Required Practicals (Paper 1)

Question 1

Describe a method to investigate the usefulness of different thermal insulators

Answer 1

1. Place a small beaker into a larger beaker.
2. Fill the small beaker with hot water from a kettle.
3. Put a piece of cardboard over the beakers as a lid. The lid should have a hole suitable for a thermometer.
4. Place a thermometer into the smaller beaker through the hole.
5. Record the temperature of the water in the small beaker and start the stopwatch.
6. Record the temperature of the water every 2 minutes for 20 minutes.
7. Repeat steps 1-6, each time packing the space between the large beaker and small beaker with the chosen insulating material
8. Ensure starting temperature is constant and the mass/thickness is the same for every material
9. Compare results

you may be asked a question on thickness, in which case, the experiment is similar with the IV being the thickness and you use the same material each time

Question 2

How would you measure the density of a regular solid?

Answer 2

1. Use a ruler to measure the length (l), width (w) and height (h) of a steel cube.
2. Place the steel cube on the measuring balance and measure its mass.
3. Calculate the volume of the cube using (l × w × h).
4. Use the measurements to calculate the density of the metal.

Question 3

How would you measure the density of an irregular solid?

Answer 3

1. Place solid on measuring balance to find mass
2. Fill eureka can until it stops draining (point at which water is level with spout)
3. Place beaker underneath eureka can
4. Add irregular object to can
5. Measure amount of displaced water in beaker (using measuring cylinder)
6. Calculate density using D = m/v

Question 4

How would you measure the density of a liquid?

Answer 4

1. Place the measuring cylinder on the measuring balance and measure its mass.
2. Pour 50 cm³ of water into the measuring cylinder and measure its new mass.
3. Subtract the mass in step 1 from the mass in step 2. This is the mass of 50 cm³ of water.
4. Use the measurements to calculate the density of the water (D = m/v)

Question 5

What is a vernier calliper used to do?

Answer 5

used to find internal or external dimensions accurately (e.g. diameter of sphere)

for a sphere, the volume is V = 4/3 πr³

Question 6

What is a micrometer used to do?

Answer 6

for accurate measurement of small solids

Question 7

What error may occur when using eureka can or other method to measure the volume of an irregular solid?

Answer 7

not all the water displaced by the object was collected in the (beaker)

Question 8

In a SHC practical, some energy is dissipated to the surroundings, describe the effect this will have on the SHC?

Answer 8

measured higher than true value

as more energy is required to raise the temp of the block (by 1^oC)

(systematic error)

Question 9

A student measured different materials’ rate of temperature increase. Why would she draw a bar, and not line graph, for this?

Answer 9

Data is categoric