A student investigated the insulating properties of two different materials - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 8 - 2022 - Paper 1
Question 8
A student investigated the insulating properties of two different materials.
The same thickness of each material was used.
Figure 9 shows some of the equipment used... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A student investigated the insulating properties of two different materials - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 8 - 2022 - Paper 1
Step 1
What is the resolution of thermometer B?
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Answer
The resolution of thermometer B is 0.1 °C. Resolution indicates the smallest temperature change that can be measured accurately, and thermometer B appears to have the finest scale.
Step 2
Complete the sentence. Choose the answer from the box.
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Answer
Thermometer A has a bigger chance of being misread than thermometer B. This is due to the lower resolution of thermometer A, making it less precise.
Step 3
Determine the total change in thermal energy of the water when Material X was used.
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Answer
To find the total change in thermal energy, first identify the temperature change. From Figure 11, assuming Material X resulted in a temperature of 75 °C and the initial temperature was 62.5 °C:
extTemperaturechange=75°C−62.5°C=12.5°C
Next, use the formula for thermal energy change:
E=mcheta
Where:
m = mass of water = 0.12 kg
c = specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J/kg °C
heta = temperature change = 12.5 °C
Substituting these values:
E=0.12imes4200imes12.5=6300extJ
Therefore, the total change in thermal energy is 6300 J.
Step 4
There is an anomalous result on Figure 11. Draw a ring around the anomalous result.
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Answer
Ring the data point that diverges significantly from the trend in Figure 11, indicating an error or anomaly in the data for Material Y.
Step 5
Give two conclusions that can be made from Figure 11.
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Answer
Water wrapped in material X cooled more slowly compared to water wrapped in material Y.
Material X is a better insulator than Material Y based on the thermal retention observed.
Step 6
How would using thick insulation affect the rate of cooling of hot water compared with using thin insulation?
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The rate of cooling would be lower. Thick insulation reduces the amount of heat lost to the surroundings, thus slowing down the cooling process.
Step 7
Predict how using thick insulation would affect the temperature of the water after 10 minutes compared with thin insulation.
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The temperature would be higher. Because the thick insulation minimizes heat loss, the water will maintain a higher temperature over time compared to thin insulation.
