Name: _______________________________________________

 
 
 
 

Topic 9: Thermodynamics
  
End of Unit Test
 
A-Level Physics
 
Date: Friday 29th November 2019
 
 
 
 
Time: 45 minutes
 
Total marks available: 43
 
Total marks achieved: ______
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Q1.
 
A data book contains the following information for ethanol.

latent heat of fusion = 109 kJ kg–1

latent heat of vaporisation = 838 kJ kg–1

545 J is transferred from a sample of ethanol when it condenses.

Which of the following shows how to calculate the mass of ethanol that condenses?
(1)
   A    545 ÷ 109 000

   B    545 ÷ 838 000

   C    109 000 ÷ 545

   D    838 000 ÷ 545

 
(Total for question = 1 mark)
 

Q2.
 
The absolute temperature scale is a theoretical scale proposed by Lord Kelvin.

On this scale, zero is the temperature at which

   A    all gases become liquids.

   B    an ideal gas would exert no pressure.

   C    the Celsius temperature is −373 °C.

   D    water freezes.

(Total for Question = 1 mark)

Q3.
When energy is supplied to a substance, changes in the average molecular kinetic energy (Ek) and the
average molecular potential energy (Ep) can occur.

When energy is supplied to an ideal gas

   A    both Ek and Ep increase.

   B    Ek may increase.

   C    Ep may increase.

   D    Ek increases but Ep decreases.

(Total for Question = 1 mark)

Q4.
 
A sample of an ideal gas has pressure p, volume V and absolute temperature T.

The volume of the gas is decreased to and the temperature increased to

Which of the following is the new pressure of the gas?

   A   

   B   

   C   

   D   

 
(Total for question = 1 mark)
 
Q5.
 
A sample of an ideal gas at 27 °C is placed in a sealed container. The gas is heated at constant volume to
a temperature of 324 °C.
The ratio of the final pressure to the initial pressure exerted by the gas is approximately

   A    1

   B    2

   C    4

   D    12

 
(Total for question = 1 mark)

Q6.
 
An electric iron rated at 2600 W contains a steel plate which is heated to a working temperature of 215°C.
Room temperature is 18°C.

Deduce whether the plate could reach its working temperature in less than 1 minute.

mass of steel plate = 890 g

specific heat capacity of steel = 450 J kg–1 K–1

(3)
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(Total for question = 3 marks)
 
Q7.
 
The molecules in a sample of gas have a mass of 5.0 × 10−26 kg.

Calculate the root-mean-square speed of gas molecules in the gas at 25 °C.

(3)
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Root-mean-square speed = ...........................................................

 
(Total for question = 3 marks)
 

Q8.
 
A student carries out an experiment to investigate how the volume occupied by a gas depends upon
the temperature.
(a) What variables must the student control in this investigation?
(2)
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(b) The following graph is obtained.

Explain how graphs such as this provide evidence for an absolute zero of temperature.
(2)
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(Total for question = 4 marks)
Q9.
 
Barnard's star is a red dwarf star in the vicinity of the Sun. The wavelength of a line in the spectrum of
light emitted from Barnard's star is measured to be 656.0 nm. The same light produced by a source in a
laboratory has a wavelength of 656.2 nm.

Visible light from the star originates from the photosphere. In the photosphere of Barnard's star, hydrogen
and helium atoms are at a temperature of 3100 K.

(i)  Calculate the mean kinetic energy of an atom in the photosphere at a temperature of 3100 K.
(2)
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Mean kinetic energy = ...........................................................

(ii)  Describe how these atoms emit visible light.

(2)
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(Total for question = 4 marks)
 
Q10.
 
When a large potential difference is applied to a discharge tube, the gas in the discharge tube emits
coloured light. When this light is passed through a diffraction grating, an emission spectrum which is
made up of a series of lines of different wavelengths may be seen.

The photographs show the spectra produced from a tube containing hydrogen and a tube containing
helium.

Hydrogen:

Helium:

The graph shows the relative intensities of different wavelengths of light in the spectrum of a sample of
helium.

The graph shows that the lines are not at a single wavelength. This effect is known as thermal Doppler
broadening and occurs because of the random motion of the helium atoms.
(i)  Explain why the thermal motion of the helium atoms causes the broadening of the spectral lines.
(2)
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(ii)  The width of a line may be used to determine the speed of the atoms in the gas and hence the
temperature of the gas.
The spectral line with wavelength 587 nm for a particular tube containing helium has a width of 6 ×
10−3 nm.
(1)  Show that this corresponds to a speed, for a helium atom, of about 1500 m s−1.
(2)
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(2)  Assuming that this is the root mean square speed for the helium (He 4) atoms in the tube,
calculate the temperature of the gas in the tube.
(3)
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Temperature = ...........................................................

 
Q11.
 
An electric drinks cooler is an appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump
that transfers heat from the inside of the cooler to the room in which the cooler is placed.

This maintains the temperature of the inside of the cooler below the temperature of the room.

On closing the door of the cooler, warm air at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of 22.5°C is
trapped inside. After a time, the internal temperature stabilises at 3.3°C.

A student notices that the door is difficult to open and concludes that this is because the air inside has
cooled down and reduced the pressure.

Carry out a calculation to assess the validity of the student's conclusion.

atmospheric pressure = 102 kPa

area of door = 0.15 m2

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(Total for question = 7 marks)
Q12.
 
The photograph shows a 'quiet boil' electric kettle. The makers of the kettle claim that it boils water with
much less noise than a standard kettle.

A laboratory technician takes some measurements to compare a 'quiet boil' electric kettle with a standard
electric kettle.

The table shows the results recorded by the technician.

A student uses the values in the table to calculate the efficiency of each kettle at heating the water to
boiling point. He calculates the efficiency of the 'quiet boil' kettle to be 0.93
Calculate the efficiency of the standard kettle.
specific heat capacity of water = 4180 J kg−1 K−1
(4)
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Efficiency = ...........................................................

(b)  The intensity of the sound produced by each kettle was measured with a sound meter which was 30.0
cm from the centre of the kettle.
Calculate the energy transferred by sound while the water in the standard kettle is brought to the boil.
You may treat the kettle as a point source.
(4)
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Energy transferred = ...........................................................

(c)  The label on the original packaging of the quiet boil electric kettle states, 'This kettle is much more
efficient than a standard kettle because it produces less sound.'
Explain the extent to which this statement is supported by your calculations.
(2)
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(Total for question = 10 marks)