200 K water, like alcohol, but then the thermometer must
Required: TC be airtight to prevent evaporation of the alcohol.

Copyright  2011 Nelson Education Ltd. Chapter 6: Thermal Energy and Society 6.I-1
D. The canister thermometer is not practical when Solution:
measuring the temperature of a liquid because each TK = TC + 273
student’s thermometer will be calibrated a little = 882.9 + 273
differently, so the results will not all be the same.
TK = 1155.9 K

Section 6.1 Questions, page 274 Statement: The boiling point of sodium is
1. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic 1155.9 K.
energy of the particles in a substance. Thermal
energy is the sum of the total potential energy and Helium: Given: TK = 4.22 K
the total kinetic energy possessed by the particles Required: TC
in a substance. Analysis: TC = TK – 273
2. The kinetic molecular theory states that as Solution:
particles of matter gain kinetic energy, they move TC = TK ! 273
faster and further apart, raising the temperature and = 4.22 ! 273
changing substances from a solid to a liquid or TC = !268.78 °C
from a liquid to a solid. It also states that as
Statement: The boiling point of helium is
particles of matter lose kinetic energy, they move
–268.78 °C.
more slowly and get closer together, lowering the
temperature and changing a gas to a liquid or a
Copper: Given: TC = 2567 °C
liquid to a solid.
Required: TK
3. A temperature thermometer is a sealed glass
Analysis: TK = TC + 273
tube containing liquid mercury (or coloured
Solution:
alcohol). When placed into a liquid or gas
substance, the substance particles bump into the TK = TC + 273
thermometer glass particles. When the temperature = 2567 + 273
of the substance increases, the kinetic energy of TK = 2840 K
the particles increases, causing a greater number of Statement: The boiling point of copper is 2840 K.
collisions with the glass particles. This increases
the kinetic energy of the glass particles. The faster Mercury: Given: TK = 630 K
glass particles collide with the slower mercury Required: TC
particles inside the thermometer. This causes the Analysis: TC = TK – 273
mercury particles to move faster, making them Solution:
collide more frequently with each other and to
TC = TK ! 273
spread out. Therefore, the liquid rises up the
thermometer. If the temperature of the mercury is = 630 ! 273
lowered, the glass particles collide with the slower TC = 357 °C
moving mercury particles. The glass particles slow Statement: The boiling point of mercury is
down. The mercury particles, which are faster, 357 °C.
transfer energy to the glass particles, slowing the 5. Answers may vary. Sample answer:
mercury particles. The mercury particles have The caloric theory was disproved over a number of
fewer collisions so the space between particles years and through experiments by James Prescott
decreases, causing the mercury to go down the Joule and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin). One of
thermometer. Joule’s experiments showed that heat was
4. generated in a conductor, not transferred from
Boiling point Boiling point another area. In another experiment, he measured
Substance (°C) (K) the heat generated by compressing a gas. Both of
sodium 882.9 1155.9 these experiments disproved the caloric theory that
helium –268.78 4.22 heat moved from one object to another.
copper 2567 2840 6. The volume of alcohol in a thermometer
mercury 357 630 decreases when it is moved from a warm
Sodium: Given: TC = 882.9 °C environment to a colder environment because the
Required: TK glass particles of the thermometer collide with the
Analysis: TK = TC + 273 slower-moving particles of the alcohol,

Copyright  2011 Nelson Education Ltd. Chapter 6: Thermal Energy and Society 6.I-2
transferring energy to them. This causes the glass
particles to slow down. The particles of the alcohol
in the thermometer collide with the glass, and
transfer energy to them. The particles of the
alcohol move more slowly and get closer to each
other, decreasing in volume.
7. The freezing point and the melting point of most
substances are the same.

Copyright  2011 Nelson Education Ltd. Chapter 6: Thermal Energy and Society 6.I-3