Edexcel IGCSE Physics B Energy Transfers Questions
Practise tracing energy stores and transfer pathways, using efficiency data, Sankey diagrams, and thermal transfer models in real device contexts.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2019
- Course
- Physics 4PH1
Practise tracing energy stores and transfer pathways, using efficiency data, Sankey diagrams, and thermal transfer models in real device contexts.
A student stretches a rubber band.
The photographs show a rubber band before and after it has been stretched.
before
after
State which energy store increases in the rubber band after it has been stretched.
elastic (potential) / EPE;
State the main method of energy transfer when the rubber band is stretched.
mechanically/mechanical (working);
State the source of the energy transferred to the rubber band.
the person/the hand/the fingers;
allow chemical (energy of the student)
The photograph shows a toy car. When the toy car is pulled backwards, energy is stored in the elastic store as the rubber band is twisted.
When the car is released, some of the energy from the elastic store is transferred to the kinetic store of the car.
The remaining energy is transferred into the thermal store of the surroundings.
State what is meant by the principle of conservation of energy.
idea that energy can't be created or
destroyed;
both created and destroyed / eq need to be seen
ignore lost, removed for destroyed
The car is pulled backwards so that there is 165 J of energy in its elastic store.
When the car is released, this energy is transferred to the car's kinetic energy store with an efficiency of 15\%.
State the formula linking efficiency, useful energy output and total energy output.
efficiency = total (energy) output useful (energy) output ;
ignore ×100(\%)
allow rearrangements
allow total (energy) input for total (energy) output
Calculate the energy transferred into the thermal store of the surroundings.
energy transferred to thermal store = ............ J
- substitution
- rearrangement
- evaluation of useful energy output
- subtraction from total to find wasted energy output
Examples:
- 0.15 = Euseful / 165
- Euseful = 0.15 x 165
- Euseful = 25 J
- Ewasted = 165 - 25 = 140 J
Alternative:
- percentage wasted = 100 - 15 = 85
- 0.85 = Ewasted / 165
- Ewasted = 0.85 x 165
- Ewasted = 140 J
Accept:
- 24.75 J
- 140.25 J
Draw a labelled Sankey diagram for this energy transfer.
diagram to show standard single input with two output arrows;
input and output arrows labelled correctly;
scale approximately correct;
e.g.
arrows can be in any orientation e.g. both useful and wasted arrows
drawn horizontally
allow
elastic, input, total for initial arrow kinetic, useful (output) for narrower output thermal/heat, wasted (output) for wider output but apply ECF from (b)(ii)
allow ECF from (b)(ii)
judge by eye - wasted arrow should
be at least 4× wider than useful
arrow and they should sum to
approximately the width of the
input
A student uses this apparatus to investigate how the efficiency of an electric motor varies with its input voltage.
This is the student's method.
- connect the electric motor to a d.c. power supply and a joulemeter
- attach a 1.0 kg mass to the electric motor using a length of string
- set the voltage of the power supply to 10 V and switch on the power supply
- switch off the power supply when the mass has been lifted through a distance of 50 cm
- record the input energy to the motor from the joulemeter
- calculate the energy transferred to the gravitational store of the mass
- calculate the efficiency of the motor
The student repeats this process, setting the power supply to a different voltage each time.
The table shows the student's results.
Calculate the motor efficiency when the power supply is set to a voltage of 10 V.
efficiency = ............ %
Marking points:
- efficiency formula seen
- substitution
- evaluation
Example:
efficiency=total energy inputuseful energy output×100%efficiency=12.75×100%efficiency=39.4%
Accept:
- 39%
- 39.37…%
Ignore:
- significant figures
Reject:
- unsupported incorrect answer
The photograph shows a toy car. When the toy car is pulled backwards, energy is stored in the elastic store as the rubber band is twisted.
When the car is released, some of the energy from the elastic store is transferred to the kinetic store of the car.
The remaining energy is transferred into the thermal store of the surroundings.
The car is pulled backwards so that there is 165 J of energy in its elastic store.
When the car is released, this energy is transferred to the car's kinetic energy store with an efficiency of 15\%.
Draw a labelled Sankey diagram for this energy transfer.
diagram to show standard single input with two output arrows;
input and output arrows labelled correctly;
scale approximately correct;
e.g.
arrows can be in any orientation e.g. both useful and wasted arrows
drawn horizontally
allow
elastic, input, total for initial arrow kinetic, useful (output) for narrower output thermal/heat, wasted (output) for wider output but apply ECF from (b)(ii)
allow ECF from (b)(ii)
judge by eye - wasted arrow should
be at least 4× wider than useful
arrow and they should sum to
approximately the width of the
input
A student pours a known volume of hot water into a metal container. They place the metal container into an insulated plastic cup containing an equal volume of cold water.
The student uses temperature probes to measure the temperatures of both the water in the metal container and the water in the plastic cup.
The het water has an initial temperature of 70∘C and the cold water has an initial temperature of 5∘C.
Explain why the temperatures of the hot water and the cold water change.
You should refer to different types of thermal energy transfer in your answer.
any 4 from:
MP1. hot water loses energy / cold water gains energy;
MP2. (thermal) energy is transferred from hot to cold water;
MP3. by conduction (through the metal);
MP4. idea that energy transfer stops when thermal equilibrium is reached;
MP5. some (thermal) energy lost (to surroundings) by convection/evaporation/radiation;
MP6. little/no (thermal) energy is transferred out through the insulated plastic cup;
allow cold water gains heat from hot water
allow equivalent statements for thermal equilibrium e.g. same temperature
Hailstones are small pieces of ice that sometimes fall to the ground during storms.
Hailstones can be lifted to the top of clouds.
The diagram shows the movement of some hailstones in a cloud.
Suggest how hailstones are lifted to the top of the cloud by convection.
Any two from:
- warm air rises
- warm air expands
- warm air is less dense than cold air
- a convection current is formed
Accept:
- cloud for air
- air particles spread out
Reject:
- particles expand
The photograph shows infrared heating lamps being used to harden fresh paint on a car.
Paint takes less time to harden when it absorbs more energy from infrared radiation.
A technician observes that white paint takes more time to harden than black paint.
Explain this observation.
black is a better/good absorber (of infrared radiation);
idea that more energy/heat transferred to black car (in the same time);
allow RA e.g. white is a poor absorber allow white is a better/good reflector (of infrared radiation) allow RA e.g. less energy/heat transferred to white car allow black car warms up quicker
black car absorbs more energy/heat scores 2 marks
A student pours a known volume of hot water into a metal container. They place the metal container into an insulated plastic cup containing an equal volume of cold water.
The student uses temperature probes to measure the temperatures of both the water in the metal container and the water in the plastic cup.
The het water has an initial temperature of 70∘C and the cold water has an initial temperature of 5∘C.
On the axes, sketch how the temperature of the hot water and the temperature of the cold water vary with time.
line decreases from 70;
other line increases from 5;
both are correctly curved;
lines become asymptotic at an intermediate
temperature;
DOP
reject if intermediate
temperature closer to
70 than 5
A student pours a known volume of hot water into a metal container. They place the metal container into an insulated plastic cup containing an equal volume of cold water.
The student uses temperature probes to measure the temperatures of both the water in the metal container and the water in the plastic cup.
The het water has an initial temperature of 70∘C and the cold water has an initial temperature of 5∘C.
Explain how placing a lid on the plastic cup would affect the results.
(energy transfer by) convection/radiation decreases;
idea that equilibrium temperature will be higher;
idea that time taken to cool (to room temperature) will be longer;
allow reference to
evaporation
condone no change to
intermediate
temperatures