Skip to main content

Why are gas thermometers more sensitive than liquid thermometers?

Gas thermometers are more sensitive because gas itself is, on average, more sensitive to changes in energy than liquids. That is to say, the same amount of energy will cause a greater amount of temperature change in a gas than in a liquid of the same substance. This is largely due to the nature of temperature itself.


Temperature isn't a "real" property, and neither is heat. It's simply the name we've given to our measurement...

Gas thermometers are more sensitive because gas itself is, on average, more sensitive to changes in energy than liquids. That is to say, the same amount of energy will cause a greater amount of temperature change in a gas than in a liquid of the same substance. This is largely due to the nature of temperature itself.


Temperature isn't a "real" property, and neither is heat. It's simply the name we've given to our measurement of average kinetic energy of matter. All matter has a temperature, whether we're aware of it consciously or not, because all matter is moving to some degree; not even solids are able to exist with zero molecular movement except in theory. Heat is an even more specific and imprecise term because it's inherently comparative. 


Gases are characterized by the fact that their kinetic energy is so high that any intermolecular forces between them are basically irrelevant. This means they are capable of responding to changes in their energy with a much more proportional change in their motion than a liquid or a solid, which have to devote larger portions of that energy to disrupting intermolecular bonds.



Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more