Physics · Pearson Edexcel 9PH0 · Topic 9

Thermodynamics

Heating, specific heat and latent heat, internal energy, ideal gases and kinetic theory.

  • 12 sub-topics
  • Taught in Year 13
  • 99 practice questions
  • 12 animated lessons
Practice questions (99) Lessons Worksheets All Edexcel Physics topics

What the specification says

Every sub-topic Pearson Edexcel can examine in this topic, with its reference number from the official specification. The Y12 and Y13 tags show when each sub-topic is usually taught.

  1. 144Specific heat capacity and specific latent heatY13
  2. 145CP12: Calibrate a thermistor in a potential divider as a thermostatY13
  3. 146CP13: Determine the specific latent heat of a phase changeY13
  4. 147Internal energyY13
  5. 148Absolute zeroY13
  6. 149Kinetic theory, pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩Y13
  7. 150Ideal gas equation, pV = NkTY13
  8. 151CP14: Pressure and volume of a gas at fixed temperatureY13
  9. 152Mean kinetic energy, ½m⟨c²⟩ = 3/2 kTY13
  10. 153Black body radiationY13
  11. 154Stefan–Boltzmann lawY13
  12. 155Wien's lawY13

Try 3 questions

Easy, medium and hard questions from this topic, each with a worked solutions and the mark for every step. All 99 questions in this topic, free, no account needed.

Thermodynamics

Not needed for Year 12Easy

Internal energy · Year 13 · 3 marks

Ice at 0 °C is heated until it has all melted.
  1. (a)
    Define internal energy.
    (1)
  2. (b)
    Explain why the temperature stays constant while the ice melts, although energy is supplied.
    (2)
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Part (a)1 mark

  1. The sum of the random kinetic and potential energies of the molecules.

Part (b)2 marks

  1. The energy increases the potential energy of the molecules (breaking bonds),
  2. not their mean kinetic energy, which depends on temperature.

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Thermodynamics

Not needed for Year 12Medium

Calibrating a thermistor · Year 13 · 4 marks

A thermistor in a potential divider is used as a thermostat sensor and calibrated in a water bath.
  1. (a)
    Describe how the student should calibrate the output p.d. against temperature.
    (3)
  2. (b)
    Explain why the thermistor should be near the thermometer bulb.
    (1)
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Part (a)3 marks

  1. Heat the water gradually, stirring;
  2. record the output p.d. and the temperature from a thermometer at regular intervals;
  3. plot output p.d. against temperature.

Part (b)1 mark

  1. So they are at the same temperature.

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Thermodynamics

Not needed for Year 12Hard

Kinetic theory · Year 13 · 2 marks

A gas has pressure 1.00×1051.00 \times 10^{5} Pa and density 1.43 kg m⁻³.
  1. Find the r.m.s. speed of its molecules.
    (2)

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  1. pp=13ρ⟨c2⟩{}= \tfrac{1}{3}\rho\langle c^2\rangle
  2. crms=458 m s−1c_{rms} = 458\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}

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