Why do frozen water pipes burst would a mercury thermometer break if the temperature went below the freezing temperature of mercury Why or why not?

Would a mercury thermometer break if the temperature went below the freezing temperature of mercury? Why or why not? Also its volume increases 0 continuously as we decrease the temperature below 4 c. Therefore the water expands as it freezes and this leads to the damage or bursting of water pipes.

Can mercury thermometers freeze?

235K or -38°C is the freezing point of liquid mercury. Mercury thermometers have a limited ‘cold’ measuring range as a result of this.

What happens to mercury when frozen?

In 1911, Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered the phenomenon of superconductivity by freezing mercury to only a few degrees above absolute zero. At that temperature, mercury loses all of its natural resistance to the flow of electricity and becomes superconductive.

What temperature does mercury freeze in a thermometer?

37.89 °F
Mercury cannot be used below the temperature at which it becomes solid, −38.83 °C (−37.89 °F).

Why do frozen water pipes burst?

As the ice expands, it pushes water toward the closed faucet. This causes an immense amount of water pressure to build between the ice blockage and the faucet — eventually, the pipe ruptures under the pressure, usually at a spot where there’s little or no ice.

Does mercury expand when frozen?

Freezing Point. In addition to its expanding and contracting with temperature, liquid mercury freezes solid at -38.83 °C (-37.89 °F). Because of this, mercury thermometers have limited utility in very cold places where temperatures dip to below mercury’s freezing point.

Would the mercury thermometer break if the temperature went below freezing point?

Mercury contracts when cooled, so a mercury thermometer would not break if the temperature went below the freezing temperature of mercury.

Do thermometers freeze?

Answer: The thermometer is filled with parafin oil, which is similar to kerosene. It will NOT freeze or break. The only precaution you should worry about is making sure it is not in direct sunlight as the colors of the orbs can fade from exposure to direct sunlight.

How does mercury react with temperature?

Liquid mercury responds to very high temperatures by boiling into a vapor; this occurs at 356.73 °C (674.11 °F). As with most liquids, reduced pressures lower mercury’s boiling point.

What happens if mercury thermometer breaks?

A broken mercury-containing thermometer can be toxic if the vapors are inhaled. The risk of poisoning from touching or swallowing mercury from a broken thermometer is low if appropriate clean-up measures are taken.

What happens to mercury when temperature drops?

In addition to its expanding and contracting with temperature, liquid mercury freezes solid at -38.83 °C (-37.89 °F). Because of this, mercury thermometers have limited utility in very cold places where temperatures dip to below mercury’s freezing point.

Where do frozen pipes burst?

As frozen pipes thaw, the pipes may burst when the pressure from water, in its liquid state, gets in between the frozen water inside the pipe and the closed faucet. It is highly recommended to have the main water shut off in the evenings to prevent any potential bursts.

Bursting water pipes are a major concern when winter temperatures drop below freezing. But why do frozen pipes burst? Perhaps surprisingly, freezing pipes don’t burst because of ice expanding in place. Instead, it has to do with pressure inside the pipes.

Do pipes freeze when it drops?

Pipes can freeze if the temperature drops below freezing and the pipes are exposed to that temperature for a prolonged period of time. When water freezes, it expands in volume by 9\%. When this happens in a closed pipe, the ice displaces the water, which increases its pressure exponentially.

Why does ice freeze at the bottom of a faucet?

Instead, it has to do with pressure inside the pipes. When water freezes, its molecules crystalize into an open hexagonal form, which takes up more space than when the molecules are in their liquid form — that is, the water molecules expand as they freeze. As the ice expands, it pushes water toward the closed faucet.

What happens to water when it freezes?

When water freezes, its molecules crystalize into an open hexagonal form, which takes up more space than when the molecules are in their liquid form — that is, the water molecules expand as they freeze. As the ice expands, it pushes water toward the closed faucet.