A 1 metre long narrow bore held horizontally (and closed at one end) contains a 76cm long mercury thread which traps a 15cm column of air. What happens if the tube is held vertically with the open end at the bottom?
Open in App
Solution
Length of the narrow bore, L= 1 m = 100 cm Length of the mercury thread, l= 76 cm Length of the air column between mercury and the closed end, la= 15 cm Since the bore is held vertically in air with the open end at the bottom, the mercury length that occupies the air space is: 100 – (76 + 15) = 9 cm Hence, the total length of the air column = 15 + 9 = 24 cm Let hcm of mercury flow out as a result of atmospheric pressure. ∴Length of the air column in the bore = 24 + hcm And, length of the mercury column = 76 – hcm Initial pressure, P1 = 76 cm of mercury Initial volume, V1=15cm3 Final pressure, P2= 76 – (76 – h) = hcm of mercury Final volume, V2= (24 + h) cm3 Temperature remains constant throughout the process.
∴P1V1=P2V2
76×15=h(24+h) h2+24h−1140=0
h=23.8,−47.8cm
Height cannot be negative. Hence, 23.8 cm of mercury will flow out from the bore and 52.2 cm of mercury will remain in it. The length of the air column will be 24 + 23.8 = 47.8 cm.