• Measure the thermal expansion of water over a temperature range between 0°C and 15°C.
• Demonstrate the thermal anomaly.
• Determine the temperature when the density is at a maximum.
Experiment description: ..
When temperature is raised from 0°C to about 4°C the volume of a mass of water initially becomes smaller and only begins to expand thermally at higher temperatures. The density of water is therefore at its greatest at around 4°C.
The experiment involves measuring the expansion of water in a vessel with a riser tube. The height h to which water rises up the tube is measured as a function of the water temperature ϑ.