Temperature and the direction of thermal energy transfer, thermometric properties, fixed points on the Celsius scale, calibration, and the design of laboratory, clinical and thermocouple thermometers.
5 narrated scenes. Press play, listen and read along — the points appear as they are explained. Use ‹ Prev / Next › or the scene bar to jump to any scene.
Your hand can tell hot from cold, but not 37 °C from 38 °C. A thermometer turns a changing physical property into a reliable number.
Narration uses your device’s built-in voice. No sound? Switch to “Captions only” — the captions advance on their own.
Copy these into your notebook in your own words — that is how they stick.
Degree of hotness; °C or K.
From higher to lower temperature until thermal equilibrium.
Changes regularly with temperature: length, resistance, e.m.f., gas pressure.
0 °C: pure melting ice.
100 °C: steam above pure boiling water at standard pressure.
θ = (l − l₀) ÷ (l₁₀₀ − l₀) × 100.
Narrow bore and large bulb give a larger length change.
Laboratory; clinical (constriction, 35–42 °C); thermocouple (wide range, fast).
3 quick games on this lesson. Earn XP and badges as you play — your best score for each game is saved. Games are for practice and do not change your exam readiness. More games in the Physics Arcade.
8 items modelled on real CSEC Paper 1 questions. Choose one answer for each, then check. Aim for 80% or better. Work each item on paper first.
Write full answers, then reveal the mark scheme and tick the points you earned (15 marks in total). Show all your working — method marks count. Your answers are saved on this device.
Question 1 [15 marks]
A student makes a simple liquid-in-glass thermometer. The liquid column is 6.0 cm long in melting ice and 26.0 cm long in steam at standard pressure.
(a) (a) State the temperatures corresponding to the two fixed points on the Celsius scale. [2]
(b) (b) Calculate the temperature when the column is 16.0 cm long. [3]
(c) (c) Calculate the length of the column at 80 °C. [2]
(d) (d) State two changes that would make the thermometer more sensitive. [2]
(e) (e) State one advantage of mercury as the liquid. [1]
(f) (f) Give two features of a clinical thermometer that make it suitable for measuring body temperature. [2]
(g) (g) State one advantage of a thermocouple over a mercury thermometer. [1]
(h) (h) Explain why thermal energy flows between two bodies at different temperatures. [2]
Find these in your own past-paper booklets for extra timed practice. Items above are written in the style of these papers; any adapted from a specific question say so.