Question

When a glass bottle full of vinegar warms up, both the vinegar and the glass expand, but vinegar expands significantly more with temperature than glass. The bottle will break if it was filled to its tightly capped lid. Explain why, and also explain how a pocket of air above the vinegar would prevent the break. (This is the function of the air above liquids in glass containers.)

a) Glass is not affected by temperature.
b) Glass expands more than vinegar.
c) Glass and vinegar expand equally.
d) Air prevents excessive pressure buildup.

Answer 1

d) Air prevents excessive pressure buildup.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a glass bottle filled with vinegar is heated, both the vinegar and the glass expand. However, as you mentioned, vinegar expands more significantly with temperature than glass. This difference in expansion rates can lead to an increase in pressure inside the sealed bottle. If the bottle is tightly capped, the pressure can build up to a point where it exceeds the strength of the glass, causing it to break.

The pocket of air above the vinegar serves as a buffer. Air can compress and expand more easily than liquids or solids, so as the temperature increases and the vinegar expands, the air pocket can absorb some of this expansion, preventing excessive pressure buildup. This helps to avoid the glass breaking due to the increased internal pressure. It acts as a safety valve, allowing the system to equalize pressure without causing damage to the container.

Answer 2

A glass bottle filled with vinegar will break upon warming if the lid is tightly capped because vinegar expands more than glass, creating excessive pressure. A pocket of air above the vinegar allows room for expansion and prevents pressure buildup, thus preventing the bottle from breaking.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a glass bottle full of vinegar warms up, both materials expand due to thermal expansion. However, the bottle will break if it is filled to its tightly capped lid because vinegar expands significantly more than glass. This leads to an increase in pressure inside the bottle that the rigid structure of the glass cannot contain, resulting in breakage.

On the other hand, a pocket of air above the vinegar acts as a cushion, absorbing the expansion and preventing excessive pressure buildup. This air space allows the vinegar to expand without drastically increasing the pressure inside the bottle, thereby preventing the break. This is why there is typically an air gap left in glass containers holding liquids.