Multiple choice

Which of the following is not an ideal place for using a mercury thermometer?

  1. London

  2. North Pole

  3. Sun

  4. New York

  5. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Sun is not an ideal place for a mercury thermometer because its surface temperature is about 5,500°C, far exceeding mercury's boiling point of 357°C. The mercury would vaporize and expand, potentially breaking the thermometer. Cities like London, New York, and even the North Pole have temperatures within mercury's useful range (-39°C to 357°C).

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