THERMAL PHYSICS IMPORTANT NUMERICALS….

COMPILED
1 (b) The kettle is powered by a 230 V supply. It is switched on for 3.5 minutes and there is a current of
9.6 A in the heating element.

(i) Calculate the thermal energy produced in the heating element in this time.
(ii) The kettle contains 1.6 kg of water that was at an initial temperature of 22 °C. The specific
heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg °C). Calculate the maximum possible temperature of
the water.

2 (ii) The electrical power input to the air conditioner is 300 W. Calculate the electrical energy input
into the air conditioner in 1 hour.

3 (e) Fig. 9.2 shows a copper block of mass 1.8 kg with two holes in the top. An 80 W heater is placed in
one hole and a thermometer in the other. The heater is switched on for 5.0 minutes. Assume that no
energy is lost from the block.

(i) Calculate the energy supplied to the block.

(ii) The specific heat capacity of copper is 390 J / (kg °C). Calculate the rise in temperature of the
block.

4 The heater is switched on and water drips into the beaker at a constant rate. In 2.0 minutes, 31 g of
water drips into the beaker. The power of the heater is 85 W.

(a) Calculate the amount of electrical energy supplied to the heater in 2.0 minutes.
(b) Use your answer to (a) to calculate the specific latent heat of fusion of water.

5 The boiler contains 35 kg of water at 22 °C. The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg °C).

(a) Calculate the thermal energy (heat) needed to raise the temperature of the water from 22 °C
to its boiling point.
(b) The water in the boiler is heated with a 2600 W immersion heater. Calculate the minimum time
for the heater to bring the water to its boiling point.

6 (IMP) Water at a temperature of 16 °C enters an ice-making machine and emerges as ice cubes
at a temperature of –5 °C. The melting point of ice is 0 °C.
Calculate the total energy removed from 1.0 kg of water as it cools from 16 °C, changes into ice,
and then cools to –5 °C.
specific heat capacity of liquid water = 4.2 × 103 J / (kg °C)
specific latent heat of fusion of water = 3.4 × 105 J / kg
specific heat capacity of ice = 2.1 × 103 J / (kg °C)

7 During the night, the bricks are heated from a temperature of 17 °C to 96 °C. The bricks are
made from a material that has a specific heat capacity of 2300 J / (kg °C).
(a) Calculate the thermal energy (heat) supplied to the bricks.
(b) During the day, the bricks gradually cool and the stored thermal energy is released to the
room. After 7.0 hours, the bricks have cooled to 17 °C. Calculate the average rate of
release of thermal energy to the room during these 7.0 hours.

8 The voltage of the power supply is 12 V and the current is 4.2 A.

(i) Calculate the electrical power input to the heater.

(ii) (ii) Calculate the energy input to the heater in 8.0 minutes. Give your answer in kW h.