PHYSICS 250 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
TEST 2026 THEORY QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
◉ Is the temperature of an object a measure of the total kinetic
energy of molecules in the object or a measure of the average kinetic
energy per molecule in the object? Answer: Temperature is a
measure of the average kinetic energy per molecule in the object.
Internal energy or Thermal energy is a measure of the total kinetic
energy of the molecules of the object. The Internal/Thermal energy
is directly related to the temperature of the substance. If an object is
at a higher temperature is has more internal energy than an object
at a lower temperature.
◉ What is meant by the statement "a thermometer measures its
own temperature"?. Answer: A thermometer when placed in contact
with an object at a given temperature reaches thermal equilibrium
with object and thus the thermometer is measuring both the
temperature of the object and its own temperature.
◉ What are the temperatures for freezing water and boiling water
on the Kelvin temperature scale?. Answer: The Kelvin scale is
directly proportional to the Celsius scale but shifted by 273 K, thus
the freezing point of water in Kelvin is 273 K and the boiling point is
373 K.
,◉ How much energy can be taken from a system at 0 K?. Answer:
When a system is at 0 K no more energy can be taken. This is
absolute zero and implies that all the molecules are completely at
rest (no kinetic energy) and no more energy can be taken. The
temperature can not drop below 0 K.
◉ When you touch a cold surface, does the cold travel from the
surface to your hand or does energy travel from your hand to the
cold surface? Explain.. Answer: Heat (energy transfer) always occurs
naturally from the higher temperature object (in this case the hand)
to the lower temperature object (cold surface).
◉ Distinguish between temperature and heat. Answer: Temperature
is related to how hot or cold something is and more specifically the
average kinetic energy of the molecules. Heat is a measure of energy
transfer. When energy is transferred to or from an object its
temperature can change.
◉ Distinguish between heat and thermal energy. Answer: An object
can contain thermal/internal energy due to its temperature. When
an object has thermal energy it has the ability to give away or take
on more thermal energy. Heat is the process of energy transfer.
When an object loses "heat" it is actually losing internal energy and
the process of transferring the energy is heat. Heat is energy in
transit (movement) while internal energy is something that a
substance has.
, ◉ What determines the direction of heat flow?. Answer: In natural
situation, heat flows (energy flows) from the higher temperature
object to the lower temperature object. The only way the reverse is
possible is if it is forced to move in the opposite direction.
◉ Distinguish between a calorie and a Calorie.. Answer: 1 Calorie =
1000 calories (Calories are food Calories).
◉ Distinguish between a calorie and a joule.. Answer: 1 calorie =
4,186 Joules
◉ Which warms up faster when heat is applied- iron or silver?.
Answer: In order to answer this question, we must know the specific
heat capacity of iron and silver. Material Specific heat Capacity [J/(kg
°C)] Iron 448 Silver 234 When equal amounts of heat are added to
the same amount of iron and silver, the silver will change
temperature by a greater amount (or quicker if you think about
putting both items over a flame) since it has a lower specific heat
capacity. The lower the specific heat capacity, the easier it is to
change the temperature of the substance.
◉ Does a substance that heats up quickly have a high or low specific
heat capacity?. Answer: A substance that heats up quickly has a low
specific heat capacity.
TEST 2026 THEORY QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
◉ Is the temperature of an object a measure of the total kinetic
energy of molecules in the object or a measure of the average kinetic
energy per molecule in the object? Answer: Temperature is a
measure of the average kinetic energy per molecule in the object.
Internal energy or Thermal energy is a measure of the total kinetic
energy of the molecules of the object. The Internal/Thermal energy
is directly related to the temperature of the substance. If an object is
at a higher temperature is has more internal energy than an object
at a lower temperature.
◉ What is meant by the statement "a thermometer measures its
own temperature"?. Answer: A thermometer when placed in contact
with an object at a given temperature reaches thermal equilibrium
with object and thus the thermometer is measuring both the
temperature of the object and its own temperature.
◉ What are the temperatures for freezing water and boiling water
on the Kelvin temperature scale?. Answer: The Kelvin scale is
directly proportional to the Celsius scale but shifted by 273 K, thus
the freezing point of water in Kelvin is 273 K and the boiling point is
373 K.
,◉ How much energy can be taken from a system at 0 K?. Answer:
When a system is at 0 K no more energy can be taken. This is
absolute zero and implies that all the molecules are completely at
rest (no kinetic energy) and no more energy can be taken. The
temperature can not drop below 0 K.
◉ When you touch a cold surface, does the cold travel from the
surface to your hand or does energy travel from your hand to the
cold surface? Explain.. Answer: Heat (energy transfer) always occurs
naturally from the higher temperature object (in this case the hand)
to the lower temperature object (cold surface).
◉ Distinguish between temperature and heat. Answer: Temperature
is related to how hot or cold something is and more specifically the
average kinetic energy of the molecules. Heat is a measure of energy
transfer. When energy is transferred to or from an object its
temperature can change.
◉ Distinguish between heat and thermal energy. Answer: An object
can contain thermal/internal energy due to its temperature. When
an object has thermal energy it has the ability to give away or take
on more thermal energy. Heat is the process of energy transfer.
When an object loses "heat" it is actually losing internal energy and
the process of transferring the energy is heat. Heat is energy in
transit (movement) while internal energy is something that a
substance has.
, ◉ What determines the direction of heat flow?. Answer: In natural
situation, heat flows (energy flows) from the higher temperature
object to the lower temperature object. The only way the reverse is
possible is if it is forced to move in the opposite direction.
◉ Distinguish between a calorie and a Calorie.. Answer: 1 Calorie =
1000 calories (Calories are food Calories).
◉ Distinguish between a calorie and a joule.. Answer: 1 calorie =
4,186 Joules
◉ Which warms up faster when heat is applied- iron or silver?.
Answer: In order to answer this question, we must know the specific
heat capacity of iron and silver. Material Specific heat Capacity [J/(kg
°C)] Iron 448 Silver 234 When equal amounts of heat are added to
the same amount of iron and silver, the silver will change
temperature by a greater amount (or quicker if you think about
putting both items over a flame) since it has a lower specific heat
capacity. The lower the specific heat capacity, the easier it is to
change the temperature of the substance.
◉ Does a substance that heats up quickly have a high or low specific
heat capacity?. Answer: A substance that heats up quickly has a low
specific heat capacity.
