For a liquid to be useful in a thermometer, it should?

A. flow very slowly from one place to the next

B. expand when it warms and contract when it cools

C. undergo a change of state within a narrow range of temperatures

D. adhere tightly to the material that makes up its container, such as glass or plastic

Question

Luis Lester

Physics

12 May, 23:15

For a liquid to be useful in a thermometer, it should?

A. flow very slowly from one place to the next

B. expand when it warms and contract when it cools

C. undergo a change of state within a narrow range of temperatures

D. adhere tightly to the material that makes up its container, such as glass or plastic

+5

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Erika Chung · Answer 1

B

Explanation:

A: The speed in which the liquid moves is irrelevant, as long as it moves.

B: This will show the temperature: expansion - > bigger number - > hotter, and vise versa. You may already know that mercury expands and contracts with the change in temperature, without changing state. That is why the first thermometers used mercury.

C: No change of state is needed in a thermometer, and may actually cause it to break.

D: Adhering to a surface will cause the liquid to be unable to move, which shouldn't happen.