Question

Which determines the range of the mercury thermometer?
a. length of the stem
b. thickness of the bulb
c. volume of the bulb
d. volume of the bub and the stem

Answer 1

The answer is d. since\[\Delta V = V_o \beta \Delta T\], both the initial volume and the change in volume are involved. A larger bulb will cause a larger change in volume, so if the tubes are the same, a larger bulb will have a bigger change in the level. Also, all other things being equal, a smaller diameter stem would have a larger change for the same change in temperature. The bulb is Vo while the tube absorbs the delta V.