The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) used a mercury gauge
as a primary standard for pressure until it was decommissioned in 2019. The device
was 3.00 meters tall and contained 225 kilograms of mercury (Hg). If the
density of mercury is , what was the volume of mercury contained in this
device in liters?

Ask by Riley Moreno. in the United States

Jan 14,2025

Question

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) used a mercury gauge
as a primary standard for pressure until it was decommissioned in 2019. The device
was 3.00 meters tall and contained 225 kilograms of mercury (Hg). If the
density of mercury is , what was the volume of mercury contained in this
device in liters?

Ask by Riley Moreno. in the United States

Jan 14,2025

UpStudy AI · Accepted Answer

To determine the volume of mercury contained in the device, we'll use the relationship between mass, density, and volume:

$$
\text{Volume} = \frac{\text{Mass}}{\text{Density}}
$$

**Given:**
- **Mass of mercury (m):** 225 kilograms
- **Density of mercury (ρ):** $$ 13.6 \, \text{g/mL} $$

**Step 1: Convert Mass to Grams**

First, convert the mass from kilograms to grams because the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL).

$$
225 \, \text{kg} \times 1000 \, \frac{\text{g}}{\text{kg}} = 225{,}000 \, \text{g}
$$

**Step 2: Calculate Volume in Milliliters**

Use the density formula to find the volume:

$$
\text{Volume} = \frac{225{,}000 \, \text{g}}{13.6 \, \text{g/mL}} \approx 16{,}544 \, \text{mL}
$$

**Step 3: Convert Volume to Liters**

Since $$ 1 \, \text{L} = 1000 \, \text{mL} $$:

$$
16{,}544 \, \text{mL} \div 1000 = 16.544 \, \text{L}
$$

**Final Answer:**

The device contained approximately **16.5 liters** of mercury.
The device contained approximately 16.5 liters of mercury.