Physics 9702 · AS & A Level · Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat

Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat — practice question

(a)[2]

Define the term specific latent heat.

(b)[3]

Explain why, for a substance, the specific latent heat of vaporisation is usually larger than the specific latent heat of fusion.

(c)[4]

An ice cube with mass $37.0\,\text{g}$ at $0.0\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ is added to a beaker containing $208\,\text{g}$ of water at $26.4\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. Once every part of the ice has melted, and the water in the beaker has reached thermal equilibrium, the final temperature of all the water is $10.3\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. The specific heat capacity of water is $4.18\,\text{J g}^{-1}\,^{\circ}\text{C}^{-1}$. The beaker has negligible specific heat capacity and is perfectly insulated from the surroundings. Determine a value, to three significant figures, for the specific latent heat of fusion of water.

Worked solution & mark scheme

This 9-mark question has a full step-by-step worked solution and mark scheme. One marking point: thermal energy per unit mass required to bring about a change of state

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