Thermal Physics Practice Questions
IGCSE (Cambridge) · IGCSE Physics · 141 free MCQs with instant results and detailed explanations.
141
Total
42
Easy
79
Medium
20
Hard
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Sample Questions from Thermal Physics
Here are 10 sample questions. Start a quiz to get randomized questions with scoring.
Q1
Easy
What happens to the temperature of a substance when it absorbs heat without changing its state?
A.
It increases.
B.
It decreases.
C.
It stays the same.
D.
It becomes negative.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
When a substance absorbs heat, its particles gain energy and move faster, leading to an increase in temperature until it reaches a phase change.
Q2
Easy
Which of the following is an example of conduction?
A.
A metal spoon getting hot in a pot of boiling water.
B.
Warm air rising in a room.
C.
Ice melting in a warm drink.
D.
Sunlight warming the earth.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact between materials, like a metal spoon heating up when placed in hot water.
Q3
Easy
Which of the following statements about thermal radiation is true?
A.
It requires a medium to travel.
B.
It can travel through a vacuum.
C.
It is only emitted by hot objects.
D.
It travels slower than sound.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
Thermal radiation, which consists of infrared radiation, can travel through a vacuum, unlike conduction and convection that require a medium.
Q4
Medium
Which of the following statements about thermal conduction is true?
A.
It occurs primarily in fluids.
B.
It requires a medium to transfer heat.
C.
It is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves.
D.
It can occur in a vacuum.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
Thermal conduction requires a medium as it is the transfer of thermal energy through collisions between particles in a substance. It does not occur in a vacuum.
Q5
Medium
A metal rod is heated at one end. If the temperature at the heated end is 100°C and the other end is at 25°C, which statement about the heat transfer is correct?
A.
Heat will flow from the cold end to the hot end.
B.
Heat will flow from the hot end to the cold end.
C.
No heat transfer will occur because the temperature difference is small.
D.
Heat transfer will occur only if the rod is insulated.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
Heat always flows from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature. Hence, heat will flow from the hot end (100°C) to the cold end (25°C).
Q6
Medium
Which of the following principles best explains why a thermos bottle keeps drinks hot or cold?
A.
Convection
B.
Conduction
C.
Radiation
D.
Insulation
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: D
A thermos bottle uses insulation to minimize heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation, thus keeping drinks at their desired temperature for longer periods.
Q7
Medium
What happens to the molecules of a substance when it is heated?
A.
They move slower and come closer together.
B.
They move faster and may spread apart.
C.
They do not change their motion.
D.
They lose mass.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
When a substance is heated, its molecules gain kinetic energy, causing them to move faster and, in many cases, spread apart, particularly in liquids and gases.
Q8
Hard
A 500 g block of copper at 100°C is placed in 200 g of water at 20°C. Assuming no heat loss to the surroundings, what is the final equilibrium temperature of the system? (Specific heat capacity of copper = 0.39 J/g°C, water = 4.18 J/g°C)
A.
30.0°C
B.
40.0°C
C.
50.0°C
D.
60.0°C
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
Using the principle of conservation of energy, the heat lost by copper equals the heat gained by water. Calculating the final temperature leads to 40.0°C.
Q9
Hard
A 500 g piece of metal at 150 °C is placed in 1 kg of water at 20 °C. If the final equilibrium temperature reached is 40 °C, what is the specific heat capacity of the metal? (Assume no heat loss to the surroundings)
A.
0.5 J/g°C
B.
1.0 J/g°C
C.
1.5 J/g°C
D.
2.0 J/g°C
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: C
Using the principle of conservation of energy: Heat lost by metal = Heat gained by water. For metal: 500 g × c × (150 °C - 40 °C) = 1000 g × 4.2 J/g°C × (40 °C - 20 °C). Solving this gives c = 1.5 J/g°C.
Q10
Hard
An insulated container has two compartments separated by a barrier. One side contains 2 moles of an ideal gas at 400 K, while the other side is a vacuum. If the barrier is removed, what will be the final temperature of the gas, assuming no heat exchange with the surroundings?
A.
400 K
B.
200 K
C.
600 K
D.
300 K
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
When the barrier is removed, the gas expands into the vacuum. Since the process is adiabatic and no heat is exchanged, the internal energy and hence the temperature of the gas remains unchanged. Therefore, the final temperature stays at 400 K.
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Thermal Physics — IGCSE (Cambridge) IGCSE Physics Practice Questions Online
This page contains 141 practice MCQs for the chapter Thermal Physics in IGCSE (Cambridge) IGCSE Physics. The questions are organized by difficulty — 42 easy, 79 medium, 20 hard — so you can choose the right level for your preparation.
Every question includes a detailed explanation to help you understand the concept, not just memorize answers. Take a timed quiz to simulate exam conditions, or practice at your own pace with no time limit.