Question

The following activity is set-up in the science lab by the teacher. He clamped an aluminium wire on a stand and fixed a pin to the free end of the wire using wax. Then he heated the wire with a burner from the end where the wire is clamped. Students observed the pin fall off.

1. If the teacher replaces aluminium wire by silver wire, will the students’ observation change? Justify your answer.
2. Will the aluminium wire melt? Give reason for your answer.

Answer 1

1. The pin will drop but will take less time to drop because silver is a better conductor of heat than aluminium.
2. No, aluminum wire will not melt because metals have high melting points.