PHYSICS O - LEVEL PAST PAPER QUESTIONS

TOPIC-7 Temperature,Thermal Expansion

PAPER-1 Multiple Choice

1- What happens when a metal bar is heated?

A The distance between the molecules increases, making the bar longer.
B The molecules get larger, making the bar longer.
C The molecules vibrate more quickly, making the bar denser.
D The speed of the molecules increases, making the bar thinner.

2- An axle is too large to fit into the hole in a wheel

that is made of the same metal.

How can the axle be made to fit into the hole?

A by cooling the axle alone
B by cooling the wheel alone
C by cooling both the axle and the wheel
D by heating both the axle and the wheel
[Nov-2003]

3 - A glass jug is designed so that it does not break when boiling water is poured into it.What sort of glass
should be used?
thickness expansion
A thick expands greatly when heated
B thick expands little when heated
C thin expands greatly when heated
D thin expands little when heated [May-2003]

4- A new liquid is tested to decide whether it is suitable for use in a liquid-in-glass thermometer.
It is found that the liquid does not expand uniformly with temperature.
What will be the effect of this on the scale of the thermometer?
A It has a short range. B It is not linear.
C The markings are too close together. D The markings are too far apart. [Nov-2004]

5- A student is given a thermometer that reads 1 °C in pure melting ice and 101 °C in pure boiling
water. She uses it to measure the temperature of some water before and after it is heated.
The increase in temperature of the water calculated from her results is
A 1 °C too low. B correct. C 1 °C too high. D 2 °C too high. [Nov-2002]

6- A clinical thermometer is designed to respond quickly to a change in temperature and to have a

high sensitivity.
 PHYSICS O - LEVEL PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
TOPIC-7 Temperature,Thermal Expansion

Which design features should the clinical thermometer have? [May-2003]

bulb bore
A thick glass narrow
B thick glass wide
C thin glass narrow
D thin glass wide

7- - A liquid-in-glass thermometer consists of a bulb containing a liquid. The liquid can expand into a
very thin capillary tube.

The liquid in the thermometer is replaced by another liquid that expands more for the same
temperature rise.
The new thermometer will have
A greater sensitivity and greater range.
B greater sensitivity but less range.
C the same sensitivity and the same range.
D the same sensitivity but greater range. [May-2004]

8- The fillings for a hole in a tooth should be made from a material that
A expands more than the hole in the tooth.
B expands by the same amount as the hole in the tooth.
C expands less than the hole in the tooth.
D does not expand when heated. [Nov-2004] / [May-2007]

9- Four mercury-in-glass thermometers are made with different

dimensions.
Which will have the greatest sensitivity?
A 10 cm long and bore 0.75 mm wide
B 15 cm long and bore 0.50 mm wide
C 25 cm long and bore 0.10 mm wide
D 30 cm long and bore 0.25 mm wide [May-2005]

10- A person cannot unscrew the lid of a pot of jam. He finds that the lid can be unscrewed after it has been
held under hot, running water for a few seconds.

Why is this?
 PHYSICS O - LEVEL PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
TOPIC-7 Temperature,Thermal Expansion

A The air pressure in the jar falls. B The glass expands.

C The jam melts. D The lid expands. [May-2005]

11- What makes a thermometer sensitive to small changes in temperature?

A a bulb with a thin glass wall
B a shiny liquid in its bore
C a stem with a thick glass wall
D a very narrow bore [Nov-2005]

12- Which thermometer is the best for measuring rapidly-changing temperatures?

A a clinical thermometer
B a liquid-in-glass thermometer
C a thermocouple
D all thermometers are equally good [May-2006]

13- The diagrams show a bimetallic strip when it is at room temperature and after it has been cooled.

The change in shape occurs because

A brass contracts more than invar. B brass expands when it cools down.
C invar and brass contract by equal amounts. D invar contracts more than brass. [May-2006]

14- The sensitivity of a liquid-in-glass thermometer depends on the volume of liquid used and the
diameter of the bore of the thermometer.Which changes will produce the greatest increase in sensitivity?

volume of liquid bore diameter

A decrease decrease
B decrease increase
C increase decrease
D increase increase
[Nov-2006]

15- A thermocouple thermometer uses a voltmeter to measure the e.m.f. generated between two
junctions. The junctions are at temperatures t 1 and t 2 . To calibrate the thermometer, fixed points
 PHYSICS O - LEVEL PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
TOPIC-7 Temperature,Thermal Expansion

are needed.
What are the values of t1 and t2 when the thermometer is calibrated at the steam point?

t1 t2
A 0 ºC 0 ºC
B 0 ºC 100 ºC
C 25 ºC 0 ºC
D 25 ºC 125 ºC
[May-2007]

16- The diagram shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer.

At 0 °C, the length of the liquid column is 2.0 cm. At 100 °C, the length of the liquid column is 22.0cm. What
is the length of the liquid column at 40°C?
A 6.0cm B 8.0cm C 8.8cm D 10.0cm [May-2008]

17- At regular intervals along a railway line there is a gap between the rail sections.

What is the reason for the gap between the rail sections?
A to allow for expansion of the rail sections during hot weather
B to allow for vibrations of the rail sections as the train passes over them
C to allow rain water to drain from the rail sections
D to keep the wheels of the train and carriages on the rail sections [May-2008]
 PHYSICS O - LEVEL PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
TOPIC-7 Temperature,Thermal Expansion

18- A thermocouple thermometer is made from two wires connected to a voltmeter.

Which arrangement gives a reading on the voltmeter?

temperature of voltmeter wire X

A colder than hot junction copper
B colder than hot junction iron
C same as hot junction copper
D same as hot junction iron
[Nov-2008]

19- The table shows the increase in length of four metals when heated through the same temperature rise.
Each metal initially has the same length.

metal increase in length/m

aluminium 0.000030
copper 0.000020
platinum 0.000009
steel 0.000010
A bimetallic strip is made from two of the metals. When heated, it bends in the direction shown.

Which metals produce the above effect?

metal X metal Y
A aluminium platinum
B copper aluminium
C steel copper
D platinum steel
[Nov-2008]

20- To calibrate a thermometer, without using another thermometer, fixed points are required. Which
statement is correct?

A Any temperatures can be used as fixed points.

B Both a lower fixed point and an upper fixed point are required.
 PHYSICS O - LEVEL PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
TOPIC-7 Temperature,Thermal Expansion

C Only a lower fixed point is required.

D Only an upper fixed point is required. [Nov-2009]

21- A bimetallic strip made from brass and iron is used as a thermostat.

When the strip is heated, the brass

expands more than the iron. Which shape will the strip become? B

[May-2010]

22- The diagram shows a clinical thermometer.

Which factor affects the sensitivity of the thermometer?

A the constriction B the diameter of the bore
C the length of the glass tube D the thickness of the glass tube [Nov-2010]

23- What is caused by the thermal expansion of a substance when heated?

A a decrease in the resistance of a tungsten-filament lamp when switched on
B a rise in the pressure of the gas trapped in a gas cylinder placed in hot water
C the blowing of the fuse in a circuit when the current becomes too large
D the upward movement of the air above a Bunsen burner when it is lit [Nov-2010]

PAPER-2 Theory

1- Thermal expansion can be a problem.

 PHYSICS O - LEVEL PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
TOPIC-7 Temperature,Thermal Expansion

Small gaps are left in railway lines and in bridges, as shown in Fig. 3.1.
(a) Explain in detail why the gaps are needed.
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(b) State one other problem caused by thermal expansion and explain how it can be solved.
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[May-2004]

2- Fig. 3.1 shows a thermometer.

(a) Explain how to calibrate a thermometer.

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(b) (i) State the range of the thermometer in Fig. 3.1.
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(ii) State how you know that the scale of the thermometer in Fig. 3.1 is linear.
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(c) Fig. 3.2 shows a thermometer which is more sensitive than the thermometer in Fig. 3.1.
Only 0 °C is marked on this new thermometer.On Fig. 3.2, draw the temperature markings for 10 °C and 20
°C.

[May-2007]