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AQA · GCSE · Combined Science · Higher

Toy and surroundings as an energy system

Q05.3 2 marks

A child pushes down on a spring-loaded toy to compress the spring. The spring then launches the toy into the air.

A child’s spring-loaded toy shown with the spring extended and with the spring compressed. Labels identify the spring and the toy with spring compressed.

Figure 10

Enlarged question image

A child’s spring-loaded toy shown with the spring extended and with the spring compressed. Labels identify the spring and the toy with spring compressed.
Figure 10

When the spring launches the toy into the air, the temperature of the air increases.

Explain why the child’s toy on its own is not a closed system.

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Marking points

  1. 1 State that energy from the toy is transferred or dissipated to the surroundings or air.
  2. 2 Contrast this with a closed system, where the total energy remains constant within the system.

Full-mark answer

The toy on its own is not a closed system because energy from the toy is transferred to the surroundings, including the air. In a closed system the total energy would remain constant within the system.

Why this answer loses marks

The air temperature increases.

This repeats the question context but does not explain that energy is dissipated from the toy or what would be true in a closed system.

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