Gases and the absolute scale of temperature: past paper questions

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• Question 12May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row gives the temperature of melting ice and the temperature of boiling water?

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram represents gas particles moving around in a sealed container. The gas particles collide with the walls of the container. The temperature of the gas is increased.

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  The melting point of mercury is $-39{}^{\circ }\text{C}$. What is the melting point of mercury in kelvin?

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• Question 11May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  The air pressure in a car tyre is measured on a warm day. The pressure is then measured again during the cold night. The air pressure in the tyre has decreased.

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A fixed mass of air is trapped inside a cylinder fitted with a moveable piston. The piston is slowly pushed in. What happens to the pressure and the volume of the trapped air?

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• Question 12May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which equation is used to convert temperatures between $T$ in kelvin and $\theta$ in degrees Celsius?

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Air is trapped in a cylinder by a piston. The piston is pushed inwards. The volume of the air reduces.

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• Question 12Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  The temperature of an object is $37{}^{\circ }\text{C}$. What is the temperature of the object in kelvin?

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  The air temperature rises from $10{}^{\circ }\text{C}$ to $40{}^{\circ }\text{C}$. What is the change in temperature, expressed in kelvin?

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which graph shows the relationship between the pressure $p$ of a fixed mass of gas and its volume $V$ at a constant temperature?

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• Question 12Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Some air is trapped inside a metal container with a tightly fitting lid. The container is heated strongly behind a safety screen. The lid is blown off by the increased pressure of the air inside the container.

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A gas is contained in a cylinder by a movable piston. The gas is heated so that it expands at constant pressure. How is the force of each collision of a gas particle with the piston affected and how does the frequency of collisions between the gas particles and the piston change?

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• Question 11May/June 2026, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The same mass of a gas is trapped in four identical cylinders by a piston that can move. The diagrams show the samples of gas in different conditions of volume and temperature.

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The pressure of the air in a car tyre rises after a long journey. This is caused by a change in the average speed of the air particles and a change in the temperature of the air in the tyre. Which row describes the changes that have caused the air pressure in the tyre to rise?

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The volume of a fixed mass of gas is varied. The temperature remains constant. Which graph shows how the pressure $p$ of the gas varies with volume $V$?

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  In which range of temperatures is water a liquid?

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• Question 11May/June 2026, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a sealed syringe containing a gas at a constant temperature. What happens to the gas particles and the pressure of the gas as the plunger is pushed further in?

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2025, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A football is inflated in a warm room and then taken outside where the temperature is much lower. The pressure and temperature inside the ball both decrease. The volume of the ball is unchanged.

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2024, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Air in a sealed syringe is slowly compressed by moving the piston. The temperature of the air stays the same. Which statement about the air is correct?

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2023, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In an experiment to investigate the relationship between the volume of a sample of air and its pressure, the volume of the sample is decreased and its pressure is measured continuously.

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• Question 12May/June 2026, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A gas at constant temperature has pressure $p$ and volume $V$. Which graph shows how $p$ varies with $V$?

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured6 marks

  A sealed glass bottle contains air. The temperature of the air is $21{}^{\circ }\text{C}$. Calculate the temperature of the air in kelvin.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 42Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 4.1 shows a bottle part-filled with water. The air inside the bottle is at the same pressure as the air outside the bottle. The bottle and its contents are at room temperature.

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 5.1 shows an empty metal cylinder. Describe the arrangement, separation and motion of the metal particles.

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2024, paper 33Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Table 5.1 defines three specific temperatures. Complete Table 5.1 by writing the correct temperature for each definition.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 43Structured9 marks

  The lowest possible temperature is zero kelvin ($0\text{ K}$). State the name of this lowest possible temperature.

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• Question 12May/June 2026, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The gas in a sealed container is compressed at constant temperature. Which graph shows how the pressure of the gas changes with its volume?

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2025, paper 42Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 4.1 shows gas trapped in a cylinder by a piston. The volume of gas is $240{\text{ cm}}^3$. The piston is pushed to the left and is held in its new position.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 42Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 4.1 shows a pressure cooker on an electric heating element. The cooker has a tight-fitting lid. The pressure cooker is half-full of water.

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• Question 14May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Four students describe the phrase ‘absolute zero’ during a lesson on the particle model.

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