Verified Solution • 2025–26 Session moderate

QPages 12-14: Q15: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 Heat and Temperature Pages 12-14: Q15 Solution: A metre scale is made up of steel and measures correct length…

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students often confuse the direction of error, assuming a scale that expands reads larger values; in reality, an expanded scale has larger divisions, causing it to read a value smaller than the true length (negative error). Always determine if the scale expands or contracts relative to the calibration temperature to correctly assign the sign of the percentage error.

A metre scale is made up of steel and measures correct length at 16�C. What will be the percentage error if this scale is used a) on a summer day when the temperature is 46�C and b) on a winter day when the temperature is 6�C? Coefficient of linear expansion of steel = 11×10−6 �C−111 \times 10^{-6} \text{ �C}^{-1}.

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** (a) Error on summer day: 0.033%0.033\% (b) Error on winter day: 0.011%0.011\% **Step-by-Step Explanation:** Calibrated at 16�C. (a) At 46�C: ΔT=30�C\Delta T = 30�\text{C}. Scale expands by αΔT=11×10−6×30=3.3×10−4\alpha \Delta T = 11 \times 10^{-6} \times 30 = 3.3 \times 10^{-4}. Error = 0.033%0.033\%. (b) At 6�C: ΔT=−10�C\Delta T = -10�\text{C}. Scale contracts by 11×10−5=1.1×10−411 \times 10^{-5} = 1.1 \times 10^{-4}. Error = 0.011%0.011\%.

All Questions in this Chapter

QPage 11: Q1 QPage 11: Q2 QPage 11: Q3 QPage 11: Q4 QPage 11: Q5 QPage 11: Q6 QPage 11: Q7 QPage 11: Q8 QPage 11: Q9 QPage 11: Q10 QPage 11: Q11 QPage 11: Q12 QPage 11: Q13 QPage 12: Q1 QPage 12: Q2 QPage 12: Q3 QPage 12: Q4 QPage 12: Q5 QPage 12: Q6 QPages 11-12: Q1 QPages 11-12: Q2 QPages 11-12: Q3 QPages 11-12: Q4 QPages 11-12: Q5 QPages 11-12: Q6 QPages 11-12: Q7 QPages 11-12: Q8 QPages 11-12: Q9 QPages 11-12: Q10 QPages 11-12: Q11 QPages 12-14: Q1 QPages 12-14: Q2 QPages 12-14: Q3 QPages 12-14: Q4 QPages 12-14: Q5 QPages 12-14: Q6 QPages 12-14: Q7 QPages 12-14: Q8 QPages 12-14: Q9 QPages 12-14: Q10 QPages 12-14: Q11 QPages 12-14: Q12 QPages 12-14: Q13 QPages 12-14: Q14 QPages 12-14: Q15 QPages 12-14: Q16 QPages 12-14: Q17 QPages 12-14: Q18 QPages 12-14: Q19 QPages 12-14: Q20 QPages 12-14: Q21 QPages 12-14: Q22 QPages 12-14: Q23 QPages 12-14: Q24 QPages 12-14: Q25 QPages 12-14: Q26 QPages 12-14: Q27 QPages 12-14: Q28 QPages 12-14: Q29 QPages 12-14: Q30 QPages 12-14: Q31 QPages 12-14: Q32 QPages 12-14: Q33 QPages 12-14: Q34

Related Learning Resources & Exam Preparation

Chapter Practice Bank
Practice all topic-wise questions from Heat and Temperature
Reference Textbook Solutions
Explore complete chapter exercises for HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2
Competitive PYQ Question Bank
Browse year-wise authentic previous years' questions with solutions
Authentic CBT Mock Tests
Simulate official exam environment with live timer and percentile scoring