Extracting the coefficient of volume expansion of mercury from a thermometer

摘要

A quick and simple method-and a very accessible experimental setup-for demonstrating the accepted value of the coefficient of volume expansion of mercury is presented.Using the familiar mercury-in-glass thermometers as dilatometers we were able to extract satisfactory experimental values of the coefficient of volume of expansion of mercury.Of the three thermometers used, we found these values: 1.78 x 10 ~(-4)/C°, 1.75×10(-4)/C° and 1.76×10/C°.The respective percentage errors are 1.11%, 2.77%, and 2.22%.The accepted value of the coefficient of volume expansion of mercury is 1.80×10 ~(-4)/C°.