Question

various true & false and multiple choice questions on thermal energy and specific heat capacity:

1. which can hold more heat than water before increasing in temperature?

• oil
• water
• both can hold more heat than water before increasing in temperature
• none of the above

1. more thermal energy is being transferred to the water than the oil

• true
• false

1. more thermal energy is being transferred to the oil than the water

• true
• false

1. coastal areas have milder climates because

• ocean water is more dense than water vapor.
• water is a polar molecule.
• water has a high heat capacity.
• water boils at 100 degrees celsius.

1. if identical volumes of water and sand are heated with the same amount of energy and the sand heats to 60 degrees and the water heats to 30 degrees this means

• the same amount of heat produced the same amount of temperature change in both substances so they have the same heat capacity.
• the same amount of heat produced half the amount of temperature change in the sand than the water so the sand has a higher heat capacity than the water.
• the same amount of heat produced twice the amount of temperature change in the sand than the water so the sand has a lower heat capacity than the water.
• the same amount of heat produced twice the amount of temperature change in the water than the sand so the sand has a lower heat capacity than the water.

1. specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of a substance by 1 degree celsius.

• true
• false

Explanation:

Question 1 (Specific heat capacity definition)

The definition of specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass (or a given amount) of a substance by 1 degree Celsius. The question's statement matches this definition.

The formula for heat transfer is \( Q = mc\Delta T \), where \( Q \) is heat, \( m \) is mass, \( c \) is specific heat capacity, and \( \Delta T \) is temperature change. Given identical volumes (and assuming same density, so same mass \( m \)) and same \( Q \) (same energy input), if sand heats to 60°C (\( \Delta T_{sand}=60 \)) and water to 30°C (\( \Delta T_{water}=30 \)), then from \( Q = mc\Delta T \), \( c \propto \frac{1}{\Delta T} \) (since \( Q \) and \( m \) are same). So \( c_{water} > c_{sand} \) (water has higher heat capacity). The correct option is: "the same amount of heat produced the same amount of temperature change in both substances so they have the same heat capacity" is wrong. Wait, re - evaluating: The correct reasoning is that same \( Q \), same \( m \), \( \Delta T_{sand}=60 \), \( \Delta T_{water}=30 \). So \( Q = m c_{sand} \times 60 = m c_{water} \times 30 \), so \( c_{water}=2c_{sand} \), meaning water has higher heat capacity. So the correct option is "the same amount of heat produced twice the amount of temperature change in the sand than the water so the sand has a lower heat capacity" (because \( \Delta T_{sand}=2\Delta T_{water} \), so \( c_{sand}=\frac{Q}{m\times60} \), \( c_{water}=\frac{Q}{m\times30} \), so \( c_{sand} < c_{water} \)).

Answer:

True

Question 2 (Water and sand heating - heat capacity)