Week 5,6 Subject : Physics Chapter:12 pgs.

CLASS: grade 12A

Learning Objectives Activities

(see notes below re: differentiation details, etc)
(no. Of sessions)

W: whole class; G: group; I: individual.

Evidence of achievement

Resources
breakdown
Reference /

Description
Syllabus
Timing

Thermal Recommended prior knowledge Cambridge

Physics 12.1.a explain using a simple Learners should be able to describe matter in terms of atoms, with some understanding International
kinetic model for matter: of their behaviour in each of the three states. They also need to be familiar with kinetic AS and A
- the structure of solids, liquids energy and potential energy concepts and be able to recall ideas from Unit 15 about Level Physics
and gases
thermal energy and temperature.
-why melting and boiling take
place without a change in
temperature Context
The qualitative and quantitative concepts concerning the states of matter, changes of http://www.s-
-why the specific latent heat of cool.co.uk/a-
vaporisation is higher than state and internal energy are fundamentally important in developing an understanding
level/physics/
specific latent heat of fusion for of the behaviour of matter in the world around us. temperature-
the same substance and-thermal-
-why a cooling effect Outline properties/
accompanies evaporation The kinetic theory of matter is used as the basis for a study of the atomic structure and revise-it/
thermal behaviour of solids, liquids and gases. The specific heat capacity of a material introduction-to-
12.1.b define and use the concept and the specific latent heats of fusion and vaporisation are defined and practical temperature
of specific heat capacity, and
methods for their determination are examined. The concept of internal energy is
identify the main principles of its
determination by electrical
established, and changes of internal energy are linked to the first law of
methods thermodynamics.

12.1.c define and use the concept Teaching time

of specific latent heat, and identify It is recommended that this unit should take approximately 3% of the complete A
the main principles of its Level course.
determination by electrical
methods
http://www.s-
cool.co.uk/a-
level/physics/
12.1.a thermodynamic
12.2.a understand that internal Teaching activity 1
energy is determined by the state s-and-ideal-
of the system and that it can be Discussion around the spacing, motion and arrangement of molecules in the three gases/revise-it/
expressed as the sum of a states of matter. the-first-law-of-
random distribution of kinetic and thermaodynami
As a revision exercise give learners a selection of words, statements and pictures and
potential energies associated with cs
the molecules of a system they divide them into three sections, one for each state of matter.
Discuss what happens on a particle level when thermal energy is supplied to matter.
NINTH
12.2.b relate a rise in temperature Use the kinetic theory apparatus and / or a computer simulation. EDITION
of a body to an increase in its Experiment using data logging equipment to measure the temperature of ice heated at a PHYSICALSCI
internal energy steady rate until all has turned to water vapour. Plot a graph of temperature against ENCE
time. Explain each of the key sections. BILL W.
12.2.c recall and use the first law Research the values of specific latent heat for some well-known substances. Offer an TILLERY
of thermodynamics explanation of why the latent heat of vaporisation is always higher than the latent heat ARIZONA
ΔU = q + w expressed in terms of of fusion for the same substance. Discuss and feedback to the group by some learners. STATE
the increase in internal energy, UNIVERSITY
Discuss ‘why do we feel cold when wet?’ and ‘why is this increased when there is a
the heating of the system (energy
transferred to the system by breeze?’
heating) and the work Learners answer questions involving evaporation, for example from a worksheet (and
done on the system mark scheme) prepared by you or a textbook.

Teacher guidance notes 1

 The mistake of referring to gas molecules as vibrating should be highlighted at

an early stage.
 ‘Latent’ means ‘hidden’ (because no temperature change can be seen to take
place while the change of state is happening).
 Learners must appreciate the differences between the processes of evaporation
and boiling.

An understanding of the particulate nature of matter is essential basic knowledge in

physics, chemistry and most other branches of science.
■ In solids the molecules (or atoms, or ions) are held close together by strong forces,
usually in regular patterns. The molecules vibrate about their mean positions. See
Figure 3.1.
■ In liquids the molecules still vibrate, but the forces between some molecules are
overcome, allowing them to move around a little. The molecules are still almost as
close together as in solids, but there is little or no regularity in their arrangement,
which is constantly changing.
■ In gases the molecules are much further apart than in solids and liquids, and the
forces between them are very, very small and usually negligible (except when they
collide). This results in all molecules moving independently in random directions with
a range of different (usually fast) speeds. These speeds are continually changing as a
result of collisions.

12.2.a

Internal energy
All substances contain moving particles. In the context of this chapter, the word
‘particle’ is a general term that might apply to a molecule, an atom or an ion. Although
different substances may contain any or all of these, most substances are molecular and
in the rest of this chapter the term ‘molecule’ will be used to describe the particles in
any substance.
Moving molecules have kinetic energy. The molecules might be moving in different
ways, which gives rise to three different forms of random molecular kinetic energy:
■ Molecules might be vibrating about fixed positions (as in a solid) − this gives the
molecules
vibrational kinetic energy.
■ Molecules might be moving from place to place (translational motion) − this gives
the molecules translational kinetic energy.
■ Molecules might also be spinning (rotating) − this gives the molecules rotational
kinetic energy.
Molecules can have potential energy as well as kinetic energy. In solids and liquids, it
is the electrical forces (between charged particles) that keep the molecules from
moving apart or moving closer together. Wherever there are electrical forces there will
be electrical potential energy in a system, in much the same way as gravitational
potential energy is associated with gravitational force.

In gases, however, the forces between molecules are usually negligible because of the
larger separation between molecules. This is why gas molecules can move freely and
randomly. The molecules in a gas, therefore, usually have negligible electrical
potential energy – all the energy is in the form of kinetic energy.
So to describe the total energy of the molecules in a substance, we need to take account
of both the kinetic energies and the potential energies. This is called the internal
energy of the substance and is defined as follows:

Book page 331

12.2.b

It is important not to call internal energy ‘heat’. That is, we should not refer to the
thermal energy (or heat) in anything.
In the definition of internal energy given above, the word ‘random’ means that the
molecular movements are disordered and unpredictable. That is, they are not linked in
any way to each other, or ordered – as their motions would be if they were all moving
together, such as the molecules in a macroscopic motion of a moving car. The
molecules in a moving car have both the ordered kinetic energy of macroscopic
movement together and the random kinetic energy of internal energy.
Summarizing the differences between temperature, internal energy
and thermal energy
Temperature, internal energy and thermal energy are widely used and are very
important concepts throughout all of science, but they are commonly misunderstood
and misused terms.
To stress their importance, the meanings of these concepts are summarized below.
■ Internal energy is the total energy (random kinetic and potential) of all the molecules
inside a substance.
■ If energy is transferred to a substance it gains internal energy and its molecules move
faster.
We say that it has become hotter and this is measured as an increased temperature. A
more precise meaning of temperature is given on page 127.
■ Thermal energy (heat) is energy flowing from a higher temperature to a lower
temperature.
In any particular example, the object or substance we are considering is often called
the system, and thermal energy flows between the system and the surroundings.
Students may know that thermal energy is transferred by conduction, convection and
radiation.

12.2.c

Teaching activity 1
 Worksheet (and mark scheme) prepared by you to practice this idea and its
applications.
Teacher guidance notes 1
 It is important that learners appreciate that the internal energy of a system can
be increased by two means:
o Heat transfer to the object
o Work done on the object by an external agency (e.g. electrically)
 Often, an increase in internal energy is due to a combination of these two
causes. Both constitute an energy transfer to the object.
 Learners should also note that, if work is done by the system (e.g. a gas
expands against the pressure of the atmosphere), the internal energy will
decrease, meaning the temperature will be lowered.

Past papers
 Paper 41, Nov 2010, Q2 (b)
 Paper 43, Nov 2013, Q2 (b)(ii)

Apart from supplying thermal energy to a system (‘heating’ it), there is another, very
common and fundamentally different way to make something hotter: we can do
mechanical work on it.
A simple example would be the force of friction causing a temperature rise when
 surfaces rub together. Heating is a non-mechanical transfer of energy.

The first law of thermodynamics,

which states that the energy supplied to a thermodynamic
system in the form of heat, minus the work done by the system, is equal to the change
in internal energy. The first law of thermodynamics is an application of the law of
conservation of energy, which applies to all energy matters.
12.1.b
The quantity of heat exchanged is given by

Where c is the specific heat capacity of the material.

Define Book page 336

Energy must be supplied to melt or boil a substance in this case there is no temperature
rise to consider since the temperature stays constant during a change of state. This
energy is called latent heat.

Define book page 338

When a substance melts this quantity is called specific latent heat of fusion; for
boiling it is the specific latent heat of vaporization. To calculate the amount of energy
required to melt or vaporize and mass of a substance, we simply need to know its
specific latent heat.

Organisation: details of differentiation / groups / adult role (linked to activities) Homework

Group assignment to solve specific parts 12 page 344
Activity 1 related to the first law of thermodynamics
Activity 2 related to the quantity of heat exchanged
 Reflection
Students are familiar with many information of this chapter.