When a mercury thermometer is heated, the mercury expands and rises in the thin tube of glass. What does...?

Question

...this indicate about the relative rates of expansion for mercury and glass? What would happen if their expansion rates were the same?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

When a container expands, the reservoir in the container expands at the same rate as the container. Thus, if there is something in a container and both expand at the same rate, they have no change - but if the contents expand faster, they will fill the container to a higher level, and if the contents expand slower, they will fill the container to a lower level (relative to the new size of the container).