(Non)broken thermometer calibration · Physics Brawl 2015 #FoL.7

Physics · thermodynamics

Problem

We have a particular thermometer with which we measured the temperature of melting ice as t0=−0.3°Ct_0 = -0.3°\text{C} and the temperature of water vapor as tv=101.4°Ct_v = 101.4°\text{C}. What is the real boiling point τ\tau of methanol at atmospheric pressure, if the thermometer shows a temperature t=65.5°Ct = 65.5°\text{C}? Assume that the real temperature of melting ice is τ0=0°C\tau_0 = 0°\text{C} and of water vapor τv=100°C\tau_v = 100°\text{C}. Also assume that the number of ticks on the broken thermometer is proportional to the real temperature in Celsius degrees.

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