Table of Contents
- 1 What are advantages and disadvantages of mercury thermometer?
- 2 What is the advantage of using mercury in thermometers instead of alcohol?
- 3 What is the disadvantage of mercury thermometer?
- 4 What is the advantage and disadvantage of mercury?
- 5 Which is better mercury thermometer or digital?
- 6 What happens if we eat mercury of thermometer?
- 7 What is the difference between mercury and alcohol thermometer?
What are advantages and disadvantages of mercury thermometer?
A thermometer comparison
| advantages | disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Mercury thermometer | |
| cheap | display is harder to read |
| durable | does not work below -39�C (Hg freezing pount) |
| accurate | cannot be used for thermograph |
What is the advantage of using mercury in thermometers instead of alcohol?
There is a technical reason for using mercury in clinical thermometers. Mercury has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than alcohol. This means a column of mercury will expand and rise more than a column of alcohol for the same temperature change. As a result, you can get finer readings with mercury.
What is the disadvantage of mercury thermometer?
It cannot measure very low temperature, because its freezing point is high (-40ºC) Mercury is poisonous, so it harmful if its tube is broken. Its price is very high. display is harder to read.
Is it safe to use a mercury thermometer?
The small silvery ball in a mercury thermometer can be dangerous if the glass breaks and the mercury is not cleaned up properly. The mercury will evaporate and can contaminate the surrounding air and become toxic to humans and wildlife.
Why do thermometers use alcohol?
Alcohol thermometers are used rather than mercury thermometers in very cold regions because alcohol has a lower freezing point than mercury. Pure ethanol freezes at -115 degrees C, while mercury freezes at -38 degrees C. Thermometers rely upon thermal expansion of the liquid in a bulb at the base of a thin glass tube.
What is the advantage and disadvantage of mercury?
-It expands uniformly (linear expansion) and responds quickly to temperature changes, hence is sensitive. -It has a visible meniscus. -Mercury is very poisonous. -It has a high freezing point therefore it cannot be used in places where the temperature gets very low.
Which is better mercury thermometer or digital?
1. Digital thermometers provide faster results. Digital thermometers provide fast results as opposed to mercury thermometers whose readings are slower to realize because you have to wait for the mercury to heat and then slowly rise to display the temperature.
What happens if we eat mercury of thermometer?
Mercury is a very toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it, a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to harm you.
Can I still buy a mercury thermometer?
What Will Replace Them? The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced last week that it would stop calibrating mercury thermometers starting March 1 a move that brings the U.S. one step closer to phasing out these temperature-measuring devices for good.
How accurate are alcohol thermometers?
Alcohol thermometers are also inexpensive and durable. They are typically not as accurate as mercury thermometers because of the alcohol’s susceptibility to evaporation, polymerization potential and capillary separation. Their primary advantage is safety to humans and the environment.
What is the difference between mercury and alcohol thermometer?
Alcohol thermometer and mercury thermometer are two types of thermometers which are composed of a bulb and a marked glass tube. The main difference between alcohol and mercury thermometer is that the bulb of mercury thermometer is filled with mercury whereas the bulb of alcohol thermometer is filled with an alcohol.