Inferring:A student examines a thermometer placed in a can containing a substance that is being heated. The temperature remains the same for several minutes, then it starts to rise.Without looking in the can, how does the student know what is occurring in the car?
The student can infer what is occurring in the can based on the behavior of the thermometer. In this scenario, when the temperature remains the same for several minutes and then starts to rise, it suggests that a phase change is taking place within the can.
To understand why this inference can be made, we need to know how thermometers work. Thermometers contain a liquid, usually mercury or alcohol, that expands or contracts based on temperature changes. When the substance in the can reaches its boiling point, it undergoes a phase change from a liquid to a gas, resulting in an absorption of heat energy. During this phase change, the temperature of the substance remains constant until all of it is converted into a gas.
So, when the temperature on the thermometer stays the same, it indicates that the substance is in the process of changing its phase. Once all of the substance has transformed into a gas, the temperature begins to rise again, as the heating process now affects the gaseous state.
Therefore, based on the behavior of the thermometer, the student can infer that the substance in the can is undergoing a phase change from a liquid to a gas.