1. A gas is contained in a cylinder fitted with a piston as shown below.

When the gas is compressed rapidly by the piston its temperature rises because the molecules of
the gas

A. are squeezed closer together.

B. collide with each other more frequently.

C. collide with the walls of the container more frequently.

D. gain energy from the moving piston.

(1)

2. The internal energy of a solid substance is equal to the

A. average kinetic energy of the molecules.

B. total kinetic energy of the molecules.

C. total potential energy of the molecules.

D. total potential and total kinetic energy of the molecules.

(1)

1
3. The specific heat capacity c of a solid block of mass m is determined by heating the block and
measuring its temperature. The graph below shows the variation of the temperature T of the
block with the thermal energy Q transferred to the block.

The gradient of the line is equal to

c
.
A. m

m
.
B. c

C. mc.

1
.
D. mc

(1)

4. A gas is contained in a cylinder fitted with a piston as shown below.

When the gas is compressed rapidly by the piston its temperature rises because the molecules of
the gas

A. are squeezed closer together.

B. collide with each other more frequently.

C. collide with the walls of the container more frequently.

D. gain energy from the moving piston.

(1)
5. The internal energy of a solid substance is equal to the

A. average kinetic energy of the molecules.

B. total kinetic energy of the molecules.

C. total potential energy of the molecules.

D. total potential and total kinetic energy of the molecules.

(1)

6. An ideal gas is contained in a cylinder by a piston. The volume of the gas is decreased by
moving the piston rapidly in the direction shown.

p i s t o n m o v e d
g a s r a p i d l y i n t h i s
d i r e c t i o n

The average speed of the gas molecules is initially increased because the molecules

A. have a smaller volume in which to move.

B. make more collisions in unit time with the cylinder walls and piston.

C. have energy transferred to them as they collide with the moving piston.

D. make more collisions with each other in unit time.

(1)

7. Which of the following correctly describes the changes in the kinetic energy of the molecules
and the potential energy of the molecules as a liquid changes phase to a gas?

potential energy of the

kinetic energy of the molecules
molecules

A. no change increases

B. no change no change

C. increases increases

D. increases no change

(1)

3
8. The specific heat capacity of an object is defined as the thermal energy required to raise the
temperature of

A. the volume of the object by 1 K.

B. unit volume of the object by 1 K.

C. the mass of the object by 1 K.

D. unit mass of the object by 1 K.

(1)

9. The length of the mercury column in a thermometer is L100 at 100°C and L0 at 0°C.

Which of the following gives the temperature when the length of the mercury column is LT?

LT
×100°C
A.
L100

LT
×100°C
B.
( L100 − L0 )

( L100 − LT )
×100°C
C.
( L100 − L0 )

( LT − L0 )
×100°C
D.
( L100 − L0 )
(1)
10. A metal block of mass M is heated. The graph shows the variation with thermal energy H
supplied to the block of its temperature rise θ .

0
0 H

The gradient of the straight-line graph is n. The specific heat capacity of the metal is

1 .
A. Mn

1.
B. n

C. Mn.

D. n.
(1)

5
11. A metal can containing water is heated using a heating coil as shown below.

m e t a l c a n

w a t e r

h e a t i n g c o i l

The water is boiling at a constant rate. The mass of water boiled away per unit time is M1 for a
heater power P1. When the heater power is increased to P2, the mass boiled away per unit time
is M2. Heat losses to the atmosphere are not negligible.

Which of the following expressions gives the specific latent heat of vaporization of the water?

( P2 − P1 )
A.
( M 2 + M1 )

( P2 − P1 )
B.
( M 2 − M1 )

P2
C.
M2

P1
D.
M1
(1)
12. When the volume of a fixed mass of an ideal gas is reduced at constant temperature, the
pressure of the gas increases.

This pressure increase occurs because the atoms of the gas

A. collide more frequently with each other.

B. collide more frequently with the walls of the containing vessel.

C. are spending more time in contact with the walls of the containing vessel.

D. are moving with a higher mean speed.

(1)

13. The molar mass of water is 18 g. The approximate number of water molecules in a glass of
water is
22
A. 10 .
25
B. 10 .
28
C. 10 .
31
D. 10 .
(1)

14. Two bodies are brought into thermal contact with each other. No thermal energy transfer takes
place between the bodies. It may be deduced therefore, that the bodies must have the same

A. specific heat capacity.

B. heat capacity.

C. temperature.

D. internal energy.
(1)

7
15. A liquid is heated in a well-insulated container. The power input to the liquid and its specific
heat capacity are known.

Which of the following quantities must be known in order to calculate the rate at which the
temperature increases?

A. The time for which the liquid is heated

B. The initial temperature of the liquid

C. The final temperature of the liquid

D. The mass of the liquid

(1)

16. A solid is at an initial temperature of 500 K. The solid is heated so that its temperature rises by
50 K.

What are the initial temperature and the temperature rise of the solid, as measured on the
Celsius scale of temperature?

initial temperature temperature rise

A. 227°C 50°C

B. 227°C 323°C

C. 773°C 50°C

D. 773°C 323°C
(1)
17. A copper block and a steel block each have the same mass. The copper block is at a higher
temperature than the steel block.

The blocks are placed in thermal contact and they then reach thermal equlibrium. There is no
energy exchange with the surroundings.

How do the magnitude of the change in temperature ∆T and the magnitude of the change in
internal energy ∆U of the two blocks compare?

∆T ∆U

A. same same

B. same different

C. different same

D. different different
(1)

18. The specific latent heat of fusion of a substance is the quantity of thermal energy required to
convert, at constant temperature,

A. a solid to a liquid.

B. unit mass of solid to liquid.

C. a liquid to a solid.

D. unit mass of liquid to solid.

(1)

9
19. A sample of an ideal gas is contained in a cylinder. The volume of the gas is suddenly
decreased. A student makes the following statements to explain the change in pressure of the
gas.

I. The average kinetic energy of the gas atoms increases.

II. The atoms of the gas hit the walls of the cylinder more frequently.

III. There are more atoms that are able to collide with the walls of the cylinder.

Which of these statements is true?

A. I and II only

B. I and III only

C. II and III only

D. I, II and III
(1)

20. Which of the following will not affect the rate of evaporation of a liquid?

A. The temperature of the liquid

B. The surface area of the liquid

C. The mass of the liquid

D. Convection currents of air above the liquid surface

(1)

21. Gas leaks slowly out of a cylinder of constant volume. The temperature of the gas in the
cylinder does not change. Which of the following is constant for the gas molecules in the
cylinder?

A. The number striking unit area of surface in unit time

B. The number of the collisions between molecules per unit time

C. The number per unit volume

D. The average speed

(1)
22. A block of metal at a temperature of 90°C is placed in a beaker of water at a temperature of 0°C.
The mass of the metal block and the mass of the water are equal. The final temperature of the
water and the metal block is 9°C.

Which of the following is the best estimate of the ratio

specific heat of water

specific heat of metal ?

1
A. 10

1
B. 9

C. 9

D. 10
(1)

23. Thermal energy is transferred through the glass windows of a house mainly by

A. conduction.

B. radiation.

C. conduction and convection.

D. radiation and convection.

(1)

24. The specific latent heat of vaporization of a substance is the quantity of energy required to

A. raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.

B. convert a unit mass of liquid to vapour at constant temperature and pressure.

C. convert a unit mass of solid to vapour at constant temperature and pressure.

D. convert a unit mass of liquid to vapour at a temperature of 100°C and a pressure of one
atmosphere.
(1)

25. When a gas in a cylinder is compressed at constant temperature by a piston, the pressure of the
gas increases. Consider the following three statements.

11
 I. The rate at which the molecules collide with the piston increases.

II. The average speed of the molecules increases.

III. The molecules collide with each other more often.

Which statement(s) correctly explain the increase in pressure?

A. I only

B. II only

C. I and II only

D. I and III only

(1)

26. Two different objects are in thermal contact with one another. The objects are at different
temperatures. The temperatures of the two objects determine

A. the process by which thermal energy is transferred.

B. the heat capacity of each object.

C. the direction of transfer of thermal energy between the objects.

D. the amount of internal energy in each object.

(1)
27.

A
t h e r m o m e t e r

h e a t e r
m e t a l b l o c k

The specific heat capacity of a metal block of mass m is determined by placing a heating coil in
its centre, as shown in the diagram above.

The block is heated for time t and the maximum temperature change recorded is
Δθ. The ammeter and voltmeter readings during the heating are I and V respectively.

The specific heat capacity is best calculated using which one of the following expressions?

VIt
A. c = m∆θ

VI
B. c = m∆θ

m∆ θ
C. c = VI

m∆θ
D. c = VIt
(1)

13
28.

A
t h e r m o m e t e r

h e a t e r
m e t a l b l o c k

The specific heat capacity of a metal block of mass m is determined by placing a heating coil in
its centre, as shown in the diagram above.

The block is heated for time t and the maximum temperature change recorded is Δθ. The
ammeter and voltmeter readings during the heating are I and V respectively.

Which one of the following is not a source of error in the experiment?

A. Some thermal energy is retained in the heater.

B. The thermometer records the temperature at one point in the block.

C. Some thermal energy is lost from the variable resistor in the circuit.

D. The block is heated at its centre, rather than throughout its whole volume.
(1)

29. A container holds 20 g of neon (mass number 20) and also 8 g of helium (mass number 4).

number of atoms of neon

What is the ratio number of atoms of helium ?

A. 0.4

B. 0.5

C. 2.0

D. 2.5
(1)
30. The kelvin temperature of an object is a measure of

A. the total energy of the molecules of the object.

B. the total kinetic energy of the molecules of the object.

C. the maximum energy of the molecules of the object.

D. the average kinetic energy of the molecules of the object.

(1)

31. The specific latent heat of fusion of a substance is defined as the amount of thermal energy
required to change the phase of

A. the substance at constant temperature.

B. unit mass of the substance to liquid at constant temperature.

C. unit mass of the substance at constant temperature.

D. the substance to gas at constant temperature.

(1)

32. The distance between the 0°C and 100°C marks on a mercury-in-glass thermometer is 20 cm.
When the thermometer bulb is placed in a mixture of ice and salt, the mercury level is 4 cm
below the 0°C mark. The temperature of the mixture is

A. +20°C.

B. +5°C.

C. –5°C.

D. –20°C.
(1)

15
33. Some liquid is contained in a shallow dish that is open to the atmosphere. The rate of
evaporation of the liquid does not depend on

A. the temperature of the liquid.

B. the temperature of the atmosphere.

C. the depth of the liquid.

D. the pressure of the atmosphere.

(1)

34. The temperature of an ideal gas is reduced. Which one of the following statements is true?

A. The molecules collide with the walls of the container less frequently.

B. The molecules collide with each other more frequently.

C. The time of contact between the molecules and the wall is reduced.

D. The time of contact between molecules is increased.

(1)

35. A temperature scale is to be constructed using the property X of a substance. Which of the
following must be a characteristic of the property X?

A. The value of the property must be zero at zero kelvin.

B. The property must increase with increase of temperature.

C. The property must have a different value at each temperature to be measured.

D. The value of the property must vary linearly with kelvin temperature.
(1)
36. Which of the following is not an assumption on which the kinetic model of an ideal gas is
based?

A. All molecules behave as if they are perfectly elastic spheres.

B. The mean-square speed of the molecules is proportional to the kelvin temperature.

C. Unless in contact, the forces between molecules are negligible.

D. The molecules are in continuous random motion.

(1)

37. As part of an experiment to determine the latent heat of vaporisation of water, a student boils
some water in a beaker using an electric heater as shown below.

b e a k e r
h e a t e r

w a t e r

The student notes two sources of error.

Error 1: thermal energy is lost from the sides of the beaker

Error 2: as the water is boiling, water splashes out of the beaker

17
 Which of the following gives the correct effect of these two errors on the calculated value for
the specific latent heat?

Error 1 Error 2

Decrease
A. Increase
No change
B. Increase
Increase
C. Decrease
No change
D. Decrease
(1)

38. Three bodies X, Y and Z are at temperatures θX, θY and θZ respectively. Thermal energy passes
freely from Y to X and also from Z to X, as illustrated below.

X
X
Z
Z

Y
Y

The direction of flow of thermal energy, if any, between Y and Z is unknown. What can be
deduced about the temperatures θX, θY and θZ?

A. θX = (θY +θZ)

B. θY = θZ

C. θY > θX

D. θX > θZ
(1)
39. During an experiment, a solid is heated from 285 K to 298 K.

Which one of the following gives the rise in temperature, in deg C, and the final temperature,
in °C, of the solid?

Rise in temperature in deg C Final temperature in °C

571
A. 13
25
B. 13
571
C. 286
25
D. 286
(1)

40. A liquid is contained in a dish open to the atmosphere.

Which one of the following contains three factors that affect rate of evaporation of the liquid?

A. Temperature of the liquid Surface area Specific latent heat of vaporization

Specific latent heat of vaporization
B. Temperature of the liquid Mass of liquid
Temperature of the liquid
C. Surface area Mass of liquid
Specific latent heat of vaporization
D. Mass of liquid Surface area
(1)

41. The Kelvin temperature of an ideal gas is a measure of the

A. average speed of the molecules.

B. average momentum of the molecules.

C. average kinetic energy of the molecules.

D. average potential energy of the molecules.

(1)

19
42. The specific latent heat of vaporization of a substance is defined as the amount of thermal
energy required to

A. change a liquid to vapour at constant pressure.

B. change a liquid to vapour at constant temperature.

C. change unit mass of liquid to vapour at constant pressure.

D. change unit mass of liquid to vapour at constant temperature.

(1)

43. Temperature is the only property that determines

A. the total internal energy of a substance.

B. the phase (state) of a substance.

C. the direction of thermal energy transfer between two bodies in thermal contact.

D. the process by which a body loses thermal energy to the surroundings.

(1)
44. A substance is heated at a constant rate. The sketch graph shows the variation with time t of the
temperature θ of the substance.

X Y

W
= 0 t

In which region or regions of the graph must there be more than one phase of the substance
present?

A. WX and YZ

B. WX only

C. WX, XY and YZ

D. XY only
(1)

21
45. Two ideal gases X and Y, are contained in a cylinder at constant temperature. The mass of the
atoms of X is m and of Y is 4m.

Which one of the following is the correct value of the ratio

average kinetic energy of the atoms of Y

?
average kinetic energy of the atoms of X

A. 1

B. 2

C. 4

D. 16
(1)

46. For a system that undergoes a small change of state,

∆ Q=∆ U+∆ W

where +∆ Q = thermal energy transferred to the system

+∆ U = increase in internal energy of the system
+∆ W = the work done by the system.

In an adiabatic compression of an ideal gas, which one of the following is true in respect of
∆ Q, ∆ U and ∆ W?

∆ Q ∆ U ∆ W

A. Zero Positive Negative

B. Zero Negative Negative

C. Positive Positive Positive

D. Negative Zero Positive

(1)
47. The internal energy of a solid substance is equal to the

A. average kinetic energy of the molecules.

B. total kinetic energy of the molecules.

C. total potential energy of the molecules.

D. total potential and total kinetic energy of the molecules.

(1)

48. The specific heat capacity c of a solid block of mass m is determined by heating the block and
measuring its temperature. The graph below shows the variation of the temperature T of the
block with the thermal energy Q transferred to the block.

0 Q

The gradient of the line is equal to

c
.
A. m

m
.
B. c

C. mc.

1
.
D. mc
(1)

23
49. Which of the following correctly shows the changes, if any, in the potential energy and in the
kinetic energy of the molecules of a solid as it melts?

Potential energy Kinetic energy

A. Decreases Increases
B. Increases Stays the same

C. Stays the same Decreases

D. Stays the same Stays the same

(1)

50. A lump of metal is initially at a temperature of 100°C. The metal is heated so that its
temperature rises by θ degrees, as measured on the Celsius scale. The rise in temperature, as
measured on the Kelvin scale is

A. θ − 273.

B. θ .

C. θ + 273.

D. θ + 373.
(1)
51. A large mass M of ice of specific latent heat L is at its melting point (0°C). A small mass m of
water at θ °C is poured on to the block of ice. The specific heat capacity of water is S. Which
one of the following is a correct expression for the mass of ice melted?

mL
A. Sθ

mSθ
B. L

MSθ
C. L

MS
D. Sθ
(1)

7
52. The nuclear notation for lithium-7 is 3
Li . Which one of the following is the mass of 1 mol of
lithium-7?

A. 10 g

B. 7g

C. 4g

D. 3g
(1)

53. The heat capacity of a solid body is defined as

A. the thermal energy required to increase the body’s temperature by one degree.

B. the maximum thermal energy that must be supplied to melt the solid.

C. the total kinetic energy of the solid’s molecules.

D. the average kinetic energy of the solid’s molecules.

(1)

25
54. A fixed quantity of an ideal gas is compressed at constant temperature. The best explanation for
the increase in pressure is that the molecules

A. are moving faster.

B. are colliding more frequently with the container walls.

C. exert greater forces on each other.

D. are colliding more frequently with each other.

(1)

55. A string is held horizontally with one end attached to a fixed support. Two pulses are created at
the free end of the string. The pulses are moving towards the fixed support as shown in the
diagram below.

f i x e d s u p p o r t
s t r i n g

Which one of the following diagrams is a possible subsequent picture of the string?

A . B .

C . D .

(1)
56. Which one of the following correctly describes the changes, if any, of the kinetic energy and the
potential energy of the molecules of a liquid as it is boiling?

Kinetic energy Potential energy

A. increases increases

B. increases stays constant

C. stays constant increases

D. stays constant stays constant

(1)

57. Two objects X and Y are made of the same material. Object X is more massive than object Y.
Both objects are at the same temperature.

Which of the following correctly compares the average kinetic energy and also the total energy
of the molecules in the objects?

average kinetic energy of the total energy of the molecules in

molecules in X and Y X and Y

A. same greater in X than in Y

B. same less in X than in Y

C. greater in X than in Y same

D. less in X than in Y same

(1)

27