THERMAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

I. Temperature and heat : Temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of an object. Heat is a form
of energy which is transferred between two (or more) systems or a system and its surroundings by
virtue of temperature difference.
II. MEASUREMENT OF TEMPERATURE: Celsius, Fahrenheat and Kelvin scales :
III. The convenient fixed points chosen for Celsius and Fahrenheit scales are ice point steam point .
The process of melting and boiling depends on pressure. Kelvin scale is based on the absolute
temperature which is a convenient fixed point and it is obtained by using Ideal gas equation.
IV. THERMAL EXPANSION: Most substances expand on heating and contract on cooling. A change
in the temperature of a body causes change in its dimensions. The expansion in length is called
linear expansion. The expansion in area is called area expansion. The expansion in volume is called
volume expansion .

V. Gases, at ordinary temperature, expand more than solids and liquids. Water exhibits an anomalous
behaviour on expansion. The maximum density of water is at 4OC which is crucial for the existence
of aquatic life.

VI. Specific heat capacity : The amount of heat absorbed or given off to change the temperature of unit
mass of it by one unit. SI unit is J kg-1 K-1. If the amount of substance is specified in terms of moles,
then it is known as molar specific heat capacity.
VII. Change of state : Matter normally exists in three states: solid, liquid and gas. A transition from one
of these states to another is called a change of state. The change of state from solid to liquid is called
melting and from liquid to solid is called fusion. The melting point decreases with pressure and
boiling point increases with pressure.
VIII. Latent heat : The amount of heat transferred during change of state
IX. Modes of heat transfer: Conduction , Convection and Radiation. Conduction is the mechanism of
transfer of heat between two adjacent parts of a body because of their temperature difference.
Conduction takes place in metals. Convection is a mode of heat transfer by actual motion of matter.
It is the mode heat transfer in fluids. Sea breeze, land breeze and trade wind are due to the
convection. Radiation is the heat transfer without a material medium. Example : heat carried by the
electromagnetic wave.
X. Blackbody radiation : The relation between temperature and wave length of thermal radiation for
which energy is maximum is given by Wein’s displacement law:

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. In the case of a hot cup of tea, heat transfer takes place

(a) From surrounding to cup till equilibrium establishes
(b) From cup to surrounding till equilibrium establishes
(c) In both ways
(d) No heat transfer takes place
2. The temperature of an object measured with Fahrenheit scale as 500 F. What will be the temperature if
Celsius scale is used?
(a) 300C
(b) 200C
(c) 100C
(d) 250C
3. The absolute zero is
(a) 273.15 0C
(b) -273.15 0C
(c) 100 0C
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 (d) 180.15 0C
4. 1000C in kelvin is ………
(a) 473.15 K
(b) 100 K
(c) 0 K
(d) 373.15 K
5. In order to obtain absolute zero ,
(a) Volume of a gas kept constant and temperature is measured in terms of pressure
(b) Pressure of a gas kept constant and temperature is measured in terms of volume
(c) Temperature of a gas kept constant and volume is measured in terms of pressure
(d) None of the above
6. Which one of the following is a reliable standard fixed point?
(a) Boiling point of water
(b) Melting point of ice
(c) Tripple point of water
(d) None of the above
7. The Pyrex glass is suitable for making thermometers than ordinary glass, because …….
(a) It has greater coefficient of volume expansion
(b) It has smaller Coefficient of volume expansion
(c) Not easy to break
(d) Cheaply available in market
8. Coefficient of volume expansion is ….
(a) Equal to the coefficient of linear expansion
(b) 2 times the coefficient of linear expansion
(c) Smaller than coefficient of linear expansion
(d) 3 times the coefficient of linear expansion
9. Water has the maximum density at
(a) 40C
(b) 1000C
(c) 00C
(d) 100C
10. Co-efficient of volume expansion of .............. is independent of temperature
(a) Gas
(b) Solid
(c) Liquid
(d) None of the above
11. For an ideal gas, co-efficient of volume expansion is
(a) 1/T
(b) 1/3T
(c) 1/2T
(d) 1/5T
12. The graph of density against temperature for water is correctly illustrated by

(a) I
(b) II
(c) III
(d) IV

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13. Consider four sealed bottles with tightly screwed lids made up of Aluminum, Brass, Iron and copper.
The given metals can be arranged as Aluminum > Brass> Copper> Iron in terms of their co-efficient of
linear expansion. If they are immersed in hot water of same temperature, which lid will get most
loosened?
(a) Copper
(b) Brass
(c) Iron
(d) Aluminum
14. The specific heat capacities (J kg-1 K-1) of water and edible oil are given as 4186 and 1965
respectively. Chose the correct answer from the options given below.
(a) Edible oil can be used as a better coolant in automobile radiators
(b) Water can be used as a better coolant in automobile radiators
(c) Both Water and edible oil give same performance as coolants
(d) None of the above
15. The SI unit of specific heat capacity is ….
(a) J kg-1K-1
(b) J kg-1K-2
(c) J kg-2K-1
(d) J-1 kgK-1
16. Regelation refers to
(a) Refreezing on withdrawal of pressure
(b) Melting of ice by the application of pressure
(c) Boiling of water
(d) Change of state from Solid to vapour
17. During change of state ….
(a) Temperature remains constant
(b) Temperature changes
(c) Mass changes
(d) Density remains constant
18. The SI unit of latent heat is
(a) J kg-1K-2
(b) J kg-1
(c) J kg
(d) J kg-2K-1
19. During phase change,
(a) The heat energy supplied is used to rise the temperature only
(b) The heat energy supplied is used to rise the temperature and phase change
(c) The heat energy supplied is used for changing the state only
(d) None of the above statement is correct
20. The latent heat of vaporisation of water and gold are given as 22.6 and 15.8 (x 105 J kg–1) respectively.
Which means….
(a) Water needs more heat than gold to change from liquid to vapor state
(b) Gold needs more heat than to change from liquid to vapor state
(c) Both need same amount of heat to undergo liquid to vapor phase change
(d) Latent heat is not related to change of state
21. Which of the following substances is a sublime ?
(a) Water
(b) Oil
(c) Dry ice
(d) Gold
22. The heat transfer from one end to other end of a metallic rod is due to the …..
(a) Radiation
(b) Convection
(c) Both radiation and convection
(d) Conduction
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23. The mode of heat transfer in convection is ….
(a) Without the actual motion of matter
(b) By the actual motion of matter
(c) Without a material medium
(d) None of the above
24. Which of the following is correct about sea breeze an land breeze ?
(a) Sea breeze is from sea to the land at day time and land breeze is from land to sea at night time
(b) Sea breeze is from land to the sea at day time and land breeze is from land to sea at night time
(c) Sea breeze is from sea to the land at night time and land breeze is from land to sea at day time
(d) Sea breeze is from land to the sea at night time and land breeze is from sea to land at day time
25. By Wein’s displacement law,
(a) λm T2 = constant
(b) λm T3 = constant
(c) λm T = constant
(d) λm T4 = constant
26. If the temperature of a blackbody is increased to 2T from T. Then the wave length of thermal radiation
with maximum energy will be …
(a) λm
(b) 2 λm
(c) λm/4
(d) λm/2
27. The change from solid state to vapour state without passing through the liquid state is called as
(a) Vaporisation
(b) Melting
(c) Boiling
(d) Sublimation
Answer Key:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
a c b d a c b d a c a c d b a
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
a a b c a c d b a c d d

II .ASSERTION REASON QUESTION

Two statements are given-one labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason (R). Select the
correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
b) b Both A and R are true and R is NOT the correct explanation of A
c) A is true but R is false
d) A is false and R is also false
1. Assertion : Land heats up faster than sea
Reason : Specific heat of land is greater than water
2. Assertion : A wire placed on an ice slab with two blocks at the end pass through ice slab
Reason : Melting point increases with pressure
3. Assertion : Co efficient of volume expansion of liquids dependent on temperature
Reason : Co efficient of volume expansion of liquids independent on temperature
4. Assertion : Food gets cooked well in a pressure cooker
Reason : Boiling point of water increases with pressure
5. Assertion : A brass disc is just fitted in a hole in a steel plate. The system must be cooled to loosen
the disc from the hole.
Reason : The coefficient of linear expansion for brass is greater than the coefficient of linear
expansion for steel.

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6. Assertion : The temperature at which Centigrade and Fahrenheit thermometers read the same is – 40
Reason : There is no relation between Fahrenheit and Centigrade temperature.
7. Assertion : There is no relation between Fahrenheit and Centigrade temperature.
Reason : Coefficient of superficial expansion is twice that of linear expansion where as coefficient of
volume expansion is three time of linear expansion.

Answer Key

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
a c d a a c a

III .CASE STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Matter normally exists in three states: solid, liquid and gas. A transition from one of these states to
another is called a change of state. Two common changes of states are solid to liquid and liquid to
gas. These changes can occur when the exchange of heat takes place between the substance and its
surroundings. When ice is heated , it starts melting without any change in temperature till the melting
completes. Then temperature starts rising and it becomes steady at 100o C. The graph shows change
of state from ice to vapour.

Explain
(i) OA
(ii) AB
(iii) BC
(iv) tm

2. The earth’s surface is a source of thermal radiation as it absorbs energy received from the Sun. The
wavelength of this radiation lies in the long wavelength region. But a large portion of this radiation is
absorbed by some gases. This heats up the atmosphere which, in turn, gives more energy to earth,
resulting in warmer surface. Concentration of gases responsible for this effect has enhanced due to
human activities, making the earth warmer.

(i) The warming of earth surface by the continuous absorption of radiation by the gases and earth
is known as .............. ?
(ii) Which electromagnetic radiation transmits more heat ?
(iii) Name two gases which is responsible for heat absorption mentioned in the paragraph?
(iv) What is the consequence of this effect ?
3. Heat energy transfer from one system to another or from one part of a system to another part, arising
due to temperature difference. There are three distinct modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection
and radiation.
The conduction of heat takes place in metals, convection in fluids and there is no material medium
required for radiation. Answer the following questions based on the subject discussed in the
paragraph
(i) Give three factors affect the rate of flow of heat in a metal bar ?
(ii) If the Length of the metal bar is doubled without changing area of cross-section, the rate of
heat flow will become............ ?
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 (iii) The mode of heat transfer in Sea breeze and land breeze is ……………..
(iv) Which mode/modes of heat conduction is responsible for heat loss in thermos bottle ?

4. A graph between the temperature T and the Pressure P of the substance is called a phase diagram or P
– T diagram. Figure shows P-T graph of CO2 . Such a phase diagram divides the P – T plane into a
solid-region, the vapour-region and the liquid-region. The regions are separated by the curves such as
sublimation curve , fusion curve and vaporisation curve . Answer the following questions based on
the diagram.

(i) At what temperature and pressure can the solid, liquid and vapour phases of ◻◻2 co-exist in
equilibrium?
(ii) What is the effect of the decrease of pressure on the fusion and boiling point of CO2 ?
(iii) What are the critical temperature and pressure for CO2? What is their significance?
(iv) Is CO2 solid, liquid or gas at (a) −70 OC under 1 atm, (b) −60 OC under 10 atm, (c) 15 OC
under 56 atm?

Answer key
1. (i) Melting of ice . Both the solid and the liquid states of the substance coexist in thermal
equilibrium
(ii) The heat supplied is being utilised to change water from liquid state to vapour or gaseous
state.
(iii) Vaporisation. Both the liquid and the vapour states of the substance coexist in thermal
equilibrium
(iv) Melting point
2. (i) Green house effect
(ii) Infrared
(iii) CO2 and Methane
(iv) Increase in earth’s global temperature
3. (i) Length, Area of cross-section and Temperature difference of two ends
(ii) Half
(iii) Convection
(iv) Radiation
4. (i) C is the triple point of the CO2 phase diagram. This means that at the pressure and temperature
corresponding to this point (i.e., at −56.6 OC and 5.11 atm), the solid phase, liquid phase, and
vaporous phases of CO2 coexist in equilibrium.
(ii) The fusion and boiling points of CO2 decrease with a decrease in pressure.
(iii) The critical temperature and critical pressure of CO2 are 31.1o C and 73 atm respectively.
Even if it is compressed to a pressure greater than 73 atm, CO2 will not liquefy above the
critical temperature.

(iv). It can be concluded from the P-T phase diagram of CO2 that: (a) CO2 is gaseous at −70 OC,
under 1 atm pressure (b) CO2 is solid at −60 OC, under 10 atm pressure (c) CO2 is liquid at 15 OC ,
under 56 atm pressure

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 IV .TWO MARK QUESTIONS

1. Why boiling point of water and melting point of ice cannot be considered as standard fixed points?
2. Show that the coefficient of area expansion, (∆A/A)/∆T, of a rectangular sheet of the solid is twice its
linear expansion, αi
3. Explain Regelation?
4. State Newton’s law of cooling and write express it mathematically?
5. State Wein’s displacement law?
6. Why modern arctic clothing has a shiny metallic layer next to skin?

V .THREE MARK QUESTIONS

1. Why cooking is difficult in Hilly areas?

2. Explain the sea breeze, land breeze and trade wind ?

VI .FIVE MARK QUESTIONS

1. (a) Explain anomalous behaviour of water with the temperature- density graph of water? How it is
helpful for the existence of aquatic life in Antarctic region ?(b) Prove that ?

VII . NUMERICALS

1. Two absolute scales A and B have triple points of water defined to be 200 A and 350 B. What is the
relation between TA and TB ?
2. A hole is drilled in a copper sheet. The diameter of the hole is 4.24 cm at 27.0 °C. What is the change
in the diameter of the hole when the sheet is heated to 227 °C ? Coefficient of linear expansion of
copper = 1.70 x 10-5K-1.
3. The triple points of neon and carbon diode are 24.57 K and 216.55 K, respectively. Express these
temperatures on the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales.
4. A pan filled with hot food cools from 94 °C to 86 °C in 2 minutes when the room temperature is at
20 °C. How long will it take to cool from 71 °C to 69 °C?
5. The coefficient of volume expansion of glycerin is 49 × 10-5 K-1 . What is the fractional change in its
density for a 30 OC rise in temperature?

ANSWER KEY.

1. Hint: The temperature of 273.15 K on the Kelvin scale is equivalent to 200 A on absolute scale A.

A
Similarly,

Let TA and TB triple points on scales A and B respectively, then

A TA = B TB

2. Hint :
β = Co-efficient of area expansion
β = 2α

3. Hint : The maximum heat lost by copper =

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 Heat gained by ice =
And
4. Hint : The relation between Absolute temperature and Celsius scale is

given by The relation between Fahrenheit and Celsius scale is

given by

5. Hint:
6. Hint :