This type can be used either orally, which is to say slipped under the tongue, or rectally. He then developed a system of calibration to create a scale for easy reading. Mercury thermometers can be used to determine body, liquid, and vapor temperature. These sorts of thermometers are most commonly used in medicine and meteorology. Alcohol thermometers are used rather than mercury thermometers in very cold regions because alcohol has a lower freezing point than mercury. @allenJo - Ask your doctor what medical thermometer they use. Some of them will deliver temperature readings within two to three seconds rather than forcing you to wait for almost a minute as with other consumer grade digital thermometers. With changes in temperature, the mercury expands and contracts and the temperature can be read from the scale. The ear thermometer is cleaner and less invasive than an oral thermometer, which is what it has going for it, but if I can’t be sure that the temperature is accurate it’s not much use. A laboratory thermometer is a tool used in laboratories to measure temperature with high accuracy. Mercury thermometer can be used to measure the temperature upto _____ °C. Advantages of a Mercury Thermometer: Mercury medical thermometer, due to its characteristics, its performance is more accurate, and close-readings of the gas thermometer, which is used as a reference thermometer. This allows temperature readings to be kept until mercury is forced back into the tip by centrifugal force, or shaking the thermometer with the head pointed toward the floor. Many of these tools are used in medicine and around the home to gauge body temperature, though they can also be used outside and in more professional meteorological situations. I'm pretty sure I remember when they started phasing out mercury thermometers for at home use. This little known plugin reveals the answer. Mercury is a dangerous metal. I have always preferred mercury thermometers because of how easy they are to use. Most modern models work this way, and though advancements have been made in terms of presentation the basics are usually about the same. Gas thermometers. If you have a mercury thermometer, don't throw it in the trash. Due to the presence of mercury, it is very dangerous. The American Academy of Pediatricians and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, for instance, have each suggested alternative temperature-measuring devices for personal use in order to reduce the risk of accidental exposure. Standard mercury freezes at -37.89°F (-38.83°C). Nitrogen gas is what usually holds the mercury in place, and usually has to be inserted during the manufacturing process. A maximum mercury-style thermometer works in much the same way as the standard version, but the mercury does not shrink back into the tip when removed from a heat source. This page shows answers for question: Mercury thermometer can be used to measure temperature up to----. Which of the following is not classified as a thermo electric pyrometer? The United States has not banned mercury in medical settings, though many advocacy groups have recommended a number of safety precautions. ¤ Mercury thermometer has mercury inside the bulb as the temperature sensitive fluid, and in alcohol thermometers, it is an alcohol. It can not be used rectally, since it is very fragile. You can take rectal temperatures in children older than 3 years, but it might be difficult to keep them as still as they need to stay. They are painless to use and disposable so you don’t have to worry about cleaning anything. Mercury boils at 674ᵒF (78.37ᵒC). Alcohol has a much lower boiling point, and it would not even be able to measure the temperature of boiling water. In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a standard temperature scale is marked on the tube. Colored alcohol or mercury rises along a scale in a bulb thermometer whereas expanding liquid rotates a spring to turn an indicator needle around along a circular scale on a spring thermometer. Glass thermometers with alcohol inside may also be used for oral temperatures. Once a staple in most medicine cabinets, mercury thermometers use mercury encased in glass to measure body temperature. Thallium reduces the freezing point to -78°F (-61.1°C). Most digital thermometers are easy to use and measure body temperature within seconds. Standard mercury freezes at -37.89°F (-38.83°C). Mercury-driven thermometers may also be used by meteorologists to measure air temperature. But mercury thermometers continue to be the most popular. Like everything else electronic I remember digital thermometers used to be a little bit more expensive than they are currently! Do not clean up spilled mercury with bare hands. I know the hospitals use some digital ear thermometers that are supposed to be rated very high for accuracy, and as a consumer you can buy these models yourself. Historically, mercury thermometers have been used for nearly all temperature measurements because of their accuracy and low cost. Another reason for mercury to be used in a thermometer is because it remains in a liquid state up to 300 degrees Celsius. Maybe I’m not using it properly, I don’t know. A mercury thermometer is a tool used to measure temperature. In order to measure temperatures below this point, meteorologists will often mix mercury with thallium alloy. Many refuse them, preferring electronic ones. It can be partially or fully immersed in the substance being measured. The thermometer usually has a small reserve of liquid mercury in its base, which is most often pressurized; above it is usually a glass or synthetic tube with a calibrated temperature scale. C. Optical pyrometer (disappearing filament type). Both work by having a liquid, either alcohol or mercury, enclosed in a vacuum, and the liquid expands as the temperature rises. (Although it can measure temperatures much lower than mercury can). Mercury can be toxic if consumed, and it can also cause skin and eye damage if touched or respiratory distress if inhaled. I remember using them in every lab science class I ever took in high school and college. The freezing point of mercury … In addition, mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature, making it an attractive candidate. I think as long as you are careful there is no need to drop $50 or more on a digital thermometer. Liquid thermometers were once the most common type in use. The first thermometers, however, weren’t thermos or heat measurers, but thermo-scopes, devices that merely signaled whether the temperature was high or low. That mercury was secured in a metal tip. Mercury thermometers are no longer recommended because they can break and allow mercury — which is toxic — to escape. They were simple, inexpensive, long-lasting, and able to measure a wide temperature span. It consists of a sealed glass tube with a small internal diameter (like a lumen) connected to a reservoir. The change in the volume of a fixed mass of gas at constant pressure, or the change in pressure of a fixed mass of gas at constant volume, may be used to measure temperature. In some instances they’re also used in kitchens, usually as a way of monitoring warm liquids, but most modern chefs prefer more food-specific gauges. Gas thermometers work best at very low temperatures. Laboratory thermometers are designed for lab purposes such as checking boiling point, freezing point, or temperature of other substances. This is why it can is used to measure body temperature. Mercury thermometer can be used to measure temperature up to (a) 260°C (b) 100°C (c) 360°C (d) 500°C Amazon Doesn't Want You to Know About This Plugin. A mercury instrument has been the mainstay of taking temperatures for years. The mercury in the reservoir expands with increased temperature, climbing higher up the thermometer, and it contracts and recedes as the temperature falls. There are usually a number of different options and models available depending on the intended use. The maximum temperature over a set period of time can be observed after the thermometer is removed from the environment. There are a number of different model types, sizes, and specifications, but the general operating principle is about the same in all cases. Digital thermometers can be bought at grocery, drug, or medical supply stores. Mercury-driven thermometers may also be used by meteorologists to measure air temperature. The German physicist Gabriel Fahrenheit is credited with inventing the first mercury thermometer in 1714, which he made with a glass tube attached to a small well of mercury. If a mercury thermometer breaks or leaks, it can release toxic vapors. Axillary: For this method, the thermometer is placed in the armpit for young children or adults whose temperature can’t safely be done orally. Causes of Mercury used in Thermometer – Mercury thermometers can be used to decide the body, liquid, and vapor temperature. If you do have a mercury thermometer just make sure to wipe it off with a new alcohol swab after each use so you can disinfect it. Mercury, which is a chemical element, rises and falls in response to temperature changes, and watching where it stops along the scale provides a reading of how hot or cold a particular substance is. usually not no since most clinical thermometers are build to measure human body temperatures which are around 35°C up to 42°C while water boils at 100°C (usual air pressure provided). Ice point (lower fixed point) – The temperature at which pure ice melts at one atmospheric pressure and is assigned the value of 0 °C. There are three types of clinical thermometers mercury, digital and infrared. Mercury is one of the few metals that are liquid at room temperature. I have found that the digital thermometers that you press against your forehead are absolutely terrible. Learn about a little known plugin that tells you if you're getting the best price on Amazon. 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