Asked by violet

A thermometer is placed in water in order to measure the water’s temperature. What would cause the liquid in the thermometer to drop?

The molecules in the water spread apart.
The molecules in the thermometer’s liquid spread apart.
The kinetic energy of the water molecules decreases.
The kinetic energy of the thermometer’s liquid molecules increases.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The kinetic energy of the water molecules decreases.

Explanation: If the water cools (its molecules lose kinetic energy), it brings the thermometer down in temperature. The thermometer liquid then loses kinetic energy, its molecules move closer together and the column contracts, so the liquid level drops.