Soru

In 1873, physicist Gabriel Lippmann developed the capillary electrometer, a device designed to measure minute electric potentials by observing variations in the surface tension of mercury contact interfaces within a fine glass capillary tube. Lippmann observed that applying a small voltage across a dilute sulfuric acid-mercury boundary altered the interfacial tension, causing the mercury meniscus to shift along the calibrated tube. Crucially, unlike the moving-coil galvanometers of the era—which relied on electromagnetic deflection and were notoriously susceptible to external magnetic field interference��Lippmann’s electrometer operated purely electrocapillarily, rendering its voltage measurements entirely impervious to stray magnetic disruptions. However, because the surface tension response was contingent upon maintaining an uncontaminated liquid-liquid interface, even trace organic impurities in the electrolyte solution severely dampened meniscus mobility, necessitating rigorous chemical purification of the sulfuric acid prior to measurement. Furthermore, while the device exhibited exceptional sensitivity to potential differences as small as a fraction of a millivolt, its rapid dynamic response degraded under sustained direct-current application, as prolonged charge transfer initiated localized electrolytic polarization that diminished measurement fidelity over extended durations.

Based on the passage, which of the following statements regarding Lippmann’s capillary electrometer is explicitly supported by the text? Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.