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CAIE A-Level Physics 14.3.1 Specific Heat Capacity

Practise defining specific heat capacity and using delta Q = mc delta T to calculate energy, mass, temperature change or material properties from data.

Syllabus
2028–2030
Course
Physics 9702
Level
A2

Exam points

  • define specific heat capacity as energy required per unit mass per degree temperature rise
  • calculate energy, mass, temperature change or specific heat capacity using ΔQ = mcΔT
  • interpret heating/cooling data or experimental quantities using consistent units

14.3.1—Specific heat capacity question 1

[Maximum number: 3]

A fixed mass of an ideal gas at a temperature of 20∘C20^{\circ} \mathrm{C} is sealed in a cylinder by a piston, as shown in Fig. 2.1.

Fig. 2.1

Fig. 2.1

The initial volume of the gas is 1.24×10−4 m31.24 \times 10^{-4} \mathrm{~m}^{3}.
Thermal energy is supplied to the gas and its volume increases by 5.20×10−5 m35.20 \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{~m}^{3}.

The mass of the gas is 16 g . For this expansion, there is a net transfer of 960 J of thermal energy to the gas.

Calculate the specific heat capacity c of the gas at this pressure.

c=…………………………………..Jkg−1 K−1c=\ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots \ldots . . \mathrm{Jkg}^{-1} \mathrm{~K}^{-1}
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