The coefficient of volumetric expansion of mercury is 1.8 × 10-^4/°C. If the temperature of 10.0 liters of mercury increases by 30°C, how much will the volume of the mercury increase by?

Answer 1

The coefficient of volume expansion of mercury is given as 1.8 x 10^-4per ^oC. This means that what ever volume of mercury you have, its volume will increase by 1.8 x 10^-4 units per every degree centigrade increase. So, for a liter of mercury (1000 ml), an increase oin temperature of 1^oC will cause the volume of the mercury to increase by 1.8 x 10^-4 L. For 10 liters, the amount of expansion ten times as much = 18 x 10^-4 L (or 1.8 ml/^oC). For 30 liters, the increase in volume would be 30 times this amount: 30 x 1.8 ml = 54 ml.