Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · PHYSICS · Section
Solar power producing heat
16 practice questions
Practice questions
1–8 of 8 · Normal
Question 1
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A house uses solar heating panels to warm its water supply.
(a)[2 marks]Explain how a solar heating panel uses the Sun’s energy to heat water.
(b)[2 marks]State two features of a solar heating panel that help it absorb as much energy from the Sun as possible.
Question 2
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Figure 1 shows a diagram of a simple solar heating panel.
Figure 1: Simple solar heating panel structure (a)[1 mark]Name the main energy transfer that takes place in the solar heating panel.
(b)[1 mark]Suggest one reason why the pipes in the panel are often painted black.
(c)[2 marks]Describe one way the panel’s design helps to reduce heat loss to the surroundings.
Question 3
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A solar panel provides hot water for a family during summer.
(a)[2 marks]Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using solar heating panels for this purpose.
(b)[2 marks]A panel is placed on the roof facing south in the UK. Explain why.
Question 4
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →The table shows the temperature rise of water in a solar heating panel at different times of day.
Temperature change with time for a solar panel (summer day) Time (h) Temperature rise (°C) 08:00 2 10:00 6 12:00 12 14:00 13 16:00 8 18:00 3 (a)[1 mark]At what time is the temperature rise greatest?
(b)[1 mark]Between which two times does the water temperature rise the fastest?
(c)[2 marks]Suggest a reason why the rate of water heating falls after 14:00.
Question 5
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A student suggests painting the inside of a solar panel white instead of black.
(a)[1 mark]Predict the effect this would have on the efficiency of the panel.
(b)[3 marks]Explain your prediction.
Question 6
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A solar heating panel is covered with a glass sheet and insulated at the back.
(a)[2 marks]State the function of the glass sheet.
(b)[2 marks]What is the purpose of insulation at the back of the panel?
Question 7
2 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Which option describes the main way a solar panel is made more efficient at heating water?
- A.Painting the pipes white
- B.Placing the panel in the shade
- C.Insulating the back of the panel
- D.Using reflective materials on the inside
Question 8
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Describe how you could set up a simple experiment to show that a black container heats up faster in sunlight than a white one.
(a)[1 mark]List the apparatus you would use for this experiment.
(b)[2 marks]Describe what you would do in this experiment.
(c)[1 mark]State what you would measure to compare the heating effect.