Question

Mercury and gold are both metals. Unlike gold, mercury cannot be used to make jewelry because it is a liquid at room temperature. The difference in the state of matter of the two metals is an example of a/n _____ property.

a) Chemical
b) Electrical
c) Nuclear
d) Physical

Answer 1

The difference in the state of matter between mercury, a liquid, and gold, a solid, is due to their physical properties, notably their melting points.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference in the state of matter of the two metals, mercury and gold, is an example of a physical property. Physical properties are characteristics that can be observed or measured without changing the composition of the substance. In this case, the fact that mercury is a liquid at room temperature, while gold is a solid, is a physical property because it can be observed without altering the metals themselves. This characteristic also reflects the differences in melting points which is another physical property. Mercury has a melting point of -39°C, making it liquid at room temperature, whereas gold has a melting point of 1,064°C, making it solid.