Admin Table of Contents
- 1 Why do some thermometers use alcohol?
- 2 How does alcohol work in a thermometer?
- 3 How accurate are alcohol thermometers?
- 4 What is difference between alcohol and mercury thermometer?
- 5 What is difference between mercury and alcohol?
- 6 What is the disadvantage of alcohol thermometer?
- 7 What is the use of mercury in glass thermometer?
- 8 What application of air temperature data is commonly used by farmers?
- 9 Why use of alcohol is preferred over mercury in thermometers?
- 10 What are the advantages of using alcohol in a thermometer?
- 11 Why are mercury thermometers better than alcohol?
Why do some 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.
How does alcohol work in a thermometer?
Alcohol thermometers work by enclosing a narrow capillary attached to a bulb of reserve fluid. As the temperature heats up, the alcohol expands, rising up the capillary. As the temperature goes down, the fluid contracts, dropping down the capillary.
Why does a thermometer use liquids such as alcohol or mercury?
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.
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 difference between alcohol and mercury thermometer?
Main Difference – Alcohol vs Mercury Thermometers A thermometer is a device that is used to measure the temperature. 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.
Why do farmers use thermometers?
Thermometer – Measures atmospheric temperature. Leaf Wetness Sensor – Measures surface moisture of the plants on a scale of 0-15 (dry to saturated). Data from these sensors are used in fungal disease control. Soil Moisture Sensor – Measures water levels in the soil.
What is difference between mercury and alcohol?
Unlike mercury in the mercury thermometer, alcohol is less toxic and evaporates quickly. But the maximum temperature measured by an alcohol thermometer is 78.5°C; hence this thermometer is suitable for measuring lower temperatures.
What is the disadvantage of alcohol thermometer?
A thermometer comparison
| advantages | disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Alcohol thermometer (compared to a mercury thermometer) | |
| lower freezing point (-114 C) | less durable (alcohol evaporates) |
| larger coefficient of expansion | alcohol can polymerise |
| less hazardous | fluid loss by evaporation hard to avoid |
What are the disadvantages of alcohol as a thermometric liquid?
it has low boiling point and higher freezing point and has poor thermal conductivity.
What is the use of mercury in glass thermometer?
In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a standard temperature scale is marked on the tube. With changes in temperature, the mercury expands and contracts, and the temperature can be read from the scale. Mercury thermometers can be used to determine body, liquid, and vapor temperature.
What application of air temperature data is commonly used by farmers?
Weather Monitoring Determines Farmers’ Success On the other hand, temperatures in combination with humidity are often used to predict various insect pest and disease occurrences.
What happens if mercury touches you?
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.
Why use of alcohol is preferred over mercury in thermometers?
¤ Since alcohol is non toxic, alcohol thermometers are much safer to use than the mercury thermometers. ¤ Alcohol thermometers can be used to measure very low temperatures. Since mercury has a higher boiling point than alcohol, mercury thermometer can be used to measure high temperatures.
What are the advantages of using alcohol in a thermometer?
Advantages of Alcohol Thermometer It can measure low temperatures. It measures the temperature precisely. The expansion of alcohol is regular. It is less toxic and less hazardous.
Why are thermometers made with alcohol instead of water?
Answer. Most thermometers are filled with mercury, but some are filled with alcohol. The reason we use alcohol instead of water is that alcohol has a lower freezing point (-114°C) than water (0°C). Also, alcohol doesn’t condensate on the top unlike water, which makes the reading of the thermometer easier to read.
Why are mercury thermometers better than 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.