You can install something like GalliumOS depending on compatibility [1], but it's not for someone who's afraid of modification as to make the boot process seamless you need to modify the BIOS. I have an Acer C720 running it, and it works well - it's a light, cheap linux machine that I can take with me wherever and not be too bothered about (because of the replacement cost), but TBH I think installing Linux because of the OP's issue is sledgehammer/nut! Lots of people like ChromeOS (my Mum has a Chromebase, and since she's had it I've needed to provide precisely zero tech support which wasn't the case for either her Mac or the PC she had to replace it), so replacing it with a niche version of Linux may not be the route to go for many.
Yes. There’s a Chromebook-optimised distro called GalliumOS. I use it on my HP Chromebook G5 (weighs the same as a MacBook, costs £200) and it works great.
ChromeOS utilises the Linux kernel itself but without arguing semantics you can install a chroot Linux distribution with Crouton [1]. Whether that supports this specific machine (whatever it may be) I do not know.
You'd need to get past the login screen to install a chroot, so not appropriate for OPs usecase. Some machines support modifying the bios, but it requires taking off the panels to unscrew the write protect screw.
For the older ones I've read that you can reflash it to a "normal" PC BIOS and then it becomes a pretty ordinary laptop that will run Linux or Windows or whatever else.
[1] - https://wiki.galliumos.org/Hardware_Compatibility