Physics

Transfer of Thermal Energy — Multiple-Choice Questions (Cambridge International IGCSE Physics): Exam Questions

26 questions · 26 marks · ≈ 26 min

Guided practice

11 markeasy

The diagram shows a bucket of ice which is hanging from the ceiling of a room as a makeshift air-conditioner. This is a cheaper, less effective means of cooling the room.

q1-easy-mcq-2-3-thermal-processes-cie-igcse-physics

The ice cools the air next to it. What happens to the cold air and why?

	What happens	Explanation
A	the cold air rises	it is less dense than the warmer air in the room
B	the cold air rises	it is more dense than the warmer air in the room
C	the cold air falls	it is less dense than the warmer air in the room
D	the cold air falls	it is more dense than the warmer air in the room

Choose your answer

21 markeasy

Which of the following statements about convection is correct?

Warm air rises because:

Choose your answer

The air molecules expand and become less dense.

The air molecules move further apart, making the air less dense.

The air molecules contract, making the air less dense.

The air molecules move closer together, making the air less dense.

31 markeasy

Which of the following statements about thermal radiation is correct?

Choose your answer

It is electromagnetic radiation.

It can only happen in a vacuum.

It involves movement of molecules due to changes in density.

It involves transfer of electrons through a material.

41 markeasy

The Sun is the source of the majority of the energy on Earth.

How does thermal energy from the Sun travel to the Earth?

Choose your answer

By conduction, convection and radiation

By conduction and convection only

By convection and radiation only

By radiation only

51 markeasy

Which diagram correctly shown the motion of particles in a beaker filled with liquid heated from the base?

2-3-5-e

Choose your answer

61 markmedium

In a very common classroom Physics demonstration, a teacher sets up a rod, as shown in the diagram. Half of the rod is copper, the other half is wood.

She sticks four lead balls to the rod using wax. The wax melts when its temperature rises a small amount, causing the ball to fall off.

q1-medium-mcq-2-3-thermal-processes-cie-igcse-physics

The teacher heats the rod in the centre, with something more gentle than a Bunsen burner, that will not burn the wood.

Which ball falls off first?

Choose your answer

71 markmedium

Extended tier only

Which of the following statements about energy transfer is correct?

Choose your answer

Metals conduct thermal energy well because their electrons are not free to move.

Infrared radiation cannot travel through a vacuum.

Warm fluids rise because their particles move further apart.

Convection only occurs in gases.

81 markmedium

A lit match is placed above a thermometer.

q3-medium-mcq-2-3-thermal-processes-cie-igcse-physics

Which row in the table shows how the thermal energy from the lit match reaches the thermometer?

	Convection	Conduction	Radiation
A	yes	yes	yes
B	yes	yes	no
C	no	yes	yes
D	no	no	yes

Choose your answer

91 markmedium

Extended tier only

The walls of a vacuum flask contain two layers of glass, separated by a vacuum.

q4-medium-mcq-2-3-thermal-processes-cie-igcse-physics

Which method(s) of thermal energy transfer are prevented by the vacuum?

Choose your answer

Radiation

Conduction and radiation

Convection and radiation

Conduction and convection

101 markmedium

In modern housing, it is convenient to locate heaters so they are not on the walls, taking up valuable wall space for furniture.

Other than wall-mounted radiators, two other options would be viable: ceiling heaters or underfloor heaters.

q5-medium-mcq-2-3-thermal-processes-cie-igcse-physics

Which of the two options would heat the room more effectively and why?

	Option	Explanation
A	ceiling-mounted	hot air is more dense and falls
B	ceiling-mounted	hot air is less dense and falls
C	underfloor	hot air is less dense and rises
D	underfloor	hot air is more dense and rises

Choose your answer

111 markmedium

The diagram shows the gap between a hot surface and a cold surface. The gap can contain air (gas), iron (solid), a vacuum or water (liquid).

Two horizontal rectangles labelled 'cold' and 'hot' are separated by a gap. The gap is labelled 'gap', indicating a break between the two.

Which material in the gap allows the quickest transfer of thermal energy between the surfaces by conduction?

Choose your answer

air (gas)

iron (solid)

vacuum

water (liquid)

121 markmedium

On a cold day, a metal door handle X and a similar plastic door handle Y are at the same temperature.

Why does X feel cooler to the touch than Y?

Choose your answer

X is a better thermal conductor than Y.

X is a better thermal convector than Y.

X is a better thermal insulator than Y.

X is a better radiator of thermal energy than Y.

131 markmedium

The diagram shows a convection current caused by a piece of ice placed in a beaker of water at room temperature.

Diagram of a beaker with a piece of ice floating on the water surface. Arrows indicate motion, labelled P and Q, showing a circular flow.

Which row correctly compares the temperatures and densities at water points P and Q?

	temperature at P	density at P
A	higher than at Q	higher than at Q
B	higher than at Q	lower than at Q
C	lower than at Q	higher than at Q
D	lower than at Q	lower than at Q

Choose your answer

141 markmedium

The outside of one of two identical shiny metal containers is painted dull black. The containers are filled with equal masses of hot water at the same temperature.

Why does the dull black container cool more quickly?

Choose your answer

Black surfaces are better conductors than shiny surfaces.

Black surfaces are better emitters of radiation than shiny surfaces.

Black surfaces are better reflectors of radiation than shiny surfaces.

Black surfaces are worse absorbers of radiation than shiny surfaces.

151 markmedium

Extended Tier Only

One end of a copper bar is heated to a high temperature.

Which mechanism is responsible for the transfer of thermal energy to the other end of the copper bar?

Choose your answer

the lattice vibrations of copper ions only

the lattice vibrations of copper ions and the movement of high energy electrons along the bar

the movement of high energy copper ions along the bar

the movement of high energy electrons along the bar only

161 markmedium

Which surface is the worst absorber of infrared radiation?

Choose your answer

dull black

dull white

shiny black

shiny white

171 markmedium

A student heats the top of a test tube of water until the water boils. A piece of ice, held at the bottom of the test tube by a metal gauze, remains frozen.

Which of the following statements is a correct conclusion from this experiment?

Choose your answer

Water is a good conductor of thermal energy.

Water is a poor conductor of thermal energy.

Convection currents travel downwards in liquids.

The metal gauze is a good thermal insulator.

181 markmedium

A saucepan is used to heat water on a stove.

Which row correctly describes the best materials for the base and the handle of the saucepan?

	base of saucepan	handle of saucepan
A	glass	copper
B	copper	wood
C	wood	copper
D	glass	wood

Choose your answer

191 markhard

Extended Tier Only

Which of the following processes take place in a non-metal to allow the conduction of thermal energy?

	Transfer of electrons	Lattice vibrations	Transfer of nuclei
A	yes	yes	no
B	no	yes	no
C	yes	yes	yes
D	no	yes	yes

Choose your answer

201 markhard

Two cars sit side by side, a black car and a white car. It is Summer.

q2-hard-mcq-2-3-thermal-processes-cie-igcse-physics

During the day both cars absorb infrared radiation from the Sun, and during the night, both cars lose energy by emitting infrared radiation.

Which car heats up more quickly during the day, and which car cools down more quickly at night?

	Car which heats up more quickly during the day	Car which cools down more quickly at night
A	black	black
B	black	white
C	white	black
D	white	white

Choose your answer

211 markhard

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) lights a match.

Using ideas about convection, what does the flame look like?

Choose your answer

It burns upwards, like a normal flame.

It burns like a normal flame, but is directed downwards, towards the Earth

It burns like a normal flame, but is directed sideways, in the opposite direction to the direction the ISS is travelling.

It burns in a sphere for a short time, before going out.

221 markhard

Of the following modes of thermal energy transfer, which one transfers energy at the greatest speed?

Choose your answer

Conduction

Convection

Radiation

Evaporation

231 markhard

A student suggests some uses for the knowledge that black and white objects emit and absorb different amounts of infrared radiation.

Which of her suggestions is correct?

Choose your answer

Coffee mugs should be black to keep the coffee hot.

Houses in hot countries should be painted white to keep the occupants cool.

White clothing will help you cool down much faster.

Solar heating panels should be white to heat the water more quickly.

241 markhard

A family goes on a picnic and they want their food to stay cold.

In order to achieve this, they put two ice packs with the picnic food in a hamper.

Where should both ice packs be placed in order to keep the food as cool as possible?

Choose your answer

Both at the top of the hamper

One at the top of the hamper and one at the bottom

Both at the bottom of the hamper

On either side of the hamper

251 markhard

Some hot water is sealed inside a metal can. The can is in a vacuum in outer space. The hot water slowly cools down.

How does the thermal energy escape into space?

Choose your answer

by conduction then convection

by conduction then radiation

by evaporation then convection

by evaporation then radiation

261 markhard

A student investigates the rate of emission of thermal radiation by four metal containers, W, X, Y, and Z. The metal containers are identical except for the texture and colour of their surfaces.

The student fills the metal containers with equal volumes of water at the same temperature.

The graph shows how the temperature of the water in the containers varies with time.

A graph of temperature versus time. Four curves, labelled W, X, Y, and Z, start at the same initial temperature. The curves increase in steepness from W to Z, with curve W being the shallowest and curve Z being the steepest.

Which row correctly identifies the four surfaces?

	W	X	Y	Z
A	shiny white	dull white	shiny black	dull black
B	dull black	shiny black	dull white	shiny white
C	shiny black	dull black	shiny white	dull white
D	dull white	shiny white	dull black	shiny black

Choose your answer

What happens

Explanation

the cold air rises

it is less dense than the warmer air in the room

the cold air rises

it is more dense than the warmer air in the room

the cold air falls

it is less dense than the warmer air in the room

the cold air falls

it is more dense than the warmer air in the room

Convection

Conduction

Radiation

yes

Option

Explanation

ceiling-mounted

hot air is more dense and falls

ceiling-mounted

hot air is less dense and falls

underfloor

hot air is less dense and rises

underfloor

hot air is more dense and rises

temperature at P

density at P

higher than at Q

lower than at Q

higher than at Q

lower than at Q

base of saucepan

handle of saucepan

glass

copper

wood

copper

glass

wood

Transfer of electrons

Lattice vibrations

Transfer of nuclei

yes

Car which heats up more quickly during the day

Car which cools down more quickly at night

black

white

black

white

shiny white

dull white

shiny black

dull black

shiny black

dull white

shiny white

shiny black

dull black

shiny white

dull white

shiny white

dull black

shiny black