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A student uses the apparatus in Figure 3 to determine the specific heat capacity of water - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 2 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 2
A student uses the apparatus in Figure 3 to determine the specific heat capacity of water. (i) State the measurements needed to calculate the specific heat capacity... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A student uses the apparatus in Figure 3 to determine the specific heat capacity of water - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 2 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
State the measurements needed to calculate the specific heat capacity of water.
Answer
To calculate the specific heat capacity of water, the following measurements are necessary:
- Mass of water - This determines the amount of substance being heated.
- Temperature change - The initial and final temperatures of the water must be measured to find the difference.
- Energy supplied - The total energy supplied to the water, as measured by the joulemeter, is essential to calculate the heat capacity.
Step 2
State two ways that the apparatus could be adapted to improve the procedure.
Answer
- Add a lid or cover - This would reduce heat loss to the environment and maintain a more consistent temperature.
- Use insulation or lagging - Insulating the polystyrene cup can minimize heat exchange with the surroundings, improving measurement accuracy.
Step 3
Step 4
Calculate the thermal energy needed to melt the ice.
Answer
To calculate the thermal energy required to melt the ice, we use the formula:
where:
m = 0.38 ext{ kg (mass of ice)}
L = 3.34 imes 10^5 ext{ J/kg (latent heat of fusion of ice)}
Thus, substituting in the values:
Therefore, the thermal energy needed to melt the ice is 1.27 × 10⁵ J.