Free Specific heat capacity questions for IGCSE Physics (0625), part of Thermal physics. Each question has the answer and the marking points an examiner would look for.
Generate a full Specific Heat Capacity worksheet →All Thermal physics questionsA 0.2 kg block of iron (specific heat capacity 450 J/(kg °C)) at 80 °C is dropped into 0.4 kg of water (specific heat capacity 4200 J/(kg °C)) at 20 °C. No energy is lost to the surroundings.
What is the final temperature of the water?
Answer: A
What is meant by specific heat capacity?
Answer: A
Ice at 0 °C is added to a drink. The drink is 0.4 kg of water at 30 °C. The mass of ice is 0.04 kg. Specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J/(kg °C); specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 3.34 × 105 J/kg. Assume no energy is exchanged with the surroundings or the cup.
Calculate the energy needed to melt all the ice.
Calculate the final temperature of the drink once all the ice has melted.
A student says that adding the same mass of water at 0 °C would cool the drink just as much. Explain why the student is wrong.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | 13400 J E = mL C1 13400 A1 | 2 |
| (b) | 20 °C energy lost by warm water = energy to melt ice + energy to warm melted ice C1 0.4 × 4200 × (30 − θ) = 13400 + 0.04 × 4200 × θ C1 correct rearrangement C1 20 A1 | 4 |
| (c) | Ice must first absorb latent heat to melt with no temperature change, so it removes more energy from the drink than water at 0 °C ice absorbs (latent) energy to melt B1 so more energy is removed from the drink, giving a lower final temperature B1 | 2 |
A student uses a 100 W electric heater to heat a 1 kg metal block for 5 minutes. The temperature of the block rises by 15 °C.
Calculate the energy supplied by the heater.
Calculate the specific heat capacity of the metal.
Suggest why the value calculated is higher than the true value.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | 30000 J E = Pt = 100 × 300 C1 30000 J A1 | 2 |
| (b) | 2000 J/(kg °C) c = E ÷ (mΔθ) C1 2000 J/(kg °C) A1 | 2 |
| (c) | energy lost to surroundings some energy is lost to the surroundings B1 so the temperature rise is smaller than it should be, giving a larger c B1 | 2 |
A student heats a 1.0 kg block of copper with a 50 W electrical heater for 300 s. The temperature rises by 34.6 °C.
Define specific heat capacity.
Calculate the energy supplied by the heater.
Use your answer to (b) to calculate the specific heat capacity of copper.
The accepted value is 390 J/(kg °C). Explain why the value in (c) is larger, and suggest one improvement.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg by 1 °C energy required per unit mass per unit temperature increase B1 to raise 1 kg by 1 °C B1 | 2 |
| (b) | 15000 J E = Pt = 50 × 300 C1 15000 J A1 | 2 |
| (c) | 434 J/(kg °C) c = E/(mΔT) = 15000/(1.0 × 34.6) C1 434 J/(kg °C) A1 | 2 |
| (d) | energy lost to surroundings; ΔT smaller than ideal; insulate the block thermal energy is lost to the surroundings B1 so the temperature rise is smaller than it would be, giving a larger c B1 wrap the block in insulation / put oil in the thermometer hole B1 | 3 |
An electric kettle has a power of 2000 W. It contains 1.5 kg of water. The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/(kg °C).
Calculate the minimum time needed to raise the temperature of the water by 60 °C.
Explain why the actual time is longer than this.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | 189 s E = mcΔθ = 378000 J C1 t = E ÷ P C1 189 s A1 | 3 |
| (b) | energy heats kettle and surroundings some energy heats the kettle itself / is transferred to the surroundings B1 so less energy goes into the water each second B1 | 2 |
Riyaz Shaikh has mentored IGCSE, IB and A Level students for 15+ years, one-on-one, online and in Mumbai. The hardest questions on this site are the ones he uses to find a student's weak points.
Meet Riyaz →Original Cambridge-style practice questions written for mentorriyaz.in. These are not Cambridge past paper questions, and this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Updated 2026-11-04. Paper generator · mentorriyaz.in