Final answer:
True. The temperature indicator light signals when the engine temperature surpasses a safe level due to overheating, a concept tied to the physics of heat transfer and thermal expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is true. The temperature indicator light illuminates when the engine's temperature exceeds a safe operating level, often due to an overheated engine. In physics, this involves concepts of heat transfer and thermal expansion. Most automobile radiators are designed to operate at temperatures above 95.0°C. As the coolant's temperature rises, it expands and may overflow into the reservoir due to its volume coefficient of expansion, which is typically given as 400×10-6/°C for radiator fluid.
To calculate the volume that will overflow when the temperature increases from 10.0°C to 95.0°C for 16.0 liters of coolant, we can employ the coefficient of volume expansion formula:
V = Vo × β × ΔT
Here, V is the change in volume, Vo is the original volume (16.0 L), β is the volume expansion coefficient, and ΔT is the change in temperature. This could be a practical application question in a physics class related to efficiency, thermodynamics, or engine operation. Understanding the role of temperature in the operating efficiency of engines is crucial since the efficiency limits are set by the maximum temperatures the engine components can withstand without failing or overheating. Higher efficiency is achieved at higher operational temperatures which must be balanced with material limitations to prevent engine damage.