Edexcel IGCSE Physics 5.16 Absolute zero

Practise interpreting absolute zero as the lowest possible temperature and using graphs to estimate its value in degrees Celsius.

Exam points

explain why temperature cannot fall below -273 °C using particle speed or KE
determine absolute zero by extrapolating a graph line to the temperature axis

[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 $-273^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ .

All question bank results loaded

5.16 Absolute zero question 1