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Heat capacity, latent heat and internal energy: Edexcel A‑Level Physics questions

Every Edexcel A-Level Physics exam question on Heat capacity, latent heat and internal energy (specification points 144–148), 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,540 questions

  1. Q19(b)(i)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    6 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 19(b)(i): It is claimed that 1% of the ice would melt if the ice sculpture were in direct sunlight continuously for 12 hours. Assume that radiation, of intensity I, from

  2. Q19(b)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 19(b)(ii): Give two reasons why your analysis of the situation may be incorrect. (2)

  3. Q21(a)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    1 markHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 21(a): State what is meant by absolute zero. (1)

  4. Q10(b)

    June 2025 · Paper 3

    4 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 3, question 10(b): A lab technician used the resistor to heat 1.25 × 10 Calculate the time taken for the milk to increase in temperature by 12 °C. –1 K –1 specific heat capacity o

  5. Q12(b)

    June 2024 · Paper 3

    6 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 3, question 12(b): One type of chocolate melts at a temperature of 32°C. The energy released when 65 g of this chocolate is digested is 345 kcal. It is suggested that the energy u

  6. Q12

    June 2023 · Paper 2

    5 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2, question 12: A student placed a metal block of mass 220 g in boiling water at 100 °C for several minutes. The student then transferred the metal block into 300 g of water at

  7. Q14(a)

    June 2023 · Paper 2

    3 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2, question 14(a): When the stove uses the butane gas, some of the liquid butane evaporates. Explain why the temperature of the canister decreases when the stove is used. (3)

  8. Q3(a)

    June 2023 · Paper 3

    2 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energyCharge, current and potential difference
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 3, question 3(a): A student planned to vary the current in the heater from 0 A to 5 A. The student connected the following circuit to measure the current in the heater. mA heater

  9. Q3(b)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 3

    3 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 3, question 3(b)(i): The student corrected the circuit and closed the switch. He waited until the water started boiling. He started a stopwatch and recorded the readings on the bala

  10. Q3(b)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 3

    3 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 3, question 3(b)(ii): The heater was switched on for 6.0 minutes and the change in mass of water in the beaker was 7.5 g. Calculate the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water,

  11. Q3(b)(iii)

    June 2023 · Paper 3

    2 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 3, question 3(b)(iii): The errors in the experiment include uncertainty in the mass reading and uncertainty in reading the stopwatch, as the water boils. Explain how another significa

  12. Q15

    June 2022 · Paper 2

    6 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2, question 15: Aluminium is one of the most widely recycled metals. Aluminium cans are heated from room temperature until all the aluminium has melted. The molten aluminium is

  13. Q3(a)

    June 2022 · Paper 3

    5 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energyWork, energy and power
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 3, question 3(a): Deduce whether the data confirms that 8000 slaps would be sufficient. Assume that no energy is transferred from the chicken to the surroundings. mass of chicken

  14. Q3(b)

    June 2022 · Paper 3

    2 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 3, question 3(b): Explain whether the assumption made in (a) is realistic. (2)

  15. Q12

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    4 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 12: Latte is a type of coffee made with hot frothy milk. The milk is heated by pumping steam into it. Calculate the maximum mass of milk that could be warmed to a t

  16. Q8(a)(i)

    November 2021 · Paper 3

    2 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 3, question 8(a)(i): Show that the power of the heater was about 2 kW. (2)

  17. Q8(a)(ii)

    November 2021 · Paper 3

    3 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 3, question 8(a)(ii): There was 0.655 kg of water in the flask at an initial temperature of 22.5 °C. The heater was switched on, and the water in the flask was heated to boiling poin

  18. Q8(b)(i)

    November 2021 · Paper 3

    1 markHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 3, question 8(b)(i): Give a reason why the water was left boiling for a few minutes before the conical flask was put in place. (1)

  19. Q8(b)(ii)

    November 2021 · Paper 3

    3 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 3, question 8(b)(ii): Water with a mass of 95.0 g was collected in a time of 125 s. Calculate the rate of energy transfer in the heat exchanger. specific latent heat of vaporisation

  20. Q8(b)(iii)

    November 2021 · Paper 3

    3 marksHeat capacity, latent heat and internal energy
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 3, question 8(b)(iii): Discuss your answers to (a)(i) and (b)(ii). (3)
All 40 questions on Heat capacity, latent heat and internal energy, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 2, Q19(b)(i) (6 marks): It is claimed that 1% of the ice would melt if the ice sculpture were in direct sunlight continuously for 12 hours. Assume that radiation, of intensity I, from
  2. June 2025, Paper 2, Q19(b)(ii) (2 marks): Give two reasons why your analysis of the situation may be incorrect. (2)
  3. June 2025, Paper 2, Q21(a) (1 mark): State what is meant by absolute zero. (1)
  4. June 2025, Paper 3, Q10(b) (4 marks): A lab technician used the resistor to heat 1.25 × 10 Calculate the time taken for the milk to increase in temperature by 12 °C. –1 K –1 specific heat capacity o
  5. June 2024, Paper 3, Q12(b) (6 marks): One type of chocolate melts at a temperature of 32°C. The energy released when 65 g of this chocolate is digested is 345 kcal. It is suggested that the energy u
  6. June 2023, Paper 2, Q12 (5 marks): A student placed a metal block of mass 220 g in boiling water at 100 °C for several minutes. The student then transferred the metal block into 300 g of water at
  7. June 2023, Paper 2, Q14(a) (3 marks): When the stove uses the butane gas, some of the liquid butane evaporates. Explain why the temperature of the canister decreases when the stove is used. (3)
  8. June 2023, Paper 3, Q3(a) (2 marks): A student planned to vary the current in the heater from 0 A to 5 A. The student connected the following circuit to measure the current in the heater. mA heater
  9. June 2023, Paper 3, Q3(b)(i) (3 marks): The student corrected the circuit and closed the switch. He waited until the water started boiling. He started a stopwatch and recorded the readings on the bala
  10. June 2023, Paper 3, Q3(b)(ii) (3 marks): The heater was switched on for 6.0 minutes and the change in mass of water in the beaker was 7.5 g. Calculate the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water,
  11. June 2023, Paper 3, Q3(b)(iii) (2 marks): The errors in the experiment include uncertainty in the mass reading and uncertainty in reading the stopwatch, as the water boils. Explain how another significa
  12. June 2022, Paper 2, Q15 (6 marks): Aluminium is one of the most widely recycled metals. Aluminium cans are heated from room temperature until all the aluminium has melted. The molten aluminium is
  13. June 2022, Paper 3, Q3(a) (5 marks): Deduce whether the data confirms that 8000 slaps would be sufficient. Assume that no energy is transferred from the chicken to the surroundings. mass of chicken
  14. June 2022, Paper 3, Q3(b) (2 marks): Explain whether the assumption made in (a) is realistic. (2)
  15. November 2021, Paper 2, Q12 (4 marks): Latte is a type of coffee made with hot frothy milk. The milk is heated by pumping steam into it. Calculate the maximum mass of milk that could be warmed to a t
  16. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(a)(i) (2 marks): Show that the power of the heater was about 2 kW. (2)
  17. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(a)(ii) (3 marks): There was 0.655 kg of water in the flask at an initial temperature of 22.5 °C. The heater was switched on, and the water in the flask was heated to boiling poin
  18. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(b)(i) (1 mark): Give a reason why the water was left boiling for a few minutes before the conical flask was put in place. (1)
  19. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(b)(ii) (3 marks): Water with a mass of 95.0 g was collected in a time of 125 s. Calculate the rate of energy transfer in the heat exchanger. specific latent heat of vaporisation
  20. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(b)(iii) (3 marks): Discuss your answers to (a)(i) and (b)(ii). (3)
  21. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(c) (1 mark): State how the apparatus could be modified to minimise the effect of a significant source of error. (1)
  22. October 2020, Paper 2, Q11 (3 marks): A cup contains 180 g of black coffee at a temperature of 82 °C. 68 g of milk at a temperature of 2.7 °C is added to the coffee. An ideal temperature range for d
  23. October 2020, Paper 3, Q4 (6 marks): *4 Radium is a radioactive element. The most common isotope of radium has a half-life of almost two thousand years. A sample of radium can remain at a higher te
  24. October 2020, Paper 3, Q6(a) (2 marks): She connected the heater into a circuit and took measurements of the potential difference V and the current I for the heater. Complete the circuit diagram to sh
  25. October 2020, Paper 3, Q6(b) (7 marks): The student monitored the mass of the beaker and the liquid m over the time t for which the liquid was boiling. Her results are plotted on the graph. 220 210 20
  26. October 2020, Paper 3, Q6(c) (2 marks): Explain how this method might be modified to improve the accuracy of the student’s conclusion. (2) . . .
  27. October 2020, Paper 3, Q8(a) (2 marks): Explain why a graph of ln Δθ against t should be a straight line. (2)
  28. October 2020, Paper 3, Q8(b)(i) (5 marks): Plot a graph of ln Δθ against t on the grid opposite. Use the columns provided in the table to show any processed data. (5)
  29. October 2020, Paper 3, Q8(b)(ii) (3 marks): Determine the value of b. (3) b =
  30. October 2020, Paper 3, Q8(c) (4 marks): The student suggested that the experiment would have been more accurate if a temperature sensor and data logger had been used to collect the data. Assess the va
  31. June 2019, Paper 2, Q11 (5 marks): A wet handkerchief is dried in 56s using a hot iron rated at 2400 W. Determine whether energy is transferred to the water in the handkerchief at a greater rate
  32. June 2019, Paper 3, Q2(a) (2 marks): She connected the electrical heater into a circuit and took measurements to determine the power of the heater. Draw a circuit diagram of a suitable circuit. (2)
  33. June 2019, Paper 3, Q2(b)(i) (3 marks): Determine the specific heat capacity of aluminium. power of heater = 37.5 W mass of aluminium block = 0.986 kg (3) Specific heat capacity of aluminium =
  34. June 2019, Paper 3, Q2(b)(ii) (2 marks): The student looked up the accepted value for the specific heat capacity of aluminium. Using this value, the student predicted that it should have taken 240 s fo
  35. June 2019, Paper 3, Q11(b)(i) (3 marks): Explain the significance of the intercept on the x-axis. (3)
  36. June 2018, Paper 3, Q7(a) (3 marks): The initial temperature of the cold water was 18.5°C and the mass of water in the cup was 255.0 g. After steam had been passed through the water for some time t
  37. June 2018, Paper 3, Q7(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the water was heated to boiling point and left boiling for a few minutes before the insulated cup of cold water was put in place. (2)
  38. June 2018, Paper 3, Q7(b)(ii) (2 marks): Identify a significant source of error in this experiment and the steps that should be taken to minimise its effect on the calculated value of the specific late
  39. June 2017, Paper 2, Q5 (1 mark): A data book contains the following information for ethanol. latent heat of fusion = 109 kJ kg–1 latent heat of vaporisation = 838 kJ kg–1 545 J is transferred f
  40. June 2017, Paper 2, Q11 (3 marks): An electric iron rated at 2600 W contains a steel plate which is heated to a working temperature of 215°C. Room temperature is 18°C. Deduce whether the plate co

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