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Thermal physics: WJEC A‑Level Physics questions

Every WJEC A-Level Physics exam question on 3.4 Thermal physics, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,173 questions

  1. Q1(a)

    Summer 2025 · Unit 3

    3 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2025 Unit 3, question 1(a): The first law of thermodynamics may be expressed as: ΔU = Q − W State what is represented by: [3] ΔU Q W

  2. Q1(b)(ii)

    Summer 2025 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2025 Unit 3, question 1(b)(ii): Determine the approximate amount of work done in the expansion AB. [2]

  3. Q1(b)(iii)

    Summer 2025 · Unit 3

    4 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2025 Unit 3, question 1(b)(iii): Hence or otherwise, calculate the net heat flow over the whole cycle ABCA. [4]

  4. Q2(b)(i)

    Summer 2025 · Unit 3

    1 mark3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2025 Unit 3, question 2(b)(i): Explain what is meant by ‘heat’. [1]

  5. Q2(b)(ii)

    Summer 2025 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2025 Unit 3, question 2(b)(ii): Explain why the rate of flow of heat through the walls of the balloon eventually approaches zero. [2]

  6. Q8(f)(i)

    Summer 2024 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2024 Unit 3, question 8(f)(i): Paragraph 8 Read through the following article carefully. Some Interesting Aspects of Quantum Physics The whole idea of quantum physics usually starts with the

  7. Q1(a)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    3 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 1(a): State the meaning of: [3] ∆U Q W

  8. Q1(b)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 1(b): A closed cylinder fitted with a leak-proof piston as one end contains 0.060 mol of an ideal monatomic gas. The volume of the system is 1.4 × 10–3 m3 and the pre

  9. Q1(c)(i)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 1(c)(i): the work done by the gas, [2]

  10. Q1(c)(ii)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 1(c)(ii): the increase in the internal energy of the gas, [2]

  11. Q1(c)(iii)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    1 mark3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 1(c)(iii): the heat transferred to the gas. [1]

  12. Q4(a)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 4(a): Explain what is meant by specific heat capacity. [2]

  13. Q4(b)(i)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    3 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 4(b)(i): Determine the time it takes to increase the temperature of the water from 18 °C to 100 °C. [3]

  14. Q4(b)(ii)

    Summer 2023 · Unit 3

    4 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2023 Unit 3, question 4(b)(ii): poured into a thermos flask. The temperature of the tea when in the flask is 95 °C. Milk at 5 °C is then poured into the flask. Determine whether 3.6 × 10–5 m3

  15. Q2(b)(iii)

    Summer 2022 · Unit 3

    1 mark3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2022 Unit 3, question 2(b)(iii): Determine the internal energy of the gas in the balloon. [1]

  16. Q2(c)(i)

    Summer 2022 · Unit 3

    3 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2022 Unit 3, question 2(c)(i): Explain, in terms of the molecules, the difference in the nature of the internal energy in an ideal gas and in a liquid. [3]

  17. Q2(c)(ii)

    Summer 2022 · Unit 3

    1 mark3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2022 Unit 3, question 2(c)(ii): State the temperature of a system for its internal energy to be a minimum. [1]

  18. Q6(i)

    Summer 2022 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    Mark scheme (PDF)
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2022 Unit 3, question 6(i): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P

  19. Q6(a)

    Summer 2022 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2022 Unit 3, question 6(a): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P

  20. Q6(b)

    Summer 2022 · Unit 3

    2 marks3.4 Thermal physics
    The whole paper ↗
    Summer 2022 Unit 3, question 6(b): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
All 37 questions on Thermal physics, as a list
  1. Summer 2025, Unit 3, Q1(a) (3 marks): The first law of thermodynamics may be expressed as: ΔU = Q − W State what is represented by: [3] ΔU Q W
  2. Summer 2025, Unit 3, Q1(b)(ii) (2 marks): Determine the approximate amount of work done in the expansion AB. [2]
  3. Summer 2025, Unit 3, Q1(b)(iii) (4 marks): Hence or otherwise, calculate the net heat flow over the whole cycle ABCA. [4]
  4. Summer 2025, Unit 3, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): Explain what is meant by ‘heat’. [1]
  5. Summer 2025, Unit 3, Q2(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the rate of flow of heat through the walls of the balloon eventually approaches zero. [2]
  6. Summer 2024, Unit 3, Q8(f)(i) (2 marks): Paragraph 8 Read through the following article carefully. Some Interesting Aspects of Quantum Physics The whole idea of quantum physics usually starts with the
  7. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q1(a) (3 marks): State the meaning of: [3] ∆U Q W
  8. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q1(b) (2 marks): A closed cylinder fitted with a leak-proof piston as one end contains 0.060 mol of an ideal monatomic gas. The volume of the system is 1.4 × 10–3 m3 and the pre
  9. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q1(c)(i) (2 marks): the work done by the gas, [2]
  10. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q1(c)(ii) (2 marks): the increase in the internal energy of the gas, [2]
  11. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q1(c)(iii) (1 mark): the heat transferred to the gas. [1]
  12. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q4(a) (2 marks): Explain what is meant by specific heat capacity. [2]
  13. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q4(b)(i) (3 marks): Determine the time it takes to increase the temperature of the water from 18 °C to 100 °C. [3]
  14. Summer 2023, Unit 3, Q4(b)(ii) (4 marks): poured into a thermos flask. The temperature of the tea when in the flask is 95 °C. Milk at 5 °C is then poured into the flask. Determine whether 3.6 × 10–5 m3
  15. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): Determine the internal energy of the gas in the balloon. [1]
  16. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q2(c)(i) (3 marks): Explain, in terms of the molecules, the difference in the nature of the internal energy in an ideal gas and in a liquid. [3]
  17. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q2(c)(ii) (1 mark): State the temperature of a system for its internal energy to be a minimum. [1]
  18. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q6(i) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
  19. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q6(a) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
  20. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q6(b) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
  21. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q6(c) (3 marks): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
  22. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q6(d) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
  23. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q6(e) (4 marks): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
  24. Summer 2022, Unit 3, Q6(f) (1 mark): Read through the following article carefully. How do you produce really low temperatures and can you then do some cool stuff with it? Paragraph Pressure / 105 P
  25. Summer 2019, Unit 3, Q1(d) (1 mark): State what happens to the behaviour of the gas molecules as the temperature approaches absolute zero. [1]
  26. Summer 2019, Unit 3, Q5(b)(ii) (2 marks): During the process the gas does 773 J of work. Determine the heat flowing into the gas, explaining your reasoning. [2]
  27. Summer 2019, Unit 3, Q5(b)(iii) (4 marks): Following the expansion the gas is returned to its initial state by a two-stage process: – a decrease in volume at constant pressure; – an increase in pressure
  28. Summer 2018, Unit 3, Q2(d) (3 marks): An ideal monatomic gas, initially at a pressure of 115 kPa and temperature of 294 K, expands at constant pressure from a volume of 2.20 × 10–3 m3 to 2.60 × 10–3
  29. Summer 2018, Unit 3, Q3(a) (1 mark): Give the definition of the specific heat capacity of a material. [1]
  30. Summer 2018, Unit 3, Q3(b)(i) (3 marks): Determine the final temperature of the water in the flask. [3]
  31. Summer 2018, Unit 3, Q3(b)(ii) (3 marks): Calculate the heat lost by the boiling water. [3]
  32. Summer 2018, Unit 3, Q3(b)(iii) (1 mark): Justify the statement that no work is done on/by the boiling water as it cools. No further calculations are needed. [1]
  33. Summer 2018, Unit 4, Q5(c) (5 marks): Iestyn claims that changing the shape of the coat hanger from Shape 1 to Shape 2 in 16 ms in the magnetic field will increase its temperature by less than 1 °C.
  34. Summer 2017, Unit 3, Q3(a) (3 marks): The first law of thermodynamics is given by: ∆U = Q – W State what is represented by: [3] ∆U Q W
  35. Summer 2017, Unit 3, Q3(b)(i) (5 marks): Complete the table by describing each process in terms of pressure and volume. The description for process A → B is already inserted. For each process state if
  36. Summer 2017, Unit 3, Q3(b)(ii) (2 marks): Determine the net work done on the gas during the entire cycle. [2]
  37. Summer 2017, Unit 3, Q3(c)(ii) (2 marks): Estimate the difference in the net work done in the two cycles. [2]

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