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Science Quiz - Physics - The Kinetic Theory of Matter (AQA) (Questions)

Kinetic theory explains how particles move in solids, liquids and gases, linking temperature, pressure and changes of state. Use this quiz to test and strengthen your understanding.

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Fascinating Fact:

Brownian motion is the jittery movement of tiny particles in a fluid, evidence that gas and liquid particles are moving.

In GCSE Science, you use the kinetic theory of matter to explain how tiny particles move in solids, liquids and gases. This model helps you understand temperature, pressure and changes of state.

Key Terms

  • Kinetic theory: A model that explains the properties of solids, liquids and gases by describing how their particles move.
  • Particle: A very small piece of matter, such as an atom or molecule, used in models to explain how substances behave.
  • Gas pressure: The force per unit area on the walls of a container caused by gas particles colliding with it.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is the kinetic theory of matter in GCSE physics?

The kinetic theory of matter says that all substances are made of tiny particles in constant motion. Their movement and spacing explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases.

How does kinetic theory explain gas pressure?

Kinetic theory explains gas pressure as the result of moving gas particles hitting the walls of a container. More frequent or energetic collisions produce a higher pressure.

How does kinetic theory link temperature to particle motion?

According to kinetic theory, temperature measures the average kinetic energy of particles. When temperature increases, particles move faster, and when temperature decreases, their motion slows down.

Try These Related Quizzes

1. According to the kinetic theory, what are the particles in a heated solid doing?
[ ] Vibrating more slowly than when the solid was cool
[ ] Vibrating more rapidly than when the solid was cool
[ ] Moving around more slowly than when the solid was cool
[ ] Moving around more rapidly than when the solid was cool
2. What will a substance do when it is heated?
[ ] It will expand
[ ] It will contract
[ ] It will burn
[ ] It will explode
3. Why does hot air rise?
[ ] Heat naturally goes upwards
[ ] It is pushed there by the cold air
[ ] It is less dense than colder air
[ ] It doesn't, this is a myth
4. Why are warm fluids less dense than their cold equivalent?
[ ] Some of the fluid escapes from the particles so they are lighter
[ ] Their particles are closer together
[ ] Hot particles lose their quarks and become lighter
[ ] Their particles are further apart
5. Which states of matter contract when you cool them?
[ ] Only gases
[ ] Only solids
[ ] Liquids and gases
[ ] All of them
6. What happens to the particles of water vapour as it changes from a gas into a liquid to form a film of water on the inside surface of a cold window?
[ ] When the particles of the water vapour hit the window, they stick to it
[ ] The particles lose energy to the cold surface, slow down and become closer together
[ ] The particles clump together because of the light coming through the window, forming water
[ ] The particles speed up, forming water droplets
7. When a liquid is evaporating it cools down. Why?
[ ] The faster particles escape leaving the slower particles behind
[ ] There are fewer particles
[ ] Evaporation needs a breeze and breezes cool things down
[ ] It has a smaller volume than before
8. Which of the following would increase the speed at which a liquid evaporates?
[ ] Covering the liquid with a beaker
[ ] Making sure that there were no draughts
[ ] Spreading it out over a larger area
[ ] All of the above
9. What happens to a gas in a sealed container when it is heated?
[ ] The gas explodes
[ ] The pressure of the gas increases
[ ] The gas implodes
[ ] The gas condenses
10. Some types of thermometer are filled with mercury, a liquid metal. Why do they work?
[ ] Mercury is a metal so it conducts heat into the thermometer
[ ] Mercury behaves in an unusual way
[ ] Particles of liquids expand when they are heated and contract when they are cooled so the mercury fills more or less of the thermometer depending on the temperature
[ ] The particles move faster or slower depending on the temperature so the mercury expands and contracts

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Temperature change and energy - AQA

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Science Quiz - Physics - The Kinetic Theory of Matter (AQA) (Answers)
1. According to the kinetic theory, what are the particles in a heated solid doing?
[ ] Vibrating more slowly than when the solid was cool
[x] Vibrating more rapidly than when the solid was cool
[ ] Moving around more slowly than when the solid was cool
[ ] Moving around more rapidly than when the solid was cool
As any state of matter is heated, the movements of the particles increase
2. What will a substance do when it is heated?
[x] It will expand
[ ] It will contract
[ ] It will burn
[ ] It will explode
Whilst some substances may well burn or explode, thankfully there aren't many of them!
3. Why does hot air rise?
[ ] Heat naturally goes upwards
[ ] It is pushed there by the cold air
[x] It is less dense than colder air
[ ] It doesn't, this is a myth
This causes a convection current as cold air moves in to take its place
4. Why are warm fluids less dense than their cold equivalent?
[ ] Some of the fluid escapes from the particles so they are lighter
[ ] Their particles are closer together
[ ] Hot particles lose their quarks and become lighter
[x] Their particles are further apart
More thermal energy means that the particles of the fluid move faster and take up more space. This means that there are fewer particles in the same volume of warm areas of the fluid than in the cooler areas of the fluid, making it less dense
5. Which states of matter contract when you cool them?
[ ] Only gases
[ ] Only solids
[ ] Liquids and gases
[x] All of them
As the thermal energy is removed, the particles move less and can pack together more closely. Water is a bit odd - it contracts until you get to 4oC then it starts to expand. As it forms ice, it expands a lot, then, when you cool ice down, it contracts exactly as you would expect
6. What happens to the particles of water vapour as it changes from a gas into a liquid to form a film of water on the inside surface of a cold window?
[ ] When the particles of the water vapour hit the window, they stick to it
[x] The particles lose energy to the cold surface, slow down and become closer together
[ ] The particles clump together because of the light coming through the window, forming water
[ ] The particles speed up, forming water droplets
When any gas is cooled its particles slow down and move closer together forming a liquid - they condense. Some gases, like water vapour, condense easily but other gases, like oxygen for example, need to be cooled well below 0oC before their particles slow down enough to become a liquid
7. When a liquid is evaporating it cools down. Why?
[x] The faster particles escape leaving the slower particles behind
[ ] There are fewer particles
[ ] Evaporation needs a breeze and breezes cool things down
[ ] It has a smaller volume than before
Slower moving particles have less thermal energy so the temperature of the liquid is lower. The cooling effect is more noticeable the faster that something evaporates
8. Which of the following would increase the speed at which a liquid evaporates?
[ ] Covering the liquid with a beaker
[ ] Making sure that there were no draughts
[x] Spreading it out over a larger area
[ ] All of the above
Answers one and two have exactly the opposite effect - they slow down the rate of evaporation. Not on the above list is temperature. Raising the ambient temperature (temperature of the surroundings) increases the rate of evaporation
9. What happens to a gas in a sealed container when it is heated?
[ ] The gas explodes
[x] The pressure of the gas increases
[ ] The gas implodes
[ ] The gas condenses
The pressure increases because the particles have more thermal energy so they hit the walls of the container with greater force
10. Some types of thermometer are filled with mercury, a liquid metal. Why do they work?
[ ] Mercury is a metal so it conducts heat into the thermometer
[ ] Mercury behaves in an unusual way
[ ] Particles of liquids expand when they are heated and contract when they are cooled so the mercury fills more or less of the thermometer depending on the temperature
[x] The particles move faster or slower depending on the temperature so the mercury expands and contracts
Answer three may have been quite appealing to you but you should never talk about the particles expanding. They remain the same size, whether a substance is hot, cold or at room temperature; it is the speed at which they move and the space that they occupy that changes. Mercury is toxic and was replaced in later thermometers by a mixture of alcohol and water which works in the same way. Digital thermometers work in an entirely different way using a device called a thermocouple
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