Question

Pouring cold water into hot glass or ceramic cookware can easily break it. What causes the breaking? Explain why Pyrex®, a glass with a small coefficient of linear expansion, is less susceptible.

a) The glass or ceramic has a large coefficient of linear expansion.
b) Sudden temperature changes create stress, leading to fractures.
c) The material becomes too soft and loses its structural integrity.
d) Cold water reacts chemically with the glass or ceramic.

Answer 1

When cold water is poured into hot glass or ceramic cookware, the sudden temperature change creates stress, which can cause the material to break. Pyrex®, with its small coefficient of linear expansion, is less susceptible to breaking because it undergoes less strain and stress when exposed to temperature changes. a) The glass or ceramic has a large coefficient of linear expansion is correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you pour cold water into hot glass or ceramic cookware, the sudden temperature change creates stress, which can lead to fractures and breaking of the material.

This is because the inner surface of the cookware cools down and contracts while the outer surface remains hot and expands. The strain from this differential contraction and expansion can be too great for the strength of the material, causing it to break.

However, Pyrex®, which is a type of glass with a small coefficient of linear expansion, is less susceptible to breaking because it contracts less.

The small coefficient of linear expansion means that Pyrex® glass undergoes less strain and stress when exposed to temperature changes, making it more resistant to breaking when cold water is poured into it.