Test: Heat Transfer - Grade 4 MCQ

When a substance is heated, its volume typically increases while its mass remains constant, leading to a decrease in density. This principle explains why hot air rises: as the air heats up, it expands, becomes less dense, and rises above cooler, denser air.

Higher temperatures increase molecular motion because the molecules gain kinetic energy. This increased motion causes them to collide more frequently and move farther apart, leading to phenomena like expansion in solids, liquids, and gases.

Increased humidity decreases the rate of evaporation because the air already contains a high amount of water vapor. This reduces the capacity of the air to accept more vapor, slowing down the escape of liquid molecules from the surface.

The coefficient of linear expansion quantifies how much a solid's length increases per degree of temperature change. It is a material-specific constant that helps predict how much a material will expand or contract with temperature variations.

Thermal expansion occurs most significantly in gases. Gases have much more space between molecules compared to solids and liquids, allowing a greater increase in volume when heated. This is why gases expand more than liquids and solids under the same temperature increase.

Latent heat is the heat required for a substance to change its state without changing its temperature. This energy alters the potential energy of the molecules, allowing for state changes such as melting or boiling while the temperature remains constant.

Evaporation is the process where a liquid changes to a gas at all temperatures, occurring at the surface of the liquid. It contrasts with boiling, which occurs at a specific temperature throughout the liquid.

Most substances expand when heated due to increased molecular motion. As temperature rises, the molecules gain kinetic energy and move farther apart, resulting in an increase in size. This phenomenon is referred to as thermal expansion.

Water contracts when heated from 0°C to 4°C, which is unusual for liquids. This contraction increases its density, making it denser at 4°C than at any other temperature. This unique property ensures that ice floats on water, allowing aquatic life to survive in frozen conditions.

A balloon inflating when heated is an example of thermal expansion. As the air inside the balloon heats up, it expands, causing the balloon to inflate. This effect demonstrates the principles of gas expansion when temperature increases.

The process of a solid changing directly into a gas is called sublimation. For example, dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) sublimates to produce carbon dioxide gas without becoming liquid first. This phenomenon illustrates how some substances can transition between states without passing through all intermediate forms.

The boiling point of a liquid increases with increased atmospheric pressure. When pressure rises, more energy is required for the liquid's vapor pressure to match the atmospheric pressure, thus raising the boiling point.

Heat can either increase or decrease the temperature of a body based on the quantity of heat absorbed or released. When a body absorbs heat, its molecules move faster, leading to an increase in average kinetic energy and, consequently, temperature. Conversely, when heat is lost, the molecules slow down, decreasing the temperature.

Water boils at 100°C under standard atmospheric pressure. At this temperature, the vapor pressure of the water equals the atmospheric pressure, allowing bubbles of vapor to form throughout the liquid, resulting in boiling.

The color of the liquid does not affect the rate of evaporation. However, temperature, surface area, and humidity significantly influence how quickly a liquid can evaporate. Higher temperatures and larger surface areas increase the rate, while higher humidity decreases it.

In bridge construction, small gaps are left between rail tracks to accommodate thermal expansion. These gaps allow the steel rails to expand during hot weather without bending or warping, ensuring safety and structural integrity.

The phenomenon where a solid changes into a liquid is known as melting. This occurs at a specific temperature known as the melting point, where the solid's molecules gain enough energy to overcome their fixed positions and move freely as a liquid.

The heat absorbed or released during a change of state is known as latent heat. This energy does not change the temperature of the substance but alters the average potential energy of its molecules, allowing for transitions such as melting or boiling.

When a substance is heated, the average distance between its molecules increases as they gain kinetic energy and move faster. This increase in distance is responsible for thermal expansion in solids, liquids, and gases.

Evaporation can occur at any temperature, while boiling happens at a fixed temperature known as the boiling point. During boiling, vapor bubbles form throughout the liquid, unlike evaporation, which only happens at the surface.