1 A solar panel is mounted on the roof of a house. Fig. 4.

1 shows a section through part of the

solar panel.

sunlight

trapped
air copper pipe,
painted black
water
glass sheet

insulating metal backing sheet,

material painted black

Fig. 4.1

A pump makes water flow through the copper pipes. The water is heated by passing through the
solar panel.

(a) Select and explain three features of the solar panel that maximise the final temperature of
the water.

[4]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (b) During one day, 250 kg of water is pumped through the solar panel. The temperature of this
water rises from 16 °C to 38 °C.

The water absorbs 25 % of the energy incident on the solar panel. The specific heat capacity
of water is 4200 J / (kg °C).

Calculate the energy incident on the solar panel during that day.

energy = [4]

(c) The solar panel in Fig. 4.1 is designed to heat water.

A person is deciding whether to install solar panels on her house.

List and explain three pieces of information she needs to consider in order to make her
decision. roof
whether all the water warmed will be used, whether her house faces the sun enough to heat the water

how expensive it is and how to pay it off, how warm the water becomes, cost of installation, how hot

her climate gets

roof shaded and/or facing sun

[4]

(d) The Sun releases energy as a result of nuclear fusion.

State the meaning of nuclear fusion.

two hydrogen nuclei bombarded with neutrons collide and produce a lot of energy and form

helium
[2]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com [Total: 14]

2 Fig. 4.1 shows a cross-section of a double-walled glass vacuum flask, containing a hot liquid.
The surfaces of the two glass walls of the flask have shiny silvered coatings.

silvered
surfaces

vacuum

hot liquid

Fig. 4.1

(a) Explain

(i) why the rate of loss of thermal energy through the walls of the flask by conduction
is very low,
Conduction needs matter to transfer heat energy and needs a solid however the presence
..................................................................................................................................
of a vacuum with no atoms decreases conduction since they cannot vibrate transfer energy
..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................
glass is a bad conductors
..................................................................................................................................

(ii) why the rate of loss of thermal energy through the walls of the flask by radiation is
very low.
Radiation is decreased with the presence of silvered surfaces which are shiny, therefore
..................................................................................................................................
bad emitters and absorbers of thermal energy making it less likely that heat radiates out or
..................................................................................................................................
heat radiates in
..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................
[3]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (b) Suggest, with reasons, what must be added to the flask shown in Fig. 4.1 in order to
keep the liquid hot.
A lid must be added to lessen heat loss by evaporation since the average ke will reduce
..........................................................................................................................................
if the most energetic molecules escape. Insulation needs to be added out of a material
..........................................................................................................................................
like plastic which will further reduce the rate of thermal loss by conduction as it is a good
..........................................................................................................................................
insulator and bad conductor.
..........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 6]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
3 One side of a copper sheet is highly polished and the other side is painted matt black.

The copper sheet is very hot and placed in a vertical position, as shown as in Fig. 5.1.

copper sheet
matt black side polished side

left hand right hand

Fig. 5.1

A student places her hands at equal distances from the sheet, as shown in Fig. 5.1.

(a) Explain

(i) why her hands are not heated by convection,

copper is not a fluid meaning gas or liquid
..................................................................................................................................

warm air rises and doesn't go sideways

............................................................................................................................. [1]

(ii) why her hands are not heated by conduction.

Her hands are not in contact with the copper and conduction happens between
..................................................................................................................................
solids
air is a poor conductor
............................................................................................................................. [1]

(b) State and explain which hand gets hotter.

her left hand will get hotter since a matt black paint is a good emitter and absorber of
..........................................................................................................................................
thermal energy and so radiation will transfer better to the hands
..........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (c) It is suggested that one side of the copper sheet cools to a lower temperature than the
other side.

Explain why this does not happen.

Since the copper sheet is a solid, the entire solid will maintain thermal equilibrium because
..........................................................................................................................................
of conduction and the average energy of all the particles throughout the solid maintaining
..........................................................................................................................................
temperature
..................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 6]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
4 Fig. 5.1 shows two identical metal cans, open at the top, used in an experiment on thermal
energy. The outside of can A is polished and the outside of can B is painted black.

polished black
surface surface

can A can B

Fig. 5.1

(a) The cans are heated to the same temperature. Predict and explain the relative rates of
loss of thermal energy by infra-red radiation from the two cans.
The can B will have a faster rate of loss of thermal energy than can A since the colour black
..........................................................................................................................................
is a good emitter of thermal energy by radiation and a shiny surface is a bad emitter of thermal energy by
..........................................................................................................................................
radiation
..........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) (i) A student is provided with the two cans, a supply of hot water and two thermometers.

Describe the experiment he should carry out to test your answer to (a).
pour an equal amount of hot water at the same temperature each into two
..................................................................................................................................
of the cans and put a thermometer into each and read the initial temperature.
..................................................................................................................................
Then start a timer and measure and read the temperature every twenty seconds
..................................................................................................................................
for 5 minutes then compare the total temperature lost and divide it by 300 seconds
..................................................................................................................................
to find the rate of loss of thermal energy per second for both cans. we can then see
..................................................................................................................................
that can B's rate will be higher
same position on each of the
two cans and not touching the metal
..................................................................................................................................
repeat for average
..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. [4]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (ii) Another student is given the same equipment but finds two polystyrene tiles.
Fig. 5.2 shows the tiles alongside the cans.

polished black
surface surface

polystyrene can A can B

tiles

Fig. 5.2

State how she could use the tiles to improve the experiment, and explain why this
is effective.
The polystyrene is a good insulator and bad conductor and when placed under
..................................................................................................................................
reduce
the cans will preven the loss of thermal energy from the cans to the work surface
..................................................................................................................................
and make the experiment more reliable as only radiation would be tested.
..................................................................................................................................
also on top to prevent evaporation for the same reason
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

(c) The two cans are now filled with cold water and placed equal distances from a strong
source of infra-red radiation.

State and explain which can of water heats up more quickly.

can B will also heat up more quickly since it is a good absorber of thermal energy by radiation
..........................................................................................................................................
compared to can A which has a shiny surface which is a bad absorber of thermal energy by
..........................................................................................................................................
radiation
..........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 10]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
5 .
.

(a) .
. 1.1.

Fig. 1.1

(i) k .

..................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. 1

(ii) .

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (b)
.

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
6 (a)

(i) ............................................................................................

(ii) . ..........................................................................................
1

(b) . 10.1 1.2 kΩ .

.

1.2 k1

9.0 V

Fig. 10.1

. kΩ.

.................................................

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (c) . 10.2 .
.

9.0 V

Fig. 10.2

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com