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1 A quantity of gas is trapped by a piston in a cylinder with thin metal walls. The piston is free to move
without friction within the cylinder.

The diagram shows the cylinder and piston.

gas

cylinder

piston

The cylinder is placed inside a freezer.

When the temperature reaches −18 °C, the pressure of the gas in the cylinder is still equal to that
of the atmosphere.

Explain, in terms of the particles of the gas, how the pressure remains equal to its original value.

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[Total: 3]
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2 The diagram shows apparatus used to observe the motion of smoke particles (Brownian motion).

microscope

glass cover

smoke glass cell

The glass cell has light shining on it from the side.

The smoke particles are seen as bright specks of light when looking through the microscope.

Draw the path of one of the bright specks of light.

[2]

[Total: 2]
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3 The diagram shows apparatus used to observe the motion of smoke particles (Brownian motion).

microscope

glass cover

smoke glass cell

The glass cell has light shining on it from the side.

The smoke particles are seen as bright specks of light when looking through the microscope.

Explain, in terms of forces and the motion of air molecules, the cause of the motion of the smoke
particles.

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[Total: 4]
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4 The diagram shows a road next to the sea.

On a sunny day, the Sun warms the road.

The air above the road is heated by the warm road.

Describe how this affects the molecules of the air.

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[Total: 2]

5 During a picnic on a warm, dry day, a metal can of lemonade is wrapped in a damp cloth.

Evaporation cools the water in the cloth.

Explain, in terms of molecules, how evaporation cools the water in the cloth.

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[Total: 3]
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6 The temperature of the air in a sealed glass container is increased.

Explain, in terms of molecules, why the pressure of the air also increases.

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[Total: 2]

7 The temperature of the air in a sealed glass container is increased.

Explain, in terms of molecules, why the internal energy of the air increases.

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[Total: 1]

8 Explain, in terms of molecules, how sweating helps to cool your body on a hot day.

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[Total: 3]

9 The two diagrams show how a puddle of water changes on a warm windy day.

puddle of
water puddle of water
three hours later

solid road
surface

(a) Describe the process by which the volume of water in the puddle decreases.

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(b) State and explain one change in the weather that would cause the volume of water in the
puddle to decrease more slowly.

statement...........................................................................................................................

explanation........................................................................................................................

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[Total: 4]

10 A fixed mass of gas of volume V1 is at a pressure p1. It is compressed to a volume V2.

(a) Complete the equation for the final pressure p2 of the gas when the gas is compressed at
constant temperature.

p2 =

[2]

(b) State and explain how the final pressure compares with p2 when the temperature of the gas
increases during compression.

statement...........................................................................................................................

explanation........................................................................................................................

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[Total: 5]

11 Explain, in terms of forces between molecules, why gases expand more than liquids when they
have the same rise in temperature. Assume that the pressure remains constant.

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[Total: 2]
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12 A large test-tube contains a liquid at room temperature. An electric heater is immersed in the liquid
and is switched on. Thermal energy is supplied to the liquid by the heater. The temperature of the
liquid increases until it reaches its boiling point. The liquid then starts to change into gas.

Describe, in terms of molecules and their motion, how a liquid differs from a gas.

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[Total: 3]

13 A large test-tube contains a liquid at room temperature. An electric heater is immersed in the liquid
and is switched on. Thermal energy is supplied to the liquid by the heater. The temperature of the
liquid increases until it reaches its boiling point. The liquid then starts to change into gas.

Describe what happens to molecules of the liquid as its temperature begins to increase.

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[Total: 2]

14 The diagram shows a cylinder and piston.

3
The volume of gas in the cylinder is 3400 cm .
5
The pressure of the gas in the cylinder is 0.90 × 10 Pa.
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(a) The piston is moved to the left and fixed in a new position. The pressure of the gas in the
5
cylinder increases to 2.5 × 10 Pa. Assume that the temperature of the gas does not change.

Calculate the new volume of the gas.

volume = .............................................. [3]

(b) The gas in the cylinder is now heated. The piston remains fixed in the same position as in (a).

State and explain, in terms of molecules, any change in the pressure of the gas.

statement ..........................................................................................................................

explanation .......................................................................................................................

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[Total: 6]
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15 The circles in the diagram represent molecules in different states of matter.

Identify the states A, B and C.

A ..

B ..

C .. [2]

[Total: 2]

16 The diagram shows wet clothes drying on a washing line in an outside area.

State two changes in the weather that help the wet clothes to dry more quickly.

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

2. .............................................................................................................................................. [2]
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[Total: 2]

17 Describe, in terms of molecules, what happens when a liquid evaporates.

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[Total: 4]

18 The diagram shows a gas contained in a cylinder enclosed by a piston.

Describe, in terms of momentum of the molecules, how a pressure is exerted on the walls of the
cylinder.

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[Total: 3]
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19 The diagram shows a gas contained in a cylinder enclosed by a piston.

3 3
The piston is pushed into the cylinder. The volume decreases from 820 cm to 330 cm . The
pressure gauge measures the pressure after compression as 20 000 Pa. The temperature remains
constant.

Calculate the value of the pressure before the gas was compressed.

pressure = .............................................. [3]

[Total: 3]
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20 The diagram shows a shooting competition, where air rifles fire soft metal pellets at distant targets.

When an air rifle is fired, it exerts an impulse on the pellet.

The pellet melts when it strikes the target.

Describe how the molecular structure of the liquid metal differs from that of the solid metal.

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[Total: 3]
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5
21 Gas is trapped in a cylinder by a piston. The gas is at atmospheric pressure which is 1.0 × 10 Pa.
The diagram shows the piston held in position by a catch.

An electrical heater is used to increase the temperature of the trapped gas by 550 °C.
5
When the temperature of the gas has increased by 550 °C, its pressure is 2.9 × 10 Pa. The catch
is then released allowing the piston to move. As the piston moves, the temperature of the gas
remains constant.

State and explain what happens to the piston.

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[Total: 2]

22 State and explain, in terms of molecules, any change in the pressure of a gas when the volume is
reduced at a constant temperature.

Statement .................................................................................................................................

Explanation ..............................................................................................................................

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[Total: 3]
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23 A cube of side 0.040 m is floating in a container of liquid. The diagram shows that the surface of
the liquid is 0.028 m above the level of the bottom face of the cube.

The pressure of the air above the cube exerts a force on the top face of the cube. The valve is
closed.

Explain, in terms of air molecules, how the force due to the pressure of the air is produced.

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[Total: 3]
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5
24 Gas is trapped in a cylinder by a piston. The gas is at atmospheric pressure which is 1.0 × 10 Pa.
The diagram shows the piston held in position by a catch.

–4 3
The volume of the trapped gas is 1.9 × 10 m.

An electrical heater is used to increase the temperature of the trapped gas by 550 °C
5
When the temperature of the gas has increased by 550 °C, its pressure is 2.9 × 10 Pa. The catch
is then released allowing the piston to move. As the piston moves, the temperature of the gas
remains constant.

Determine the volume of the gas when the piston stops moving.

volume = .............................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

25 Gases can be compressed but liquids are incompressible.

Explain, in terms of molecules, why liquids are incompressible.

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[Total: 2]
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26 Liquids and gases are two states of matter.

In both boiling and evaporation, a liquid changes into a gas.

State two ways in which boiling differs from evaporation.

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

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2. ..............................................................................................................................................

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[Total: 2]

27 Before injecting a patient, a doctor wipes a small amount of a volatile liquid on to the patient’s skin.

Explain, in terms of molecules, how this procedure cools the patient’s skin.

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[Total: 4]
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28 A cylinder of volume 0.012 m contains a compressed gas at a pressure of 1.8 × 10 Pa. A valve
is opened and all the compressed gas escapes from the cylinder into the atmosphere.

The temperature of the gas does not change.

5
Calculate the volume that the escaped gas occupies at the atmospheric pressure of 1.0 × 10 Pa.

volume = .............................................. [3]

[Total: 3]
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29 Explain, in terms of the forces between their molecules, why gases expand more than solids when
they undergo the same rise in temperature.

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[Total: 2]

30 In the diagram, the small circles represent molecules. The arrows refer to the change of state from
the arrangement of molecules on the left to the arrangement of molecules on the right.

Complete the following by writing solid, liquid or gas in each of the blank spaces.

1. Change of state X is from ............................................ to ............................................ .

2. Change of state Y is from ............................................ to ............................................ .

[2]

[Total: 2]