Topic Menu

Cyber-chess a chess instruction site

A Level Specific Heat Capacity Questions

Q9. The diagram on the right shows a tube containing small particles of lead, called 'lead shot'. When the tube is inverted the particles of lead fall freely through a vertical height equal to the length of the tube.

(a) Describe the energy changes that take place in the lead particles during one inversion of the tube.

(3 marks)

(b) The tube is made from an insulating material and is used in an experiment to determine the specific heat capacity of lead.

The following results are obtained:

 

mass of lead:
0.025 kg
number of inversions:
50
length of tube:
1.2m
change in temperature of the lead:
4.5K

 

Calculate

(i) the change in potential energy of the lead as it falls after one inversion down the tube,

(ii) the total change in potential energy after 50 inversions,

(iii) the specific heat capacity of the lead.

(4 marks)

(Total 7 marks)