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Questions on Temperature and Thermal Expansion, the kind your examinations ask. Solve one on paper. Then tell the book how it went. The book believes you, and it uses your answer to plan your revision.

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Temperature Scales and Thermometers

22 questions · after Lesson 3, How Thermometers Work

Scales and conversions

Q1
The ice point and the steam point are \(0^\circ\)C and \(100^\circ\)C, \(32^\circ\)F and \(212^\circ\)F. Take the ice point as \(273\) K throughout this sheet.
  1. Write the relation between a Celsius reading \(C\), a Fahrenheit reading \(F\) and a Kelvin reading \(T\).
  2. Convert \(40^\circ\)C to \(^\circ\)F and to K.
  3. Convert \(77^\circ\)F to \(^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q2
The temperature of a room rises by \(20^\circ\)C. Write this rise in kelvin and in Fahrenheit degrees. Why is a temperature difference the same number in \(^\circ\)C and in K?
How did it go?
Q3
Find the temperature at which the Celsius and Fahrenheit readings are equal. Find the Celsius temperature at which the Fahrenheit reading is twice the Celsius reading.
How did it go?
Q4
Absolute zero is \(-273.15^\circ\)C. Write absolute zero in \(^\circ\)F. Why does the Kelvin scale have no negative temperatures?
How did it go?
Q5
Normal body temperature is \(98.6^\circ\)F. Write this temperature in \(^\circ\)C and in K.
How did it go?

Arbitrary and faulty thermometers

Q6
A new scale \(X\) marks the ice point as \(20^\circ\)X and the steam point as \(220^\circ\)X.
  1. Find the reading on the \(X\) scale at \(50^\circ\)C.
  2. Find the Celsius temperature when the \(X\) scale reads \(65^\circ\)X.
  3. How many Celsius degrees make one degree on the \(X\) scale?
How did it go?
Q7
The graph shows the reading \(X\) of a thermometer with an arbitrary scale against the Celsius temperature \(t\).
  1. Read the ice point and the steam point on the \(X\) scale.
  2. Write \(X\) in terms of \(t\).
  3. Find the temperature at which \(X\) and \(t\) are equal.
Reading X on an arbitrary scale plotted against Celsius temperature: a straight line from (0, 10) to (100, 210)
How did it go?
Q8
The faulty thermometer in the figure reads \(5^\circ\)C in melting ice and \(95^\circ\)C in steam.
  1. Find the true temperature when this thermometer reads \(59^\circ\)C.
  2. Find its reading when the true temperature is \(20^\circ\)C.
  3. At which temperature does this thermometer read correctly?
A faulty thermometer whose scale reads 5 in melting ice and 95 in steam
How did it go?
Q9
Another faulty thermometer reads \(-2^\circ\)C in melting ice and \(103^\circ\)C in steam.
  1. Find its reading when the true temperature is \(60^\circ\)C.
  2. At which true temperature does it read correctly?
How did it go?
Q10
Scale \(A\) has fixed points \(30^\circ\)A and \(90^\circ\)A. Scale \(B\) has fixed points \(-10^\circ\)B and \(110^\circ\)B. Write \(B\) in terms of \(A\). Find the reading on \(B\) when \(A\) reads \(60^\circ\)A.
How did it go?
Q11
The Reaumur scale marks the ice point as \(0^\circ\)R and the steam point as \(80^\circ\)R. Convert \(60^\circ\)R to \(^\circ\)C and to \(^\circ\)F.
How did it go?

Thermometers

Q12
In a constant-volume gas thermometer, which quantity is kept fixed and which is measured? Write the relation between the temperature \(T\) and the pressure \(P\). The pressure is \(60\) cm of mercury at the ice point and \(80\) cm of mercury in a hot bath. Find the bath temperature in K and in \(^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q13
The graph shows the pressure of a fixed volume of gas against temperature for three different gases.
  1. What do the three lines have in common? What is the temperature at this point called?
  2. The pressure of one gas is \(P_0\) at \(0^\circ\)C and \(1.366P_0\) at \(100^\circ\)C. Use these values to find the temperature at which the pressure would fall to zero.
Pressure of a fixed volume of gas against Celsius temperature for three gases; the lines extrapolate to -273 degrees C
How did it go?
Q14
The resistance of a platinum wire is \(10\ \Omega\) at the ice point and \(14\ \Omega\) at the steam point.
  1. Write the formula that gives the temperature \(t\) from the resistance \(R_t\).
  2. Find the temperature when the resistance is \(12.4\ \Omega\).
  3. Find the temperature coefficient of resistance \(\alpha\), defined by \(R_t = R_0(1 + \alpha t)\).
How did it go?
Q15
The graph shows the resistance \(R\) of a platinum wire against the Celsius temperature \(t\).
  1. Read \(R_0\) and \(R_{100}\) from the graph.
  2. Find the temperature coefficient \(\alpha\).
  3. Find the temperature at which the resistance is \(6.5\ \Omega\).
Resistance of a platinum wire against Celsius temperature: a straight line from 5 ohm at 0 to 7 ohm at 100
How did it go?
Q16
The figure shows a constant-volume gas thermometer. The right limb of the manometer is open to the air at pressure \(P_0\).
  1. How is the volume of the gas kept constant when the bulb is heated?
  2. Write the pressure of the gas in terms of \(P_0\), the height \(h\) and the density \(\rho\) of mercury.
  3. Why is the gas thermometer chosen as the standard thermometer?
A constant-volume gas thermometer: gas bulb, capillary and mercury manometer with a fixed mark A
How did it go?
Q17
The modern scale uses one fixed point, the triple point of water at \(273.16\) K, and \(T = 273.16\,\frac{P}{P_{tr}}\). The pressure in a gas thermometer is twice its triple-point value. Find \(T\). Why is the triple point a better fixed point than the ice point?
How did it go?
Q18
Name the thermometric property used in each thermometer.
  1. mercury-in-glass,
  2. constant-volume gas,
  3. platinum resistance,
  4. thermocouple.
What must be true of a property before it can be used to measure temperature?
How did it go?

Small situations

Q19
In a mercury thermometer the mercury column is \(2\) cm long in melting ice and \(22\) cm long in steam. Find the temperature when the column is \(8\) cm long. Find the length of the column at \(45^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q20
Write \(27^\circ\)C and \(-73^\circ\)C in kelvin and find the ratio of the two absolute temperatures. Is the ratio of the two Celsius readings meaningful? Give the reason.
How did it go?
Q21
An oven is heated from \(20^\circ\)C to \(200^\circ\)C. Find the rise in temperature in K and in \(^\circ\)F. Find the final temperature in \(^\circ\)F.
How did it go?
Q22
Mercury freezes at \(-39^\circ\)C and boils at \(357^\circ\)C. Why can a mercury thermometer measure neither \(-50^\circ\)C nor \(400^\circ\)C? Suggest one thermometer for each of these temperatures.
How did it go?

Linear, Areal and Volume Expansion

22 questions · after Lesson 5, Liquids, Density and the Strange Case of Water

Linear expansion

Q23
Define the coefficient of linear expansion \(\alpha\) and write the formula for the change in length \(\Delta L\) of a rod. A steel rod (\(\alpha = 1.2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) is \(2\) m long at \(20^\circ\)C. Find its change in length when it is heated to \(70^\circ\)C. Write the unit and the dimensions of \(\alpha\).
How did it go?
Q24
Railway rails are \(20\) m long and are laid at \(10^\circ\)C. The temperature can rise to \(50^\circ\)C. Find the gap that must be left between two rails. Take \(\alpha = 1.2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C. What happens if no gap is left?
How did it go?
Q25
A brass rod (\(\alpha = 2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) is heated by \(100^\circ\)C. Find the fractional change in its length and express it as a percentage. Does this fraction depend on the length of the rod?
How did it go?
Q26
The graph shows the length \(L\) of a metal rod against its temperature \(t\).
  1. Read the length at \(0^\circ\)C and at \(100^\circ\)C.
  2. Find \(\alpha\) for the metal.
  3. Find the length of the rod at \(250^\circ\)C.
Length of a rod against temperature: a straight line from 100.0 cm at 0 to 100.2 cm at 100 degrees C
How did it go?
Q27
A steel rod (\(\alpha = 1.2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) is longer than a brass rod (\(\alpha = 1.8 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) by \(10\) cm at every temperature. Find the length of each rod.
How did it go?

Areal and volume expansion

Q28
A square plate of side \(a\) is heated by \(\Delta T\). Show that the coefficient of areal expansion is \(\beta = 2\alpha\). State the corresponding result for the coefficient of volume expansion \(\gamma\) of a cube.
How did it go?
Q29
A brass plate (\(\alpha = 2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) has an area of \(0.5\) m\(^2\). Find the increase in its area when it is heated by \(100^\circ\)C. Give the answer in cm\(^2\).
How did it go?
Q30
A metal cube (\(\alpha = 2.5 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) has sides of \(10\) cm. It is heated by \(200^\circ\)C. Find the increase in its volume and its new volume.
How did it go?
Q31
A crystal expands differently along its three axes, with coefficients \(\alpha_x\), \(\alpha_y\) and \(\alpha_z\).
  1. Show that its coefficient of volume expansion is \(\gamma = \alpha_x + \alpha_y + \alpha_z\).
  2. For \(\alpha_x = 1 \times 10^{-5}\), \(\alpha_y = 2 \times 10^{-5}\) and \(\alpha_z = 3 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C, find \(\gamma\) and the areal coefficient \(\beta\) of the face in the \(xy\) plane.
How did it go?

Cavities

Q32
A square brass plate of side \(a = 10\) cm has a circular hole of diameter \(d = 2\) cm. The plate is heated by \(100^\circ\)C. Take \(\alpha = 2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C.
  1. Does the hole become larger or smaller? Give the reason.
  2. Find the change in the diameter of the hole, in mm.
  3. Find the percentage change in the area of the hole.
A square plate with a circular hole, cold and hot; the hole grows with the plate
How did it go?
Q33
An iron ring (\(\alpha = 1.25 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) has an inner diameter \(d = 10.00\) cm at \(20^\circ\)C. It must be fitted over a shaft of diameter \(D = 10.01\) cm.
  1. By how much must the inner diameter grow?
  2. Find the temperature to which the ring must be heated.
  3. What happens when the ring cools on the shaft?
An iron ring of inner diameter d beside a steel shaft of slightly larger diameter D
How did it go?
Q34
A glass flask (\(\alpha = 8 \times 10^{-6}\) per \(^\circ\)C) holds exactly \(1000\) cm\(^3\) at \(0^\circ\)C. Does the cavity expand like solid glass when the flask is heated? Find the volume of the flask at \(100^\circ\)C.
How did it go?

Density

Q35
A body of density \(\rho\) and volume expansion coefficient \(\gamma\) is heated by \(\Delta T\). Show that its new density is \(\rho' = \frac{\rho}{1 + \gamma\Delta T} \approx \rho(1 - \gamma\Delta T)\). A liquid of density \(1000\) kg/m\(^3\) and \(\gamma = 5 \times 10^{-4}\) per \(^\circ\)C is heated by \(20^\circ\)C. Find its new density.
How did it go?

Anomalous expansion of water

Q36
The graph shows the volume of \(1\) g of water between \(0^\circ\)C and \(10^\circ\)C.
  1. At which temperature is the volume least? At which temperature is the density greatest?
  2. Between \(0^\circ\)C and \(4^\circ\)C, does water expand or contract when heated? What is the sign of \(\gamma\) there?
  3. Read the density of water at \(4^\circ\)C from the graph.
Volume of 1 g of water against temperature from 0 to 10 degrees C, with a minimum at 4 degrees C
How did it go?
Q37
The figure shows a lake in winter.
  1. Why is the water at the bottom at \(4^\circ\)C and not colder?
  2. Why does the lake freeze from the top and not from the bottom?
  3. Why does the ice float on the water?
Cross-section of a frozen lake: ice on top, water at 0 to 4 degrees C below, fish at the bottom
How did it go?
Q38
A thermometer is made with water instead of mercury. Why would its readings between \(0^\circ\)C and \(8^\circ\)C be useless?
How did it go?
Q39
A sealed steel bottle is completely full of water at \(4^\circ\)C. It is cooled to \(0^\circ\)C. What happens to the water and to the bottle? Give the reason.
How did it go?

Small situations

Q40
A steel metre scale (\(\alpha = 1.2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) is correct at \(20^\circ\)C. At \(40^\circ\)C it reads \(100\) cm for a rod. Is the true length of the rod more or less than \(100\) cm? Find the true length.
How did it go?
Q41
A steel tank (\(\alpha = 1.2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) has a volume of \(2\) m\(^3\) at \(20^\circ\)C. Find the increase in its volume, in litres, when it is heated to \(70^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q42
A copper wire (\(\alpha = 1.7 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) is \(5\) m long on a hot day at \(40^\circ\)C. Find its length on a cold night at \(0^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q43
Two rods have lengths in the ratio \(1 : 2\) and coefficients of linear expansion in the ratio \(2 : 1\). Both are heated by the same \(\Delta T\). Find the ratio of their increases in length.
How did it go?
Q44
A glass jar (\(\alpha = 8 \times 10^{-6}\) per \(^\circ\)C) has a tight aluminium lid (\(\alpha = 2.4 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C). Both are warmed in hot water. Does the lid become looser or tighter? Give the reason.
How did it go?

Expansion of Liquids and Mechanical Applications

22 questions · after Lesson 6, Expansion at Work

Apparent expansion of liquids

Q45
A liquid is heated in a vessel. Define its real expansion and its apparent expansion. Write the relation between \(\gamma_{real}\), \(\gamma_{app}\) and \(\gamma_{vessel}\). Why is the apparent expansion smaller than the real expansion?
How did it go?
Q46
A glass flask is filled with a liquid up to a mark on its neck and heated from below. The level first falls below the mark and then rises above it.
  1. Why does the level fall at first?
  2. Why does the level rise later?
  3. What would be seen if the liquid and the glass had the same \(\gamma\)?
A glass flask full of liquid to a mark on its neck, heated from below; the level first dips, then rises
How did it go?
Q47
For mercury \(\gamma = 1.8 \times 10^{-4}\) per \(^\circ\)C, and for glass \(\alpha = 8 \times 10^{-6}\) per \(^\circ\)C.
  1. Find \(\gamma\) for glass.
  2. Find the apparent expansion coefficient of mercury in glass.
  3. A glass flask is full of \(500\) cm\(^3\) of mercury. Find the volume that overflows when the flask is heated by \(100^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q48
A glass vessel (\(\gamma = 2.4 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) is full of \(1000\) cm\(^3\) of a liquid. When the vessel is heated by \(20^\circ\)C, \(3.52\) cm\(^3\) of the liquid overflows. Find the apparent and the real expansion coefficients of the liquid.
How did it go?
Q49
A liquid with \(\gamma = 7.5 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C fills a metal vessel with \(\alpha = 2.5 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C. What is seen when the vessel is heated? Give the reason.
How did it go?
Q50
A glass vessel (\(\gamma_v = 2.4 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) of volume \(1000\) cm\(^3\) is partly filled with a liquid (\(\gamma_l = 2.4 \times 10^{-4}\) per \(^\circ\)C). Find the volume of liquid for which the empty space above the liquid stays the same at every temperature.
How did it go?

Bimetallic strip

Q51
The figure shows a strip of brass (\(\alpha = 2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) fixed to a strip of steel (\(\alpha = 1.2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C).
  1. When the strip is heated, which metal lies on the outside of the bend? Give the reason.
  2. Which way does the strip bend when it is cooled below room temperature?
  3. Name two uses of a bimetallic strip.
A bimetallic strip of brass over steel, straight when cold and bent into an arc when hot
How did it go?
Q52
Two strips, each of thickness \(d\), are joined to make a bimetallic strip. When heated by \(\Delta T\) it bends into an arc of radius \(R\) and angle \(\theta\). Show that \(R = \frac{d}{(\alpha_1 - \alpha_2)\Delta T}\). Take the arc lengths of the two centre lines as \((R + \frac{d}{2})\theta\) and \((R - \frac{d}{2})\theta\).
How did it go?
Q53
The strip of Question 7 has \(d = 1\) mm and is heated by \(100^\circ\)C. Find the radius of the bend. What is the radius if the rise in temperature is doubled?
How did it go?
Q54
The figure shows a thermostat. The strip, steel above brass, rests on a contact and completes the heater circuit.
  1. Which way does the strip bend when the room becomes hot? Give the reason.
  2. What happens to the heater?
  3. What happens when the room cools again?
A bimetallic thermostat: the strip, steel above brass, is fixed at the left and rests on a contact in series with a heater
How did it go?

Pendulum clock

Q55
The time period of a simple pendulum is \(T = 2\pi\sqrt{L/g}\). The rod of length \(L\) has a coefficient of expansion \(\alpha\). Show that a temperature rise \(\Delta\theta\) changes the period by the fraction \(\frac{\Delta T}{T} = \frac{1}{2}\alpha\,\Delta\theta\).
How did it go?
Q56
A pendulum clock with a brass rod (\(\alpha = 2 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C) keeps correct time at \(20^\circ\)C. Find the fractional change in its period at \(30^\circ\)C. Does the clock run fast or slow at \(30^\circ\)C? Find the time it gains or loses in a day.
How did it go?
Q57
The clock of Question 12 is taken to a place at \(10^\circ\)C. Does it gain or lose? Find the amount per day.
How did it go?
Q58
A pendulum clock loses \(4.32\) s per day when the temperature rises by \(10^\circ\)C. Find \(\alpha\) for the rod.
How did it go?
Q59
The graph shows the daily gain of a pendulum clock against temperature. A negative gain is a loss.
  1. At which temperature does the clock keep correct time?
  2. Find the loss per day at \(40^\circ\)C.
  3. Find \(\alpha\) for the pendulum rod.
Daily gain of a pendulum clock against temperature: a straight line through +8.64 s at 10 C and -8.64 s at 30 C
How did it go?

Density and buoyancy

Q60
Show that a body of density \(\rho\) heated by \(\Delta T\) has a new density \(\rho' \approx \rho(1 - \gamma\Delta T)\). A solid with \(\alpha = 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C is heated by \(100^\circ\)C. Find the percentage change in its density.
How did it go?
Q61
A block of density \(\rho_s\) floats in a liquid of density \(\rho_l\) with a fraction \(f\) of its volume below the surface. Their expansion coefficients are \(\gamma_s\) and \(\gamma_l\).
  1. Write \(f\) in terms of the densities. Show that after a rise \(\Delta T\) the fraction is \(f' = f\,\frac{1 + \gamma_l\Delta T}{1 + \gamma_s\Delta T}\).
  2. When does the block sink deeper on heating?
  3. For \(f = 0.8\), \(\gamma_l = 5 \times 10^{-4}\), \(\gamma_s = 5 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C and \(\Delta T = 100^\circ\)C, find \(f'\).
The same block floating in the same liquid, cold and hot; hot, the block sits deeper
How did it go?
Q62
A body is fully submerged in a liquid, with \(\gamma_l = 3 \times 10^{-4}\) and \(\gamma_s = 3 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C. Both are heated by \(100^\circ\)C. Find the percentage change in the buoyant force on the body.
How did it go?
Q63
A liquid has density \(800\) kg/m\(^3\) at \(20^\circ\)C and \(\gamma = 10^{-3}\) per \(^\circ\)C. Find its density at \(30^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q64
A small glass ball has exactly the density of water at \(4^\circ\)C and floats just below the surface. The water is warmed to \(20^\circ\)C. Does the ball rise or sink? Give the reason.
How did it go?
Q65
A solid has density \(8000\) kg/m\(^3\) at \(0^\circ\)C and \(\alpha = 1.25 \times 10^{-5}\) per \(^\circ\)C. Find its density at \(100^\circ\)C.
How did it go?
Q66
In a mercury thermometer the glass bore expands along with the mercury. Why does the mercury column still rise when the thermometer is heated? Which coefficient, real or apparent, does the scale actually measure?
How did it go?