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Edexcel GCSE Combined Science

Topic questions Particle model of matter Specific latent heat

Specific latent heat

8 questions · 85 marks · about 1.5 hours

Specific latent heat questions

TopicSpecific latent heat

Edexcel 1SC0 Specific latent heat 8 questions

Paper 6: Physics 2 June 2025 Higher tier, Question 3 9 marks

A teacher heats a block of wax until all the wax melts.

The teacher pours the melted wax into a container and allows the wax to cool.

Figure 3 shows how the temperature of the wax changes during a time of 20 minutes.

Figure for question 3

Four different points on the graph are labelled P, Q, R and S.

(a)

Between which two points is all the wax liquid?

Question 3, shown as an image
[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(a)
(b)

Describe the change in the motion of the wax particles as the wax changes from liquid to solid.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(b)
(c)

Figure 4 shows the values of some properties of the wax.

Figure for question 3
(c)(i)

The wax has a mass of 3.9 kg.

Using information from Figure 4, calculate the volume of the wax when it is all liquid.

Use the equation

Question 3, shown as an image

volume =........ 3

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(i)
(c)(ii)

State, using information from Figure 4, how the volume of the wax changes when it becomes a solid.

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(ii)
(c)(iii)

Explain why, using Figure 4, the time from R to S is much shorter than the time from Q to R on the graph in Figure 3.

[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(iii)

Paper 6: Physics 2 June 2024 Foundation tier, Question 6 13 marks

(a)
Figure for question 6 Figure for question 6
[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(a)
(b)

Figure 13 gives information about the density of aluminium.

density in g/cm3
solid aluminium2.70
liquid aluminium2.38
Question 6, shown as an image

Explain the difference between the density of solid aluminium and the density of liquid aluminium in terms of the arrangement of particles.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(b)
(c)

A student boils some water.

Calculate the amount of thermal energy needed to change 60.0 g of water to steam at its boiling point.

The specific latent heat of vaporisation of water, L, is 2.26 × 106 J/kg.

Use the equation

Question 6, shown as an image

amount of thermal energy =........ J

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(c)
(d)
Figure for question 6
[6]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(d)

Paper 6: Physics 2 June 2024 Higher tier, Question 2 9 marks

(a)

A coil of copper wire has a mass of 14.1 g.

Question 2, shown as an image

Calculate the volume of the copper wire.

Use the equation

Question 2, shown as an image

volume =........ cm3

Figure for question 2
[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(a)
(b)

Figure 4 gives information about the density of aluminium.

Figure for question 2

Explain the difference between the density of solid aluminium and the density of liquid aluminium in terms of the arrangement of particles.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(b)
(c)

A student boils some water.

Calculate the amount of thermal energy needed to change 60.0 g of water to steam at its boiling point.

The specific latent heat of vaporisation of water, L, is 2.26 × 106 J/kg.

Use the equation

Question 2, shown as an image

amount of thermal energy =........ J

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(c)
(d)

Some students measure the volume of a lump of modelling clay using a measuring jug, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure for question 2

Using Figure 5, estimate the volume of the modelling clay in cm3.

You may assume that 1 litre = 1000 cm3.

volume =........ cm3

Figure for question 2
[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(d)

Paper 6: Physics 2 June 2022 Higher tier, Question 6 11 marks

(a)

Explain the difference between the term ‘specific heat capacity’ and the term ‘specific latent heat’ when applied to heating substances.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(a)
(b)

Figure 10 shows some apparatus that may be used to determine the specific heat capacity of water.

Figure for question 6

A student measures the initial temperature of the water.

The power supply is switched on for 10 minutes and then switched off.

Explain how the student should then obtain an accurate reading for the final temperature of the water, to be used in the calculation of the specific heat capacity.

[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(b)
(c)

*(c) A container of gas is at room temperature.

The gas is then heated.

The volume of the container remains the same.

By considering changes in velocities of the gas particles, explain how the temperature increase affects

• the average kinetic energy of the particles

• the pressure the particles exert on the walls of the container.

Equations

Figure for question 6
[6]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(c)

Paper 6: Physics 2 November 2021 Higher tier, Question 6 12 marks

(a)

An electric kettle contains 1.41 kg of water at 25 °C.

The kettle is switched on.

After a while, the water reaches boiling point at 100 °C.

The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / kg °C.

(a)(i)

Calculate the amount of thermal energy supplied to the water by the kettle. Give your answer to the appropriate number of significant figures.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of the paper.

energy supplied =........ J

[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(a)(i)
(a)(ii)

The kettle is kept switched on and the water continues to boil.

After a while, the mass of the water in the kettle has decreased to 1.21 kg.

The thermal energy supplied to the water during this time was 450 000 J.

Calculate the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of the paper.

specific latent heat of vaporisation =........ J / kg

[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(a)(ii)
(b)

*(b) This question is about determining the specific heat capacity of aluminium. An aluminium block is placed in boiling water as shown in Figure 10.

Figure for question 6

The piece of string is tied to the aluminium block so the block can be transferred from the boiling water to the cold water.

Describe how a student could use this apparatus, and any additional items needed, to determine the specific heat capacity of aluminium.

Your answer should include how the student would

• obtain the necessary measurements

• use the measurements to calculate the specific heat capacity of aluminium.

[6]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 6(b)

Paper 6: Physics 2 June 2019 Higher tier, Question 4 11 marks

(a)

A student measures the density of glass.

The student has

− a bag of marbles, all made from the same type of glass

− a weighing balance

− a plastic measuring cylinder containing water

Describe how the student could find, as accurately as possible, the density of the glass used for the marbles.

[4]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(a)
(b)

A beaker contains 0.25 kg of water at room temperature. The beaker of water is heated until the water reaches boiling point (100 °C). The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/kg °C. The total amount of thermal energy supplied to the water is 84 000 J.

(b)(i)

Calculate the temperature of the water before it was heated.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

temperature before heating =........ °C

[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(b)(i)
(b)(ii)

The heating continues until 0.15 kg of the water has turned into steam. The thermal energy needed to turn the boiling water into steam is 0.34 MJ.

Calculate the specific latent heat of vapourisation of water. Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

specific latent heat =........ MJ/kg

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(b)(ii)
(b)(iii)

The graph in Figure 6 shows how the volume of 1 kg of water changes with temperature.

Figure for question 4

Describe how the density of water changes with temperature over the range of temperature shown in Figure 6.

Calculations are not required.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(b)(iii)

Paper 6: Physics 2 June 2018 Foundation tier, Question 5 11 marks

(a)

A student uses the apparatus in Figure 8 to determine the specific heat capacity of water.

Figure for question 5
(a)(i)

State the measurements needed to calculate the specific heat capacity of water.

[4]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 5(a)(i)
(a)(ii)

State two ways that the apparatus could be adapted to improve the procedure.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 5(a)(ii)
(b)

The student decides to measure the temperature of the water every minute while it is being heated.

Figure 9 shows a graph of the student’s results.

Figure for question 5

Predict the temperature of the water if the heating continues up to 8 minutes.

temperature of the water =........ °C

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 5(b)
(c)

Another student decides to melt some ice.

The student melts 380 g of ice at 0 °C.

The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is 3.34 × 105J/kg.

Calculate the thermal energy needed to melt the ice.

Select an equation from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

thermal energy needed =........ J

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 5(c)
(d)

The volume of 380 g of ice is 410 cm3.

Calculate the density of the ice in g/cm3.

density =........ g/cm3

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 5(d)

Paper 6: Physics 2 June 2018 Higher tier, Question 1 9 marks

(a)

A student uses the apparatus in Figure 1 to determine the specific heat capacity of water.

Figure for question 1
(a)(i)

State the measurements needed to calculate the specific heat capacity of water.

[4]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 1(a)(i)
(a)(ii)

State two ways that the apparatus could be adapted to improve the procedure.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 1(a)(ii)
(b)

The student decides to measure the temperature of the water every minute while it is being heated.

Figure 2 shows a graph of the student’s results.

Figure for question 1

Predict the temperature of the water if the heating continues up to 8 minutes.

temperature of the water =........ °C

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 1(b)
(c)

Another student decides to melt some ice.

The student melts 380 g of ice at 0 °C.

The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is 3.34 × 105J/kg.

Calculate the thermal energy needed to melt the ice.

Select an equation from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

thermal energy needed =........ J

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 1(c)

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