Specific heat capacity

For an object of mass $2.0\,\text{kg}$, its heat capacity is $C$. The energy required to

May/June 2015

A metal can and a plastic bottle, each filled with liquid, are cooled by standing them in a jug of melting ice, as shown in Fig. 4.1. Each container holds $330\,\text{g}$ of the same liquid at $15\,^{\circ}\text{C}$.

May/June 2015

Fig. 4.1 presents the apparatus used to determine the specific heat capacity of a metal. The electric heater is turned on and delivers 17000 J of thermal energy (heat) to the metal block. Its temperature increases from $16\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ to $38\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. The block has a mass of 850 g. No energy is lost from the metal.

May/June 2017

Equal masses of copper and water are heated to the same temperature. When they cool, the copper and the water lose thermal energy at the same rate. The copper’s temperature drops more quickly. What is the reason for this?

May/June 2018

The diagram shows a collection of apparatus used to measure the specific heat capacity of water. Which factor does not influence the rate at which energy is lost to the surroundings?

May/June 2019

A student uses an electrical method to obtain an approximate value for the specific heat capacity of water. The specific heat capacity of a substance is the amount of thermal energy required to raise the temperature of 1 g of the substance by $1\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. He arranges the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1.1. He pours a mass $m$ of water into a beaker, with $m = 100\,\text{g}$. He puts a heater into the water in the beaker. He attaches a voltmeter so that it measures the potential difference across the heater. The student measures the water’s starting temperature and notes it at time $t = 0$ in Table 1.1. He closes the switch, starts a stopwatch and measures the temperature $\theta$ of the water every $60\,\text{s}$ for $6\,\text{minutes}$. He records the current $I$ in the heater and the potential difference $V$ across the heater. His readings are: $I = 4.0\,\text{A}$ and $V = 14.8\,\text{V}$. He opens the switch.

May/June 2019

What does the term heat capacity of a body mean?

May/June 2021

A steel rod that is very hot is cooled by dropping it into cold water, as shown in Fig. 3.1. Fig. 3.1 depicts a steel rod being put into a container of water.

May/June 2021

Which symbol is normally used, and what is the unit, for the heat capacity of an object?

May/June 2022

Fig. 2.1 depicts a long cardboard tube, closed at both ends, containing many tiny metal pieces. The tube is rotated into a vertical position so that the pieces drop from one end to the other. As they fall, their temperature rises. While they are falling, gravitational potential energy from the metal pieces is changed into other energy forms.

May/June 2022

Fig. 4.1 illustrates the atoms in a sample of iron at one particular moment, with the temperature below the melting point.

May/June 2023

The beaker is made from a special type of glass. Suggest why it is appropriate for this experiment.

May/June 2023

What does the term specific heat capacity of a liquid mean?

May/June 2024

Fig. 2.1 shows a small swimming pool filled with water. The pool measures 2.1 m by 4.0 m. The water depth in the pool is $0.80\,\text{m}$. The density of water is $1000\,\text{kg m}^{-3}$.

May/June 2024

A student finds the specific heat capacity of a metal by doing an experiment. The apparatus available to the student is listed below. 1 electronic balance 2 ruler 3 thermometer 4 heater operating at a power of $50\,\text{W}$ 5 stopwatch 6 ammeter 7 voltmeter Which items of apparatus should the student use?

May/June 2025

Cold water enters an electric shower at $17^{\circ}\text{C}$. Each second, the shower transfers $6000\,\text{J}$ of energy to the incoming water and raises its temperature to $37^{\circ}\text{C}$. The specific heat capacity of water is $4200\,\text{J (kg}^{-1}\,^{\circ}\text{C}^{-1})$. What mass of hot water does the shower deliver in one second?

Oct/Nov 2015

A thermally insulated beaker contains $300\,\text{g}$ of water, and its initial temperature is $30\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. Water at $100\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ is then poured in until the temperature of the mixture becomes $50\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. The specific heat capacity of water is $4.2\,\text{J}\,\text{g}^{-1}\,^{\circ}\text{C}^{-1}$. What mass of water is added?

Oct/Nov 2015

To increase the temperature of one kilogram of water by $1\degree\text{C}$, more thermal energy is needed than for one kilogram of copper. Why does this happen?

Oct/Nov 2016

A student is finding the specific heat capacity of aluminium. The equipment supplied includes a thermometer, a heater, an aluminium block of mass $1.00\,\text{kg}$ with holes for the heater and thermometer, a d.c. power supply, an ammeter, a voltmeter and a stop-clock.

Oct/Nov 2016

A $50\,\text{g}$ block of metal has its temperature increased by $40\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. The metal’s specific heat capacity is $0.40\,\text{J g}^{-1}\,^{\circ}\text{C}^{-1}$. What amount of thermal energy is transferred?

Oct/Nov 2017

What does the term heat capacity of a solid object mean?

Oct/Nov 2017

A boiler that contains water is connected to a 230 V mains supply, and the heater inside the boiler is running at full power.

Oct/Nov 2017

The specific heat capacity of lead is $130\ \text{J kg}^{-1}\,^{\circ}\text{C}^{-1}$. A lead sample with mass $0.50\ \text{kg}$ is raised from $10^{circ}\text{C}$ to $35^{\circ}\text{C}$. Which calculation gives the amount of thermal energy, in J, absorbed by the lead?

Oct/Nov 2018

State one unit used for heat capacity.

Oct/Nov 2020

A student carries out an experiment to determine how much energy is required to raise the temperature of a steel nail by $1.0\ ^\circ\text{C}$. Which quantity is the student finding?

Oct/Nov 2020

Describe the structure of a solid in terms of molecules.

Oct/Nov 2020

To increase the temperature of $1.0\,\text{kg}$ of copper by $1.0\,^{\circ}\text{C}$, less thermal energy is required than to increase the temperature of $1.0\,\text{kg}$ of water by $1.0\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. Which statement gives the explanation?

Oct/Nov 2021

Solar panels are employed to heat a body of water with a mass of $500\,\text{kg}$. The combined area of the solar panels is $10\,\text{m}^2$, and the mean power output from each square metre of the panels is $300\,\text{W}$. The specific heat capacity of water is $4200\,\text{J kg}^{-1}\,\text{^{\circ}C}^{-1}$. Determine the rise in the water temperature after $8.0\,\text{hours}$. Assume that no heat is lost.

Oct/Nov 2021

A student performs an investigation to determine the specific heat capacity $c$ of copper.

Oct/Nov 2021

A piece of iron with mass $m$ is put into a mixture of ice and water. Its temperature falls from $\theta_1$ to $\theta_2$. How much thermal energy is lost by the piece of iron?

Oct/Nov 2022

As the temperature of a liquid rises, its particles gain kinetic energy and the liquid expands.

Oct/Nov 2023