Lesson 9.1.1

9.1.1 Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 9

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 9.1.1, Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Physics (9PH0), Unit 9: Thermodynamics, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which equation gives the energy needed to change the temperature of a substance?

    • E = m L Δθ
    • E = c Δθ / m
    • E = m / (c Δθ)
    • E = m c Δθ

  2. What is the SI unit of specific latent heat?

    • J m^-3
    • J K^-1
    • J kg^-1
    • J kg^-1 K^-1

  3. Specific latent heat of fusion is the energy needed to change the phase of 1 kg of a substance

    • without any change in its temperature
    • in one second at a fixed power
    • while doubling its mass
    • while raising its temperature by 1 K

  4. A heater of power P runs for time t and heats mass m through a temperature rise Δθ. Which expression gives the specific heat capacity c?

    • c = P m / (t Δθ)
    • c = P t / (m Δθ)
    • c = m Δθ / (P t)
    • c = P / (m Δθ t)

  5. Why does the temperature of a substance stay constant while it melts?

    • Energy goes into breaking bonds, not raising average kinetic energy.
    • Energy supplied is converted into sound and light inside the sample, not heat.
    • The sample loses as much energy by radiation as it gains from the heater overall.
    • The mass of the sample decreases, so its temperature cannot rise further overall.

  6. A 2.0 kg block with specific heat capacity 400 J kg^-1 K^-1 is heated from 20 C to 50 C. How much energy is absorbed?

    • 24 kJ
    • 12 kJ
    • 2.4 kJ
    • 240 kJ

  7. Water has specific heat capacity 4200 J kg^-1 K^-1. How much energy heats 0.50 kg of water by 10 K?

    • 2.1 kJ
    • 21 kJ
    • 42 kJ
    • 84 kJ

  8. 0.25 kg of ice melts completely. The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is 3.34 x 10^5 J kg^-1. How much energy is absorbed?

    • 1.34 x 10^6 J
    • 8.35 x 10^3 J
    • 8.35 x 10^4 J
    • 1.34 x 10^5 J

  9. A 500 W heater runs for 120 s and heats 2.0 kg of liquid by 15 K with no losses. What is the specific heat capacity of the liquid?

    • 1000 J kg^-1 K^-1
    • 2000 J kg^-1 K^-1
    • 4000 J kg^-1 K^-1
    • 8000 J kg^-1 K^-1

  10. Energy is supplied to boil 0.10 kg of water already at 100 C, with specific latent heat of vaporisation 2.26 x 10^6 J kg^-1. How much energy is needed?

    • 226 kJ
    • 22.6 kJ
    • 4.52 MJ
    • 2.26 MJ

  11. A 1.2 kJ energy input heats 0.040 kg of a solid by 25 K. What is its specific heat capacity?

    • 4800 J kg^-1 K^-1
    • 300 J kg^-1 K^-1
    • 120 J kg^-1 K^-1
    • 1200 J kg^-1 K^-1

  12. A 1.5 kW kettle with no losses heats 1.7 kg of water from 20 C to 100 C, with c = 4200 J kg^-1 K^-1. About how long does it take?

    • about 381 s
    • about 95 s
    • about 857 s
    • about 190 s

  13. 0.30 kg of copper (c = 385 J kg^-1 K^-1) releases 5000 J of energy. By how much does its temperature fall?

    • about 130 K
    • about 2.3 K
    • about 43 K
    • about 17 K

  14. Energy of 1.0 MJ is supplied to boil water at 100 C, with specific latent heat of vaporisation 2.26 x 10^6 J kg^-1. What mass of water is vaporised?

    • about 0.22 kg
    • about 2.26 kg
    • about 0.44 kg
    • about 4.4 kg

  15. 0.20 kg of ice at 0 C is melted and the water warmed to 30 C. Take L = 3.34 x 10^5 J kg^-1 and c = 4200 J kg^-1 K^-1. What is the total energy needed?

    • 67 kJ
    • 25 kJ
    • 118 kJ
    • 92 kJ

  16. 0.50 kg of water at 80 C is mixed with 0.20 kg of water at 20 C, with no energy lost. What is the final temperature?

    • about 63 C
    • about 57 C
    • about 50 C
    • about 70 C

  17. Why does an electrical heating experiment often give a calculated specific heat capacity that is too large?

    • The thermometer absorbs more energy than the liquid, so the liquid warms more than expected.
    • The heater supplies less power than its label, so the energy input is underestimated overall.
    • Heat escapes to the surroundings, so the measured temperature rise is smaller than expected.
    • Latent heat is added to the liquid, which raises its apparent specific heat capacity too much.

  18. Energy to melt 1 kg of ice at 0 C is compared with energy to heat 1 kg of water from 0 C to 10 C (c = 4200 J kg^-1 K^-1, L = 3.34 x 10^5 J kg^-1). What is the ratio of the first to the second?

    • about 8.0
    • about 0.8
    • about 1.3
    • about 80

  19. A 2.0 kg metal block (c = 500 J kg^-1 K^-1) starts at 15 C and absorbs 60 kJ with no change of phase. What is its final temperature?

    • 45 C
    • 90 C
    • 75 C
    • 60 C

  20. Which statement about specific heat capacity is correct?

    • It is the energy per unit volume needed to melt a substance.
    • It is the temperature rise per unit energy supplied to 1 mol of a substance.
    • It is the power per unit mass delivered by a heater.
    • It is the energy per unit mass needed to raise a substance's temperature by 1 K.

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