Thermal Properties of Matter – JEE (Main/Advanced) • 30

Solved Numericals
Covers thermometry, calorimetry, latent heat, thermal expansion, stress,
conduction, convection, radiation, Stefan–Boltzmann, Newton’s law of
cooling, and selected mixed problems.

Use SI unless stated. Take σ = 5.67 × 10■■ W m■² K■■, g = 9.8 m s■², ρ(water)=1000 kg m■³, s(water)=4.2 kJ
kg■¹ K■¹ unless specified.

Q1. Convert 127 °C to Kelvin and Fahrenheit.

Solution: K = 127 + 273 = 400 K. F = (9/5)×127 + 32 = 260.6 °F.

Q2. A thermometer reads 98.6 °F. What is this in °C and K?

Solution: C = (5/9)(F − 32) = (5/9)(66.6) ≈ 37.0 °C. K = 37 + 273 = 310 K.

Q3. A temperature change of 36 °F equals how many °C?

Solution: ∆C = (5/9)∆F = (5/9)×36 = 20 °C.

Q4. 200 g copper at 200 °C (s=0.39 J g■¹K■¹) is dropped in 100 g water at 20 °C. Find final temperature (no loss).

Solution: m_cs_c(T_c−T) = m_ws_w(T−T_w). 200×0.39(200−T) = 100×4.2(T−20). Solve: T ≈ 48.2 °C.

Q5. 100 g aluminum (s=0.90 J g■¹K■¹) at 80 °C dropped into 200 g water at 20 °C. Find equilibrium T.

Solution: 100×0.90(80−T) = 200×4.2(T−20) ⇒ 90(80−T)=840(T−20). T≈22.9 °C.

Q6. A 0.5 kg copper calorimeter (s=0.39 kJ kg■¹K■¹) contains 0.2 kg water at 25 °C. Steam at 100 °C is passed
until temp becomes 40 °C. How much steam condensed? (L_v=2256 kJ kg■¹).

Solution: Heat gained by (water+calorimeter) = m_s L_v + m_s s_w (100−40). Left side: (0.2×4.2 +
0.5×0.39)×(40−25) kJ = (0.84+0.195)×15=15.525 kJ. Right: m_s(2256 + 4.2×60)= m_s(2256+252)= m_s×2508
kJ/kg. Hence m_s = 15.525/2508 ≈ 6.19×10■³ kg = 6.19 g.

Q7. Heat to convert 0.2 kg ice at 0 °C to water at 0 °C (L_f=334 kJ kg■¹).

Solution: Q = mL_f = 0.2×334 = 66.8 kJ.

Q8. Heat to convert 0.1 kg water at 100 °C to steam at 100 °C (L_v=2256 kJ kg■¹).

Solution: Q = 0.1×2256 = 225.6 kJ.

Q9. Heat to take 0.5 kg ice at −10 °C to water at 20 °C; s_ice=2.1, s_water=4.2 kJ kg■¹K■¹, L_f=334 kJ kg■¹.

Solution: Q = m[s_ice×10 + L_f + s_water×20] = 0.5[21 + 334 + 84] = 0.5×439 = 219.5 kJ.

Q10. A steel rod L■=2.0 m expands by 2 mm when heated from 30→130 °C. Find α.

Solution: ∆L=L■α∆T ⇒ α=∆L/(L■∆T)=2×10■3/(2×100)=1.0×10■5 K■¹.

Q11. A square metal plate of side 1.0 m at 20 °C is heated to 120 °C; α=1.2×10■5 K■¹. Find change in area.

Solution: β≈2α=2.4×10■5. ∆A=A■β∆T=1×2.4×10■5×100=2.4×10■3 m².

Q12. A liquid in a glass flask shows apparent volume expansion coefficient γ_app=3.0×10■4 K■¹. Flask’s
γ_glass≈3α_glass with α_glass=9×10■6 K■¹. Find real γ_liquid.

Solution: γ_real = γ_app + γ_container = 3.0×10■4 + 3×9×10■6 = 3.27×10■4 K■¹.

Q13. A pendulum clock keeps correct time at 20 °C. α_rod=1.5×10■5 K■¹. Find time lost per day at 35 °C.
 Solution: ∆T/T = ½ α∆θ = ½×1.5×10■5×15 = 1.125×10■4. Loss/day = 86400×1.125×10■4 ≈ 9.72 s.

Q14. A steel bar (Y=2.0×10¹¹ Pa, α=1.2×10■5 K■¹) is rigidly fixed at both ends and heated by 50 K. Find thermal
stress.

Solution: ε_free=α∆T = 6.0×10■4. Stress σ=Yε = 2.0×10¹¹×6×10■4 = 1.2×10■ Pa (compressive).

Q15. Heat current through a copper rod: L=0.5 m, A=1 cm², k=400 W m■¹K■¹, ends at 100 °C & 0 °C.

Solution: ■ = kA∆T/L = 400×1e−4×100/0.5 = 8 W.

Q16. Two slabs in series: slab1 k■=200 W/mK, L■=0.02 m; slab2 k■=50 W/mK, L■=0.03 m; area A=0.1 m²; faces
at 120 °C & 20 °C. Find heat rate and interface temperature.

Solution: R■=L■/(k■A)=0.02/(200×0.1)=0.001; R■=0.03/(50×0.1)=0.006. Total R=0.007 K/W.

■=∆T/R=100/0.007≈14285 W. Drop across 1: ∆T■=■R■≈14.3 K ⇒ interface ≈ 120−14.3=105.7 °C.

Q17. Two rods in parallel between same temperature ends: A■=2 cm², k■=200; A■=1 cm², k■=50; L same, ∆T=50
K. Find total heat current if L=0.5 m.

Solution: ■_total = Σ kA∆T/L = (200×2e−4 + 50×1e−4)×50/0.5 = (0.04+0.005)×100 = 4.5 W.

Q18. A composite rod: copper (k=400, L=0.2 m, A=1 cm²) joined to steel (k=50, L=0.3 m, same A). Ends at 200 °C
and 20 °C. Find heat flow and junction temperature.

Solution: R_cu=0.2/(400×1e−4)=5; R_steel=0.3/(50×1e−4)=60. Total R=65 K/W. ■=∆T/R=180/65≈2.77 W. Drop

across Cu: 2.77×5≈13.9 K ⇒ junction ≈ 200−13.9=186.1 °C.

Q19. A spherical shell (inner r=5 cm, outer r=6 cm) of thermal conductivity k=1 W/mK surrounds a hot object; inner
surface at 120 °C, outer at 40 °C. Find steady heat loss.

Solution: For sphere: ■ = 4πk (T_i − T_o) r_i r_o /(r_o − r_i) = 4π×1×80×0.05×0.06/0.01 ≈ 4π×24 ≈ 302 W.

Q20. A long cylinder (length■radius) pipe, inner radius 1 cm, outer 2 cm, k=0.2 W/mK, T_i=100 °C, T_o=40 °C,
length=1 m. Find heat rate.

Solution: Cylindrical conduction: ■ = 2πkL (T_i−T_o)/ln(r_o/r_i) = 2π×0.2×1×60/ln2 ≈ (0.4×2π×60)/0.693 ≈ 217 W.

Q21. A wall has three layers in series with thermal resistances 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 K/W. Inside & outside air films add 0.05
and 0.08 K/W. Room at 25 °C; outdoors 5 °C. Find heat loss rate.

Solution: R_total=0.05+0.1+0.2+0.3+0.08=0.73 K/W. ■=∆T/R=20/0.73≈27.4 W (per m² if resistances are per m²).

Q22. Explain why a blackened kettle boils water faster than a polished one.

Solution: Black surfaces have higher emissivity/absorptivity; they absorb heat better from flame and radiate
efficiently, improving net heat transfer compared to polished (low ε).

Q23. A hot metal sphere (A=0.1 m², ε=0.8) at 500 K cools in a room at 300 K. Find initial net radiative power.

Solution: ■ = εσA (T■−T_s■) = 0.8×5.67e−8×0.1×(500■−300■) ≈ 0.8×5.67e−8×0.1×(6.25e10−8.1e9) ≈

0.8×5.67e−9×5.44e10 ≈ 247 W.

Q24. A body at 80 °C cools to 60 °C in 10 min when room is at 20 °C. Assuming Newton’s cooling, find time to cool
from 60 °C to 40 °C.

Solution: t ∝ ln((T−T_s)). t■ = 10×ln(40/30)/ln(60/40) = 10×ln(1.333)/ln(1.5) ≈ 10×0.287/0.405 ≈ 7.09 min.

Q25. A tungsten filament (ε=0.3, A=2×10■■ m²) at 2500 K radiates into a 300 K room. Find radiated power.

Solution: P=εσA(T■−T_s■)=0.3×5.67e−8×2e−6×(2500■−300■) ≈ 0.3×5.67e−8×2e−6×(3.91e13−8.1e9) ≈

0.3×5.67e−8×2e−6×3.91e13 ≈ 133 W.

Q26. Using Wien’s law (λ_max T = b, b ≈ 2.9×10■³ m·K), find peak wavelength of black body at 6000 K and
comment on spectrum.

Solution: λ_max = 2.9e−3 / 6000 ≈ 4.83e−7 m = 483 nm (blue-green), consistent with solar peak in visible.
Q27. Two identical plates at same temperature but different surface coatings: one black (ε=0.9), other polished
(ε=0.1). Which cools faster and by what factor (radiation dominated)?

Solution: Radiative power ∝ ε, so black plate cools ~9 times faster than polished.

Q28. 0.25 kg of metal at 200 °C is dropped into 0.2 kg water at 25 °C in a 0.05 kg copper calorimeter at 25 °C. Final
temperature is 35 °C. Find specific heat of metal. (s_water=4.2 kJ kg■¹K■¹, s_cu=0.39 kJ kg■¹K■¹)

Solution: Heat lost by metal = heat gained by (water+calorimeter). Left: 0.25 s_m (200−35). Right:
0.2×4.2(35−25)+0.05×0.39(35−25)=0.84×10+0.0195×10=8.4+0.195=8.595 kJ. So 0.25 s_m×165=8.595 ⇒ s_m =
8.595/(41.25)=0.208 kJ kg■¹K■¹.

Q29. A thin circular ring of radius r made of material (α=1.2×10■5 K■¹) has a small gap g at 20 °C. To make the
gap just close, temperature is raised by ∆T. Find ∆T in terms of g and r.

Solution: Circumference expands uniformly: ∆C = 2πr α ∆T. Gap closes when ∆C = g. Hence ∆T = g/(2πr α).

Q30. A satellite’s small panel (A=0.5 m², ε=0.8) in deep space receives solar flux S=1360 W m■² on one side and
radiates on both sides to 3 K. At steady state (neglect conduction/convection), estimate equilibrium temperature
(normal incidence, one-face absorption, both-face radiation).

Solution: Absorbed ≈ αSA with α≈ε=0.8: P_in = 0.8×1360×0.5 = 544 W. Radiated on two faces: P_out = 2 ε σ A
T■ = 2×0.8×5.67e−8×0.5 T■ = 4.536e−8 T■. Equate: 544 = 4.536e−8 T■ ⇒ T■ = 1.20e10 ⇒ T ≈
(1.20e10)^{1/4} ≈ 331 K (~58 °C).
Quick Formula Recap
Topic Key Formulae
Calorimetry Q = ms∆T; Q = mL; Heat capacity C = ms
Expansion ∆L = Lα∆T; ∆A = Aβ∆T (β≈2α); ∆V = Vγ∆T (γ≈3α)
Thermal Stress σ = Y α ∆T (if constrained)
Conduction ■ = kA∆T/L; R_th = L/(kA); Series/Parallel like resistors
Cyl/Spherical Cylinder: ■ = 2πkL (T■−T■)/ln(r■/r■); Sphere: ■ = 4πk r■ r■ (T■−T■)/(r■−r■)
Radiation ■ = εσA (T■−T_s■); Wien: λ_max T = 2.9×10■³ m·K
Newton Cooling dT/dt = −k (T−T_s) (small ∆T)

Tip: Always convert to Kelvin for T■ and latent/Stefan calculations; keep units consistent.