Changes of State & the Particle Model (AQA GCSE Physics)

Exam Questions

2 hours12 questions
1a3 marks

Describe the arrangement of the particles in a solid, a liquid and a gas.

1b3 marks

Describe the motion of the particles in a solid, a liquid and a gas.

1c1 mark

During a dry day, a puddle on a road dries up and disappears.

State the name of the process which causes this to happen.
1d1 mark

Describe one change in the weather that would cause the puddle to dry up more quickly.

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2a1 mark

The volume of a piece of brass is 16.3 cm3.

A student measures its mass using an electronic balance.

The mass of the brass is 138 g. 

State the equation linking density, mass and volume.
2b3 marks
Calculate the density of brass. Give the unit. 
 
density = ..................................... unit ...................
2c2 marks

Brass is a solid. State two facts about the structure of solids.

2d5 marks

Materials can change state from solid to liquid or gas. Liquids and gases can also change state.

Complete the table below with the names of the changes of state. 
Initial state Final state Name of change
Solid Liquid  
Solid Gas  
Liquid Solid  
Liquid Gas  
Gas Liquid  

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3a2 marks

A student draws diagrams that represent three states of matter.

Figure 1 shows the arrangement of particles in a liquid.

Figure 1

oMqXyxDb_states-of-matter-

Complete the boxes to show the arrangement of particles in a solid and a gas.
3b4 marks

Density can be determined using specific equipment.

Match the piece of equipment with the correct use.
density-cans-experiment-equipment
3c6 marks
Number the following sentences from 1-6 to give the correct order for this experiment.
 

Fill the eureka can with water up to a point just below the spout

 

Carefully lower the object into the eureka can

 

Place the object on a digital balance and note down its mass

 

Repeat these measurements and take an average before calculating the density

 

Measure the volume of the displaced water in the measuring cylinder

 

Place an empty measuring cylinder below its spout

 
3d3 marks

The density can is left still wet in a warm room. After several hours the can is dry. 

State and explain what happens to the water. Use your ideas about molecules in your answer.

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13 marks

Figure 1 below shows a wind turbine.

Figure 1

fig-1-3-1-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

At a particular wind speed, a volume of 1.9 × 104 m3 of air passes the blades each second.

The density of air is 1.2 kg/m3.

Calculate the mass of air passing the blades per second.

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26 marks

A student wants to calculate the density of the two objects shown in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2

fig-2-3-1-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

Describe how the student could measure the densities of the two objects.

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3a1 mark

Kinetic theory states that all matter is made up of tiny particles, which are always moving.

The liquid shown in Figure 3 is evaporating.

Figure 3

fig-3-3-1-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

Explain how the diagram in Figure 3 shows the liquid is evaporating.

3b4 marks

Figure 4 shows the arrangement of particles in a solid.

Figure 4

fig-4-3-1-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

The volume of one kilogram of solid is much smaller than the volume of one kilogram of gas.

Use the kinetic theory to explain why.

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4a1 mark

A student finds a small rock that she suspects is a meteorite. 

Measuring the density of the rock will give one piece of evidence to support her idea.

State the equation that links density (ρ), mass (m) and volume (v).
4b4 marks
Describe how the student could measure the volume of the piece of rock.
4c2 marks

The volume of the piece of rock was 120.0 cm3.

The student measured the mass of the piece of rock as 895 g.

Calculate the density of the rock in g / cm3.

4d1 mark

The graph in Figure 5 below shows the densities of some common types of rock.

Figure 5

fig-5-3-1-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

Which type of rock most closely matches the rock the student measured?

4e1 mark

Give one error that the student could have made when measuring the volume of the rock.

4f1 mark

What effect would the error you described in part 4(e) have on the value of the volume of the rock that the student measured?

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5a2 marks

Figure 6 below shows a party balloon, filled with air.

Figure 6

fig-6-3-1-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

Describe the motion of the air particles inside the balloon.
5b2 marks
Explain, in terms of particles, why the air inside the balloon is easy to compress.
5c1 mark

State the name given to the sum of the potential and kinetic energy of all the particles of air inside the balloon.

5d1 mark

State the equation which links mass, density and volume.

5e3 marks

The balloon has a volume of 0.0283 m3.

The air in the balloon has a mass of 0.0340 kg.

Calculate the density of air.

5f1 mark

The balloon is placed into very cold liquid nitrogen, causing the air inside to turn to a liquid.

During this process no air leaves the balloon.

State the name of the physical process which has taken place inside the balloon.

5g1 mark

The air inside the balloon is now a liquid.

What is its mass?

5h2 marks

Explain, in terms of particles, what has happened to the volume of the balloon.

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6a3 marks

Describe the arrangement of the particles in a solid, a liquid and a gas.

6b3 marks

Describe the motion of the particles in a solid, a liquid and a gas.

6c1 mark

During a dry day, a puddle on a road dries up and disappears.

State the name of the process which causes this to happen.

6d1 mark

Describe one change in the weather that would cause the puddle to dry up more quickly.

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1a1 mark

A student takes an empty measuring cylinder and places it on an electronic balance.

She records the mass and then adds an unknown liquid to the measuring cylinder. She records the volume of liquid in the measuring cylinder and the reading on the electronic balance.

She repeats this process and plots her results on a graph shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

3-1-h-1a-density-graph

Determine the mass of the empty measuring cylinder.

1b
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4 marks

Figure 2 shows four different liquids and their densities.

Figure 2

Liquid

Density (kg / m3)

Ethanol

800

Water

1000

Petrol

700

Castor oil

900

 

Use the data from the graph and your answer to part (a) to identify the liquid which the student used. 

The following data may be useful:

1 m3 = 1 × 106 cm3

1c2 marks

The student repeats the experiment with a liquid which has a lower density. The same measuring cylinder was used for both experiments.

Draw a line on the graph to show the results she would expect to obtain from this second liquid.

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2a4 marks

A student wishes to measure the density of glass.

The following equipment is available:

  • a bag of marbles, all made from the same type of glass
  • a balance
  • a plastic measuring cylinder containing water

Describe how the student could find the density of the glass used for the marbles. Make at least one suggestion to improve accuracy.

2b4 marks

The table in Figure 1 shows the student's results.

Figure 1

Mass of 5 marbles (g) volume of water displaced (cm3)
54 23

 

Calculate the density of the marbles. Give the unit. 

 
 density = ....................................... unit .......................
2c2 marks

Suggest how the student can use their value of density to identify the type of glass.

2d1 mark

Suggest why the student may still be unsure about the type of glass.

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3a6 marks

Table 1 gives some observations about the shape and size of ice, water and steam.

Table 1

Material Shape Size
Ice keeps a fixed shape keeps a fixed size
Water takes the shape of the container keeps a fixed size
Steam takes the shape of the container expands to fill the container

 

Explain each of the observations in terms of the arrangement and motion of the particles.

3b3 marks

Figure 2 shows some large solid concrete cubes. 

Figure 2

3-1-3b-h-concrete-cubes

The mass of one of the concrete cubes is 1000 kg. 

State the weight of this concrete cube.

Give the unit. 

 
Weight of concrete cube  = ..................................... Unit .................
3c3 marks

The density of this concrete cube is 2300 kg/m3

Calculate the volume of this concrete cube. 

 
    
Volume of concrete cube  = ..................................... m3
3d2 marks

The concrete cube is used in an experiment to look at shielding for nuclear reactors. It is subjected to high temperatures until it melts.

Describe what will happen to mass of the concrete as it melts.

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