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CIE iGCSE Co-Ordinated Science P2.2.1 Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases Exam Style Questions Paper 1

CIE iGCSE Co-Ordinated Science Paper 1 - All Chapters

Question

In a liquid-in-glass thermometer, which physical property of the liquid is used to measure temperature?

A. colour
B. mass
C. pressure
D. volume

▶️ Answer/Explanation
A liquid expands as its temperature increases and contracts as its temperature decreases.
In a liquid-in-glass thermometer, this change in volume moves the liquid up or down a narrow tube.
The position of the liquid against a calibrated scale therefore indicates the temperature.
✅ Answer: (D)

Question

A copper disc has a hole at its centre that is slightly too small to fit over a copper cylinder.

How can the disc be fitted over the cylinder?

A. Cool the disc and then fit it over the cylinder.
B. Cool the disc, heat the cylinder and then fit the disc over the cylinder.
C. Heat the cylinder and then fit it through the hole in the disc.
D. Heat the disc and then fit it over the cylinder.

▶️ Answer/Explanation
Heating a solid causes it to expand as its particles vibrate more and move further apart.
Heating the disc makes the hole in its centre expand, becoming large enough for the cylinder.
Cooling the disc would shrink the hole further, making it harder, not easier, to fit.
✅ Answer: (D)

Question

A glass jar in a warm room has a metal lid that is easy to remove.

The jar with the lid on is left in a refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, the lid of the jar is difficult to remove.
Which statement is an explanation of what happens when the jar is in the refrigerator?

A. The glass jar contracted more than the metal lid.
B. The metal lid contracted more than the glass jar.
C. The glass jar expanded more than the metal lid.
D. The metal lid expanded more than the glass jar.

▶️ Answer/Explanation
When cooled in the refrigerator, both the glass jar and metal lid contract, but metals have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than glass, so the metal lid contracts more than the glass jar.
This means the lid shrinks tightly onto the glass neck, making it much harder to remove — the opposite occurs when heated (lid expands more, loosening it).
✅ Answer: (B)

Question

Which statement about the relative thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases is correct?

A. Solids expand least, gases expand most.
B. Solids expand least, liquids expand most.
C. Gases expand least, liquids expand most.
D. Gases expand least, solids expand most.

▶️ Answer/Explanation
Particles in solids are closely fixed in position, so heating produces only small increases in average separation.
Particles in liquids are more loosely arranged and can expand more freely than solid particles.
Gas particles are free to move and spread out, so gases show the greatest expansion of the three states on heating.
✅ Answer: (A)
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