Investigation of Thermal Effects on Melting Curves of Mercury

The slope of a melting curve could be an indicator of sample purity if it is realized under uniform and homogeneous thermal conditions. The slope values of inverse melted fraction (1/F) versus temperature difference (Delta T) curve of a melting plateau could be in good correlation with the purity of the sample according to Raoult's Law. But it should be noted that the slope of a melting curve can be affected by several factors. A study was initiated with mercury cells to investigate the effect of these factors on the slope values of the melting curves. Three factors with different levels were considered to be effective on the slopes: Purity of mercury sample used in the cell, non-uniformity of the thermal enclosure and the range of 1/F values chosen for the curve mentioned above. Finally, a statistical approach called "Analysis of Variances" (ANOVA) was used to have a better understanding on the degree of these effects and to determine the effective parameters of the melting experiments carried out with mercury.