B1 [160 marks]

1. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1A.SL.TZ0.27

The electromagnetic spectrum radiated by a black body at
temperature T shows a peak at wavelength λp.

What is the variation of λp with T?

inverse

[1]

2. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1A.SL.TZ0.29

When heating a metal rod at one end, thermal energy is transferred
along the rod.
 [1]
Which statement explains this transfer?

A. Free electrons transfer kinetic energy to the ions in the metal

B. Intermolecular potential energy increases throughout the metal

C. Intermolecular potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy

D. Ions in the metal radiate energy in all directions

3. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1A.SL.TZ0.30

Planet X and planet Y both emit radiation as black bodies. Planet Y
has twice the surface temperature and one third of the radius of planet
X.

power radiated by planet X

What is power radiated by planet Y
?

9
A. 16

3
B. 4

C. 4

16
D. 9
 [1]

4. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1A.SL.TZ0.8

A block of glass of mass 5 kg and temperature 30°C is brought into
contact with a block of asphalt of mass 20 kg and temperature 75°C.
The specific heat capacity of asphalt is twice that of glass. No energy is
transferred to the surroundings. What is the final temperature of both
blocks?

A. 35°C

B. 45°C

C. 60°C

D. 70°C [1]

5. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1A.SL.TZ0.9

A solid mass gains energy at a constant rate until it reaches its liquid
phase. The specific heat capacity in the solid phase is greater than in
the liquid phase.

Which graph shows how the temperature of the mass varies with time?
 [1]

6. [Maximum mark: 1] 22M.1A.SL.TZ1.10

A driver uses the brakes on a car to descend a hill at constant speed.
What is correct about the internal energy of the brake discs?

A. The internal energy increases.

B. The internal energy decreases.

C. There is no change in the internal energy.

D. The internal energy is zero. [1]

7. [Maximum mark: 1] 22M.1A.SL.TZ1.11

Two blocks, X and Y, are placed in contact with each other. Data for the
blocks are provided.
 X has a mass m. What is the mass of Y?

A. m

4
[1]
B. m

C. 4m

D. 6m

8. [Maximum mark: 1] 22M.1A.SL.TZ1.14

A light source of power P is observed from a distance d. The power of
the source is then halved.

At what distance from the source will the intensity be the same as
before?

A.
d

√2

B.
d

C.
d

d
D. 8
[1]

9. [Maximum mark: 1] 22M.1A.SL.TZ2.11

 Water at room temperature is placed in a freezer. The specific heat
capacity of water is twice the specific heat capacity of ice. Assume that
thermal energy is transferred from the water at a constant rate.

Which graph shows the variation with time of the temperature of the
water?

[1]

10. [Maximum mark: 1] 22M.1A.SL.TZ2.13

System X is at a temperature of 40 °C. Thermal energy is provided to
system X until it reaches a temperature of 50 °C. System Y is at a
temperature of 283 K. Thermal energy is provided to system Y until it
reaches a temperature of 293 K.

What is the difference in the thermal energy provided to both systems?

A. Zero

B. Larger for X

C. Larger for Y

D. Cannot be determined with the data given [1]

11. [Maximum mark: 1] 21N.1A.SL.TZ0.9
An insulated container of negligible mass contains a mass 2M of a
liquid. A piece of a metal of mass M is dropped into the liquid. The
temperature of the liquid increases by 10 °C and the temperature of the
metal decreases by 80 °C in the same time.

specif ic heat capacity of the liquid

What is specif ic heat capacity of the metal
?

A. 2

B. 4

C. 8

D. 16 [1]

12. [Maximum mark: 1] 21N.1A.SL.TZ0.10

A liquid is vaporized to a gas at a constant temperature.

Three quantities of the substance are the

I. total intermolecular potential energy

II. root mean square speed of the molecules
III. average distance between the molecules.

Which quantities are greater for the substance in the gas phase
compared to the liquid phase?

A. I and II only

B. I and III only

C. II and III only

D. I, II and III [1]

13. [Maximum mark: 1] 21N.1A.SL.TZ0.11
A mass m of a liquid of specific heat capacity c flows every second
through a heater of power P . What is the difference in temperature
between the liquid entering and leaving the heater?

A. mc

B. 273 +
mc

C.
P

mc

D. 273 +
P

mc
[1]

14. [Maximum mark: 1] 21M.1A.SL.TZ1.11

When 40 kJ of energy is transferred to a quantity of a liquid substance,
its temperature increases by 20 K. When 600 kJ of energy is transferred
to the same quantity of the liquid at its boiling temperature, it
vaporizes completely at constant temperature. What is

specif ic latent heat of vaporization

specif ic heat capacity of the liquid

for this substance?

A. 15 K−1

B. 15 K

C. 300 K−1

D. 300 K [1]

15. [Maximum mark: 1] 21M.1A.SL.TZ2.12

 A piece of metal at a temperature of 100 °C is dropped into an equal
mass of water at a temperature of 15 °C in a container of negligible
mass. The specific heat capacity of water is four times that of the metal.
What is the final temperature of the mixture?

A. 83 °C

B. 57 °C

C. 45 °C

D. 32 °C [1]

16. [Maximum mark: 1] 21M.1A.SL.TZ2.29

A black-body radiator emits a peak wavelength of λmax and a
maximum power of P0. The peak wavelength emitted by a second
black-body radiator with the same surface area is 2 λmax. What is the
total power of the second black-body radiator?

A. 1

16
P0

B. 1

2
P0

C. 2P0

D. 16P0 [1]

17. [Maximum mark: 1] 20N.1A.SL.TZ0.13

A bicycle of mass M comes to rest from speed v using the back brake.
The brake has a specific heat capacity of c and a mass m. Half of the
kinetic energy is absorbed by the brake.

What is the change in temperature of the brake?

2

A.
Mv

4mc
 2

B.
Mv

2mc

C.
mv

4M c

D.
mv

2M c
[1]

18. [Maximum mark: 1] 19N.1A.SL.TZ0.9

A mass m of water is at a temperature of 290 K. The specific heat
capacity of water is c. Ice, at its melting point, is added to the water to
reduce the water temperature to the freezing point. The specific latent
heat of fusion for ice is L. What is the minimum mass of ice that is
required?

A. 17mc

B. 290mc

C. 17mL

D. 290mL

c
[1]

19. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ1.10

Energy is transferred to water in a flask at a rate P. The water reaches
boiling point and then P is increased. What are the changes to the
temperature of the water and to the rate of vaporization of the water
after the change?
 [1]

20. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ1.11

An insulated tube is filled with a large number n of lead spheres, each
of mass m. The tube is inverted s times so that the spheres completely
fall through an average distance L each time. The temperature of the
spheres is measured before and after the inversions and the resultant
change in temperature is ΔT.

What is the specific heat capacity of lead?

 sgL
A. nmΔT

B.
sgL

ΔT

sgL
C. nΔT

gL
D. mΔT

[1]

21. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ1.12

Boiling water is heated in a 2 kW electric kettle. The initial mass of
water is 0.4 kg. Assume the specific latent heat of vaporization of water
is 2 MJ kg–1.

What is the time taken for all the water to vaporize?

A. 250 s

B. 400 s

C. 2500 s

D. 4000 s [1]

22. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ1.29

A beaker containing 1 kg of water at room temperature is heated on a
400 W hot plate. The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J kg–1 K–1.

The temperature of the water increases until it reaches a constant

value. It is then removed from the hot plate.

What will be the initial rate of change of temperature?

A. 10 K s–1
 B. 1 K s–1

C. 0.1 K s–1

D. 0.01 K s–1 [1]

23. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ2.12

A liquid of mass m and specific heat capacity c cools. The rate of change
of the temperature of the liquid is k. What is the rate at which thermal
energy is transferred from the liquid?

A. mc

B. k

mc

C. 1

kmc

D. kmc [1]

24. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ2.10

A substance changes from the solid phase to the gas phase without
becoming a liquid and without a change in temperature.

What is true about the internal energy of the substance and the total
intermolecular potential energy of the substance when this phase
change occurs?
 [1]

25. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ2.11

The temperature of a fixed mass of an ideal gas changes from 200 °C to
400 °C.

mean kinetic energy of gas at 200 °C

What is mean kinetic energy of gas at 400 °C
?

A. 0.50

B. 0.70

C. 1.4

D. 2.0 [1]

26. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ2.30

The orbital radius of the Earth around the Sun is 1.5 times that of Venus.
What is the intensity of solar radiation at the orbital radius of Venus?

A. 0.6 kW m-2

B. 0.9 kW m-2

C. 2 kW m-2

D. 3 kW m-2 [1]

27. [Maximum mark: 5] SPM.2.SL.TZ0.6

Small pieces of solid paraffin with a total mass of 30 g at a temperature of 42 °C
are mixed with 150 g of liquid paraffin at a temperature of 240 °C. The mixture is
stirred until an equilibrium temperature is reached.
 The following data for paraffin are available:

Specific heat capacity of solid paraffin = 0.7 kJ kg−1 K−1

Specific heat capacity of liquid paraffin = 2.13 kJ kg−1 K−1
Specific latent heat of fusion of paraffin = 220 kJ kg−1
Melting point of paraffin = 47 °C
(a) Calculate the theoretical equilibrium temperature of the
mixture. [3]

(b) When the experiment was carried out, the equilibrium

temperature of the mixture was found to be different from the
theoretical value.

Suggest the reason for this difference. [2]

28. [Maximum mark: 6] SPM.2.SL.TZ0.5

The star δ Vel A is a main sequence star that has a black-body spectrum as shown.

(a) Show that the surface temperature of δ Vel A is about 9000 K. [1]

(b) The apparent brightness of δ Vel A is 2.2 × 10−9 W m−2 and it is

6.2 × 1014 km from Earth.
 Estimate the radius of δ Vel A.
[3]

(c) The radius of the Sun, R⊙, is 7.0 × 105 km.

Sketch, on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, the position of δ

Vel A.

[2]

29. [Maximum mark: 6] SPM.2.HL.TZ0.8

Small pieces of solid paraffin with a total mass of 30 g at a temperature of 42 °C
are mixed with 150 g of liquid paraffin at a temperature of 240 °C. The mixture is
stirred until an equilibrium temperature is reached.

The following data for paraffin are available:

Specific heat capacity of solid paraffin = 0.7 kJ kg−1 K−1

Specific heat capacity of liquid paraffin = 2.13 kJ kg−1 K−1
 Specific latent heat of fusion of paraffin = 220 kJ kg−1
Melting point of paraffin = 47 °C
(a) Calculate the theoretical equilibrium temperature of the
mixture. (0.03x07x5)+(0.03x220)+0.03x2.13(T-47)= [3]
190 = 0.15 x 2.13 (240-T)
(b.i) When the experiment was carried out, the equilibrium
temperature of the mixture was found to be different from the
theoretical value. lost to the enviornment

Suggest the reason for this difference. [2]

(b.ii) The mixture was held in a large metal container during the
mixing.
insulate the container?

Explain one change to the procedure that will reduce the

difference in (b)(i). [1]

30. [Maximum mark: 8] EXE.2.SL.TZ0.3

A steel pot containing water is placed on an electric hot plate that is preheated
to a temperature of 180 °C. The initial temperature of the water in the pot is 10 °C.

The base of the pot has a surface area of 0.15 m2 and a thickness of 5.0 mm. The
coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material of the pot is 45 W m−1 K−1.

(a) Calculate:

(a.i) the initial temperature gradient through the base of the pot.
State an appropriate unit for your answer. [2]
 (a.ii) the initial rate, in kW, of thermal energy transfer by conduction
through the base of the pot. [1]

(b) The electrical power rating of the hot plate is 1 kW. Comment,
with reference to this value, on your answer in (a)(ii). [3]

(c) Describe how thermal energy is distributed throughout the

volume of the water in the pot. [2]

31. [Maximum mark: 6] EXE.2.SL.TZ0.4

A sealed bottle contains 0.50 kg of water at an initial temperature of 60 °C. The
bottle is made of glass of thickness 3.0 mm and thermal conductivity 0.90 W m−1
K−1.

(a) The temperature of the air outside of the bottle is 20 °C. The
surface area of the bottle is 4.0 × 10−2 m2. Calculate the initial
rate of thermal energy transfer by conduction through the
bottle. 120 [2]

(b) Explain why the rate calculated in part (a) is decreasing. [2]

(c) Estimate the initial rate of the change of the temperature of the
water in the bottle. State your answer in K s−1. The specific heat
capacity of water is 4200 J kg−1 K−1. [2]

32. [Maximum mark: 6] EXE.2.SL.TZ0.5

The ends of a vertical column of water are maintained at different temperatures
Tt and Tb both above the freezing point.
 Energy transfer by radiation in this arrangement is negligible.
(a) Discuss the mechanism that accounts for the greatest rate of
energy transfer when:

(a.i) Tt > Tb [2]

(a.ii) Tb > Tt [2]

(b) The liquid now freezes so that the vertical column is entirely of
ice. Suggest how your answer to (a)(ii) will change. [2]

33. [Maximum mark: 8] EXE.2.SL.TZ0.6

A rod is formed from two metal rods XY and YZ of identical dimensions. End X
and end Z are at different temperatures.
 (a) The side of the rod can be unlagged or ideally lagged. Explain
the difference in energy transfer for these two cases. [3]

(b) Rod XYZ is ideally lagged. The thermal conductivity of XY is k

and the thermal conductivity of YZ is 2k. End X is at 90 °C and
end Z is at 45 °C

(b.i) Calculate the temperature at Y. [3]

(b.ii) The temperatures are now reversed so that X is at 45 °C and Z is

at 90 °C. Show that the rate of energy transfer is unchanged. [2]

34. [Maximum mark: 7] 24M.2.SL.TZ1.102

An experiment is conducted to measure the specific heat capacity of water. A
mass of water is placed in a glass beaker and energy is transferred from an
electric heater.

The data collected are:

Mass of water = (0.250 ± 0.002) kg

 Change in temperature of the water = (14.0 ± 0.5) °C
Energy transferred from the electric heater = (16 000 ± 300) J
(a.i) Calculate the specific heat capacity of water. [1]

(a.ii) Determine the absolute uncertainty in the specific heat capacity

of water. [3]

(a.iii) Write down the specific heat capacity of water and its absolute
uncertainty to the appropriate number of significant figures. [1]

(b) Outline one source of systematic error in the experiment and its
effect on the calculated value of the specific heat capacity of
water. [2]

35. [Maximum mark: 6] 24M.2.SL.TZ2.2

Crushed ice of mass 35 g at temperature −10 °C is placed in a warm room. The
graph shows the variation of the temperature T of the ice with time t.

The specific heat capacity of ice is 2100 J kg−1 K−1.

 (a.i) Show that the average rate at which thermal energy is being
transferred into the ice is about 3 W. [2]

(a.ii) Estimate the specific latent heat of fusion of ice. [2]

(b) Between 4 minutes and 64 minutes solid ice and liquid water
coexist at 0 °C. Explain how the internal energy of solid ice
compares to that of an equal mass of liquid water. [2]

36. [Maximum mark: 11] 23N.2.SL.TZ1.3

An engineer designs an electric heater to melt ice from the rear window of a car.
The heater consists of a single thin metal wire made from a high-resistance alloy.
The horizontal parts of the wire are 0.60 m long and are separated by a vertical
distance of 0.030 m. The heater is designed for a 12 V supply and for an output
power of 150 W.

(a.i) Calculate the resistance of the heater when it is at its working

temperature. [1]

(a.ii) The total length of the metal wire is 5.0 m. Calculate the radius
of the wire.

Resistivity of the high-resistance alloy = 1.5×10−6 Ω m [3]

(b) The heater is used to clear a layer of ice from the window over an
area indicated by the dotted line on the diagram. The water that
 has melted immediately flows away from the heater. Determine
the minimum time required to melt the ice.

Thickness of ice layer = 0.50 mm

Initial temperature of ice = 0 °C

[3]
Density of ice = 900 kg m−3
Specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 0.336 MJ kg−1
(c) The battery of the car was almost discharged before turning on
the heater. Discuss how this is likely to affect your answer to (b). [2]

(c) Outline two reasons why it is important for scientists to research

effective solutions for energy storage using battery technology.

1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...........

.................................................................
...........

2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...........

...................................................................
......... [2]

37. [Maximum mark: 11] 23N.2.SL.TZ1.5

Ceres is a dwarf planet in the asteroid belt. The following data are available.

Mean distance of Ceres from the Sun = 4.4×10

11 m

Mean power output of the Sun = 3.8×10

26 W

(a.i) Determine the mean temperature of Ceres assuming that it acts

as a black-body radiator. [3]
 (a.ii) Ceres has a solid rocky core covered with solid ice. The mean
temperature is higher than your answer in (a)(i) because
radioactive nuclei in the centre of Ceres are decaying. Outline
how the energy from the radioactive decay reaches the surface. [2]

(b) At the mean temperature of Ceres water undergoes a phase

change directly from solid to gas.

(b.i) Compare the molecular conditions of the solid phase and the
gas phase at the same temperature. [3]

(b.ii) About 160 mol of water are released from the surface of Ceres
every second. The maximum surface temperature of Ceres is −
38 °C. The pressure of the gas immediately after release is 8.9 Pa.
Determine the volume of water vapour released every second
from the surface of Ceres. Assume that the conditions are
maintained when the gas is released. [3]

38. [Maximum mark: 11] 23N.2.SL.TZ1.101

A thermometer and an electrical heater are inserted into small holes in a solid
aluminium block.

The heater is turned on at time t = 0. The graph shows the variation of the
temperature θ of the block with time t.
(a.i) On the graph, draw the line of best-fit for the data. [1]

(a.ii) Estimate the initial temperature of the block. [1]

(b) Suggest why the temperature of the block approaches a

constant value. [2]

(c) When the temperature has reached a constant value the heater
is turned off. The graph shows the variation of the temperature
θ of the block with time t.
 [2]

Show that the initial rate of change of the temperature of the

block is approximately −4.0 K min−1.

(d) The power of the heater is 52 W. The mass of the block is 0.85 kg.
Determine the specific heat capacity of aluminium. [2]

(e) The percentage uncertainty in the rate of change in (c) is 4 %.

The percentage uncertainty in the power of the heater is 3 %
and that in the mass of the block is 1 %.

(e.i) Estimate the absolute uncertainty in the specific heat capacity

of aluminium. [2]

(e.ii) Write down the value of the specific heat capacity of

aluminium, its uncertainty and its unit. Give your answer to an
appropriate number of significant figures. [1]

39. [Maximum mark: 5] 23N.2.HL.TZ1.110

The diagram shows water coming out of a tap (faucet).
 (a) Water leaves the tap at an initial speed of 1.2 m s−1. Calculate
the speed of the water when it has fallen 0.20 m. [2]

(b) Explain why the diameter of the water stream decreases. [3]

40. [Maximum mark: 7] 23M.2.SL.TZ1.2

A solid piece of chocolate of mass 82 g is placed in a pan over fire. Thermal
energy is transferred to the chocolate at a constant rate. The graph shows the
variation with time t, of the temperature T of the chocolate. At 6.0 minutes all the
chocolate has melted.
 The specific heat capacity of solid chocolate is 1.6 × 103 J kg−1 K−1.
(a) Show that the average rate at which thermal energy is
transferred into the chocolate is about 15 W. [3]

(b) Estimate the specific latent heat of fusion of chocolate. [2]

(c) Compare the internal energy of the chocolate at t = 2 minutes

with that at t = 6 minutes. [2]

41. [Maximum mark: 11] 22N.2.SL.TZ0.2

A solar heating panel is placed on the roof of a house in order to heat water in a
storage tank. The rest of the roof is covered with tiles.

On a certain day, the intensity of the solar radiation that is incident

perpendicular to the surface of the panel is 680 W m−2.

The following data are available.

Mass of the water in the tank = 250 kg

Initial temperature of the water in the tank = 15 °C

Specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J kg−1 K−1

Overall efficiency of the heating system = 0.30

Albedo of the roof tiles = 0.20

Emissivity of the roof tiles = 0.97

There is an air space above the water in the storage tank with an opening to
the atmosphere. Assume that air behaves like an ideal gas.

The air space is always at constant atmospheric pressure and constant volume, as
the water level is kept constant. The air-space temperature and water
temperature are the same.

(a.i) Determine the minimum area of the solar heating panel

required to increase the temperature of all the water in the tank
to 30°C during a time of 1.0 hour. [3]

(a.ii) Estimate, in °C, the temperature of the roof tiles. [3]

(b.i) State one way in which a real gas differs from an ideal gas. [1]

(b.ii) The water is heated. Explain why the quantity of air in the
storage tank decreases. [2]
 (c) Another method of harnessing solar energy involves the use of
photovoltaic cells.

Outline one advantage of the output of a photovoltaic cell

compared to the output of a solar heating panel. [2]

42. [Maximum mark: 12] 22M.2.SL.TZ1.2

Cold milk enters a small sterilizing unit and flows over an electrical heating
element.

The temperature of the milk is raised from 11 °C to 84 °C. A mass of 55 g of milk

enters the sterilizing unit every second.

Specific heat capacity of milk = 3.9 kJ kg−1 K−1

The milk flows out through an insulated metal pipe. The pipe is at a
temperature of 84 °C. A small section of the insulation has been removed from
around the pipe.
 (a) Estimate the power input to the heating element. State an
appropriate unit for your answer. [2]

(b) Outline whether your answer to (a) is likely to overestimate or

underestimate the power input. [2]

(c) Discuss, with reference to the molecules in the liquid, the

difference between milk at 11 °C and milk at 84 °C. [2]

(d.i) State how energy is transferred from the inside of the metal
pipe to the outside of the metal pipe. [1]

(d.ii) The missing section of insulation is 0.56 m long and the external
radius of the pipe is 0.067 m. The emissivity of the pipe surface is
0.40. Determine the energy lost every second from the pipe
surface. Ignore any absorption of radiation by the pipe surface. [3]

(d.iii) Describe one other method by which significant amounts of

energy can be transferred from the pipe to the surroundings. [2]

43. [Maximum mark: 8] 20N.2.SL.TZ0.3

A sample of vegetable oil, initially in the liquid state, is placed in a freezer that
transfers thermal energy from the sample at a constant rate. The graph shows
how temperature T of the sample varies with time t.
The following data are available.

Mass of the sample = 0. 32 kg

Specific latent heat of fusion of the oil = 130 kJ kg

−1

Rate of thermal energy transfer = 15 W

(a(i)) Calculate the thermal energy transferred from the sample
during the first 30 minutes. [1]

(a(ii)) Estimate the specific heat capacity of the oil in its liquid phase.
State an appropriate unit for your answer. [2]

(b) The sample begins to freeze during the thermal energy transfer.
Explain, in terms of the molecular model of matter, why the
temperature of the sample remains constant during freezing. [3]

(c) Calculate the mass of the oil that remains unfrozen after 60
minutes. [2]

© International Baccalaureate Organization, 2024