Edexcel IGCSE Physics 5.16 Absolute Zero Questions

Interpret absolute zero on a graph by extrapolating a temperature relationship to the temperature axis.

Exam points

Explain why temperature cannot fall below −273 °C: at absolute zero, gas-particle speed or kinetic energy cannot be negative.
Extrapolate a graph line to the temperature axis to estimate absolute zero close to −273 °C.

[Maximum number: 2]

A student uses a computer simulation to investigate the motion of particles in a gas.
He records the pressure of the gas and the mean speed of the particles in the gas at different temperatures.

The graphs show his results.

Graph 1

Graph 2

Explain why the value of temperature chosen in the simulation should not decrease below $-273^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ .

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Edexcel IGCSE Physics 5.16 Absolute Zero Questions question 1