10.

THERMAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

1. Which of the following quantities , along with specific heat, must be determined 1
so that the thermal capacity of a body can be calculated ?
(a) Emissivity (b) Latent heat (c) Mass (d) Temperature ANS : (c)

2. At 0⸰C a body emits 1

(a) no radiation (b) only visible light
(c) only microwave radiation (d) radiations of all wavelengths ANS : (d)

3. Water at 4⸰C has 1

⸰
(a) minimum mass per unit volume (b) specific heat 1 cal /g / C
(c) minimum volume per unit mass (d) maximum volume per unit mass
ANS : (c)

4. Which of the following process does not occur through convection ? 1

(a) Boiling of water (b) Heating of light bulb through filament
(c) Circulation of air around furnace (d) Land breeze /Sea breeze ANS. (b)

5. Two sides A & B of a heat – conducting slab are at temperatures T1 & T2

respectively , with heat flowing from A to B. If the temperature of side A is
doubled , to keep the amount of heat conducted unchanged , the temperature of
side B should be
(a) T1 + T2 (b) 2 T2 (c) T1 - T2 (d) 2T1 - T2 ANS. (a)

6. According to Wien’s law, the wavelength corresponding to the maximum energy 1

in thermal black body radiation is proportional to
(a) T4 (b) T (c) 1/T (d) 1/ T4 ANS. (c)

7. The temperature of a metal ball is raised . Which on of the following will 1

undergo the largest percentage increase ?
(a) mass (b) radius (c) surface area (d) volume ANS. (d)

8. Heat Q flows through two rods of same material , same length & area of cross 1
– section in 12 minute when joined along their length . If the rods are joined
parallel to each other , the same amount of heat will flow in
(a) 24 minute (b) 3 minute (c) 12 minute (d) 6 minute ANS. (b)
9. A bimetallic strip is made of aluminium & steel ( αAl > αsteel ). On heating , the 1
strip will
(a) remain straight (b) get twisted
(c) bend with aluminium on the concave side
(d) bend with steel on the concave side ANS. (d)

10. If m mass of a substance undergoes a phase change , then the amount of heat 1
required will be
(a) ∆Q = m L (b) ∆Q = m s ∆T
(c) ∆Q = m CP ∆T (d) ∆Q = m Cv ∆T ANS. (a)

11. When temperature of water is raised from 0°C to 4°C , it 1

(a) expands (b) contracts
(c) expands upto 2°C & then contracts upto 4 °C
(d) contracts upto 2°C & then expands upto 4 °C ANS. (b)

12. A block of ice at – 10°C is slowly heated & converted to steam at 100°C . 1
Which of the following curves represents the phenomenon qualitatively ?

(a) (b) (c) (d)

ANS. (a)
13. Which mode of transfer of heat depends on gravity ? 1
(a) Conduction (b) Convection (c) Radiation (d) all of these ANS. (b)

14. The quantity of heat , required to change a unit mass of a substance from solid 1
state to liquid state at constant temperature, is known as
(a) latent heat (b) sublimation (c) hoar frost (d) latent heat of fusion
ANS. (d)
15. Heat travels through vacuum by 1
(a) conduction (b) convection
(c) radiation (d) both conduction & convection ANS. (c)

16. A black body , at temperature 300 K , emits energy at a rate proportional to 1

(a) 300 (b) 3002 (c) 3003 (d) 3004 ANS. (d)
17. Unit of Stefan’s constant is 1
(a) W m2 K4 (b) W m2 K – 4 (c) W m –2
K –1
(d) W m –2
K –4

ANS. (d)

18. If λm denotes the wavelength at which the radiative emission from a black body 1
at temperature T K is maximum, then
(a) λm ∞ T4 (b) λm ∞ T (c) λm ∞ 1/T (d) λm ∞ 1/ T4 ANS. (c)

Assertion – Reason :
In the following questions, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed by a
statement of Reason (R) . Mark the correct choice as
(a) Both A & R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A & R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A & R are false

19. Assertion (A) : Snow is a better insulator than ice . 1

Reason (R) : Snow contains air pockets. ANS. (a)

20. Assertion (A) : Heat from the sun reaches the earth by convection . 1
Reason (R) : Air can be heated only by convection. ANS. (d)

21. Assertion (A) : A sweater keeps people warm but can keep ice cold. 1
Reason (R) : Bad conductors do not allow flow of heat . ANS. (a)

22. Assertion (A) : A piece of ice , with a stone frozen inside it , floats on water in a 1
beaker. When the ice melts , the level of water in the beaker
decreases .
Reason (R) : Density of ice is less than that of water. ANS. (a)

23. Assertion (A) : When hot water is poured in a beaker of thick glass , the beaker 1
cracks .
Reason (R) : Outer surface of the beaker expands suddenly. ANS. (c)

24. Assertion (A) : Two thermometers , one with a spherical bulb & the other with 1
a cylindrical bulb , have equal amount of mercury. The
response of the cylindrical bulb thermometer will be quicker
Reason (R) : Mercury is a good conductor of heat. ANS. (b)

Answer the following :

25. How does a pressure cooker reduce cooking time for food ? 2
ANS :
A pressure cooker increases the boiling point of water involved in cooking with
the help of increased pressure.

26. Why is the nature of a graph plotted, between temperature in °C on x – axis & 2
in °F on y – axis a straight line which intercepts the + ve y – axis ? What is the
value of the intercept ?
ANS :
27. On a cold morning , a metal surface will feel colder to touch than a wooden 2
surface . Why ?
ANS :
This is because metal has a high thermal conductivity which allows transfer of
heat the metal surface.

28. On observing light from three different stars P, Q & R, it was found that 3
intensity of violet colour is maximum in the spectrum of P, the intensity of green
colour is maximum in the spectrum of R & the intensity of red colour is
maximum in the spectrum of Q. If TP ,TQ & TR are the respective absolute
temperature of P , Q & R, then what can be concluded regarding the
temperatures from the above observations ? State the relevant law to justify.
ANS:
TP > TR > TQ , Statement of Wein’s Displacement law

29. Two rods of the same metal, same length & cross – sectional area – one has a 3
square cross – section , the other a circular cross – section. One end of each rod
is immersed in steam . After reaching steady state , the other end of the circular
rod is hotter as compared to the square rod – why ?
ANS :
Exposed surface area of circular rod is lesser than square rod – less loss of heat
due to radiation – feels hotter. [ for the same area – a circle has the least
perimeter]

Numerical Problems :
30. How much heat is liberated when 100 g of copper in a vessel is cooled from 2
100°C to 50°C ? (Specific heat capacity of copper = 385 J kg−1 °C −1)
ANS :
∆Q = m sCu∆T = (0.01kg) x (385 J kg−1 °C −1) x (50 – 100 ) °C = - 1925 J

31. Two bodies of specific heats S1 & S2 ,having same heat capacities , are 2
combined to form a single composite body. What is the specific heat of the
composite body ?
ANS :
same heat capacity => m1S1 = m2S2 => m2 = m1(S1/S2)
(m1 + m2) S = (m1S1 + m2S2) =>S = 2 m1S1/(m1 + m2) = 2 S1S2 / (S1 + S2)

32. What space must be left between two iron rails 20m long so as to allow for 2
expansion up to 40°C ? The rails are laid at 15°C & coefficient of linear
expansion for iron is 0.000012/°C
ANS :
∆L = L0 α ∆T = 20 x 12 x 10 – 6 x ( 40 – 15 ) = 6 x 10 – 3m
[ expansion happens at both ends of each rail ]

33. A solid material is supplied with heat at a constant rate. The temperature of the 3
material is changing with the heat input as shown in the graph in figure. Study
 the graph carefully and answer the following questions:

(a) What is represented by AB and CD?

(b) If CD = 2AB, what conclusion can be drawn?
(c) What does the slope of DE represent?
(d) The slope of OA is greater than the slope of BC. What does this indicate?
ANS :
(a) AB ,CD represent change of state – no change in temperature even
though heat is supplied - AB (solid to liquid ), CD ( liquid to vapour)
(b) Latent heat of vaporisation =2 x Latent heat of fusion
(c) Slope of DE = reciprocal of thermal capacity in vapour state
(d) Specific heat in liquid state > Specific heat in solid state for the material

34. Two vessels , A & B of different materials but identical shape, size , wall 3
thickness are filled with ice & kept at the same place. Ice melts at the rate of
100 g/min in A & 150 g/min in B . Assuming that heat enters the vessels
through the walls only, calculate the ratio of thermal conductivities of their
materials.
ANS :
Let m1 & m2 be the masses of ice melt in the same time interval in A & B
respectively => amount of heat flowing in the vessels are
QA = K1A(T1 – T2)t/ x = m1L,
QB = K2 A(T1 – T2)t/ x = m2L [ x = wall thickness]
=> K1/ K2 = m1/ m2 = 100/150 = 2 : 3

35. When 0.15 kg of ice at 0°C is mixed with 0.30kg of water at 50°Cin a container, 3
the resulting temperature is 6.7°C. Calculate the latent heat of fusion of ice.
[ swater = 4186 J/Kg/°C]
ANS :
Heat lost by water = Heat used to melt ice + Heat used to raise temp. of
ice – water => 0.30 x 4186 x (50 – 6.7) = 0.15 Lf + 0.15x 4186 x (6.7 – 0)
=> 54376.14 = 0.15 Lf + 4206.93 => Lf = 3.34 x 105 J/Kg

36. Write the mathematical expressions for the coefficient for linear expansion(α), 5
area expansion(β) as well as that for volume expansion (Υ) for a solid substance.
Derive a relation between these three coefficients.

Case – Study based questions

The different modes of transfer of heat are conduction , convection & radiation.
In conduction , heat flows from higher to lower temperature of a body without
any flow of matter, as shown in the diagram.
 The constant K is known as the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the
material . Thermal conductivities of metals are greater than non – metals. Gases
are poor thermal conductors.

37. The unit of thermal conductivity is 1

(a) W m-1 K-1 (b) J K-1 (c) W m K (d) J K ANS : (a)

38. On a cold morning, a metal door knob feels colder to touch than the wooden
door (even though they are at the same temperature) because
(a) Metal has high specific heat (b) Metal has high thermal conductivity
(c) Metal has low specific heat (d) Metal has low thermal conductivity
ANS : (b)
39. Two rods , with equal length & cross – sectional area , having thermal 1
conductivity in the ratio of 5 : 3 , are joined end to end. If the temperature of the
free end of the first rod is 100 °C & that of the second rod is 20 °C, then the
temperature of the junction is
(a) 50 °C (b) 70 °C (3) 60 °C (d) 90°C
ANS : (b)
Q1 /t = Q2 /t => K1A (T1 – T ) /d = K A (T1 – T ) /d => 5(100 – T) = 3(T – 20)
=> 8T = 560 => T = 70 °C

40. A body of length 1m , with cross – sectional area 0.75 m2 , has heat flow through 1
it at the rate of 6000 J/s. If K = 200J m-2 K-1, then the temperature difference
across the ends of the body is
(a) 20 °C (b) 40°C (c) 80°C (d) 100°C
ANS : (b)
Q/t = K A ∆T/x => 6000 = 200 x 0.75 x ∆T/1 => ∆T = 40°C

41. In an earth satellite, the transfer of heat by convection is not possible because 1
(a) there’s no atmosphere (b) of weightlessness
(c) both (a) & (b) (d) neither (a) nor (b) ANS : (b)