14.2k views
2 votes
When a mercury thermometer is heated, the mercury expands and rises in the thin tube of glass. What does this indicate about the relative rates of expansion for mercury and glass

User Nininea
by
5.0k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Answer:

This means that mercury has a higher or faster expansion rate than glass

Step-by-step explanation:

This is because When a container expands, the reservoir in the glass expands at the same rate as the glass. Thus, if there is something in a glass and both expand at the same rate, they have no change - but if the contents expand faster, they will fill the container to a higher level, and if the contents expand slower, they will fill the container to a lower level (relative to the new size of the container).

User Erbsock
by
5.1k points