Energy Transfer by Heating (Paper 1)

Question 1

What is specific heat capacity?

Answer 1

The specific heat capacity of a substance is the amount of energy needed to change the temperature of 1kg of the substance by 1 degree Celsius.

Question 2

What is an equation linking specific heat capacity, energy transferred, change in thermal energy and mass.

Answer 2

An equation linking specific heat capacity, energy transferred, change in thermal energy and mass is:
change in E=mxcxchange in heat.

Question 3

What is the effect of the mass on an object on how fast its temperature increases?

Answer 3

The greater the mass of an object, the more slowly its temperature increases.

Question 4

What equipment is used to measure energy?

Answer 4

Energy is measured with a joulemeter.

Question 5

What is a safety issue connected with a practical experiment to calculate specific heat capacity?

Answer 5

The substance will become hot and may burn you.
NB: It is not enough to say ‘hot’. The risk of a burn MUST be referred to.