Final answer:
The energy of activation for mercury's flow process can be determined using the Arrhenius equation, but the given viscosity data at 20°C and 40°C cannot directly provide the enthalpy of vaporization or predict vapor pressure without additional information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The viscosity of mercury changes with temperature, and this can be related to the energy of activation for the flow process. According to the Arrhenius equation, the logarithm of the viscosity is inversely proportional to the temperature, and this relationship can be used to calculate the energy of activation. However, the given information and the hint provided does not include the necessary equation for calculating the enthalpy of vaporization (ΔHvap) of mercury or predicting the vapor pressure at different temperatures.
The provided data points for viscosity at 20°C (1.554 cP) and 40°C (1.450 cP) are not directly useful for these calculations without additional vapor pressure data at various temperatures. To accurately determine ΔHvap, one would typically use data from a vapor pressure curve or Clausius-Clapeyron equation, not just viscosity measurements.