Do Alcohol and Mercury Thermometers Read the Same
Main Divergence – Alcohol vs Mercury Thermometers
A thermometer is a device that is used to measure the temperature. The temperature is expressed from thermometer equally a number of a detail unit of measurement. A thermometer is composed of two components: a sensor to detect temperature, and a visible scale to get the numerical value for the temperature measured. Some thermometers apply a bulb filled with a chemical such every bit mercury every bit the temperature sensor. But some thermometers also use digital sensors. The visible sale is often a glass tube marked with a temperature range. Sometimes, information technology is a digital readout. Booze thermometer and mercury thermometer are two types of thermometers which are composed of a bulb and a marked drinking glass tube. The main difference between alcohol and mercury thermometer is that the bulb of mercury thermometer is filled with mercury whereas the seedling of booze thermometer is filled with an alcohol.
Key Areas Covered
ane. What are Alcohol Thermometers
– Definition, Mode of Activity, Advantages, Disadvantages
2. What are Mercury Thermometers
– Definition, Mode of Activity, Advantages, Disadvantages
3. What is the Difference Between Alcohol and Mercury Thermometers
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms: Alcohol, Booze Thermometer, Mercury, Mercury Thermometer, Sensor, Temperature, Thermometer
What are Booze Thermometers
Alcohol thermometer is a type of thermometer that uses a bulb filled with alcohol every bit the temperature sensor. The liquid inside the bulb can exist pure ethanol, toluene, kerosene or whatsoever other suitable component depending on the application.
Alcohol thermometers are used to measure temperatures from -115°C to78.5°C. The maximum temperature that can be measured depends on the boiling point of the liquid inside the bulb. When the bulb is immersed in the sample in which the temperature should be measured, the volume of the booze expands. The bulb is connected to a sealed capillary tube which is filled with a mixture of nitrogen gas and the vapor of the alcohol. This capillary tube is made of the same glass used to make the bulb, and it is inside a glass tube which has the temperature scale marked on. When the volume of alcohol expands, the liquid enters the capillary tube and rises. The position of the meniscus of the liquid is read using the temperature calibration marked on the drinking glass tube.
Since alcohols are colorless, they are dyed before filling the bulb. If not, the rise of the meniscus cannot be seen clearly. When the dyed alcohol rises upward the capillary tube, the position of the meniscus can be clearly located. The most normally used colors as dye are blue or red.
Figure 1: An Booze Thermometer
Booze thermometers are used in the identify of mercury thermometers considering the safety of the chemic compound. Unlike mercury in the mercury thermometer, alcohol is less toxic and evaporates apace. Just the maximum temperature measured by an booze thermometer is 78.5°C; hence this thermometer is suitable for measuring lower temperatures. It is a better selection to measure daytime and dark temperature, body temperature, etc.
Advantages of Alcohol Thermometer
- Information technology can mensurate depression temperatures.
- It measures the temperature precisely.
- The expansion of alcohol is regular.
- It is less toxic and less hazardous.
Disadvantages of Alcohol Thermometer
- It cannot measure high temperatures than the humid point of the liquid inside the bulb.
- The capillary wall gets moisture by
- The liquid should exist dyed before filling the seedling.
- It is less durable because alcohol evaporates quickly.
What are Mercury Thermometers
Mercury thermometer is a type of thermometer that uses a bulb filled with mercury every bit the temperature sensor. It is as well known as mercury-in-glass thermometer. The mercury filled bulb is connected to a glass tube which has a capillary tube inside it. On the surface of the glass tube, temperature calibration is marked in guild to get the value for a particular temperature. The space of the capillary tube (higher up mercury) is filled with nitrogen gas.
Effigy 2: Bulb of Mercury Thermometer
When the bulb is immersed in the sample in which the temperature should be measured, the mercury rises up the capillary tube due to the expansion of the volume as a response to the change in temperature. The position of the meniscus of the mercury on the temperature calibration gives the temperature of the sample.
The temperature range that can be measured by a typical mercury thermometer is −37 to 356 °C. But if the capillary tube is filled with nitrogen gas, then the temperature range can be further increased since nitrogen is an inert gas and the pressure exerted by the gas on the mercury can increase the boiling signal of mercury.
Figure 3: A Mercury Thermometer
Below −37°C, mercury is a soli. Therefore, this thermometer is not suitable for such low temperatures. The boiling signal of mercury is 356.vii °C, hence the maximum temperature that can be read from a mercury thermometer is 356 °C.
Advantages of Mercury Thermometer
- It can measure high temperatures
- Mercury is visible without any dye
- Expansion of mercury is regular
- Mercury does not wet the capillary tub wall
- It gives precise results
Disadvantages of Mercury Thermometer
- Cannot measure low temperatures
- Hazardous if the bulb is cleaved and mercury leaks out
- High cost
- Ho-hum response
Deviation Between Booze and Mercury Thermometers
Definition
Alcohol Thermometers: Alcohol thermometer is a type of thermometer that uses a bulb filled with alcohol every bit the temperature sensor.
Mercury Thermometers: Mercury thermometer is a type of thermometer that uses a seedling filled with mercury equally the temperature sensor.
Liquid inside Bulb
Alcohol Thermometers: Liquid within the bulb of booze thermometer can be pure alcohol, toluene, kerosene, etc.
Mercury Thermometers: Liquid inside the bulb of mercury thermometer is Mercury.
Toxicity
Alcohol Thermometers: Alcohol is less toxic.
Mercury Thermometers: Mercury is highly toxic.
Measurement
Alcohol Thermometers: Booze thermometer is suitable for measurement of depression temperatures.
Mercury Thermometers: Mercury thermometer is suitable for measurement of high temperatures.
Temperature Range
Alcohol Thermometers: Booze thermometers are used to measure temperatures from -115°C to78.5°C.
Mercury Thermometers: Mercury thermometers are used to measure temperatures from −37 to 356 °C.
Durability
Booze Thermometers: Alcohol thermometers are less durable because alcohol evaporates quickly.
Mercury Thermometers: Mercury thermometers are highly durable because Mercury does not evaporate easily.
Wetting the Wall
Booze Thermometers: Alcohol thermometer wall get wet past alcohol.
Mercury Thermometers: Mercury thermometer wall does non go wet by Mercury.
Using a Dye
Alcohol Thermometers: Alcohol thermometer uses alcohols colored with a dye.
Mercury Thermometers: Mercury thermometer utilize mercury, and it does not have to be added with a dye considering mercury already has a silverish-colour.
Conclusion
Alcohol thermometer and mercury thermometer are two types of thermometers that are composed of a bulb filled with a liquid and a capillary tube continued to the bulb. When these thermometers are placed in warm solutions, they can measure out the temperature of that solution using the expansion of the liquid inside the bulb through the capillary tube. The capillary tube is located inside a glass tube on which the temperature values are marked on. The chief deviation between booze and mercury thermometer is that the bulb of mercury thermometer is filled with mercury whereas the bulb of booze thermometer is filled with alcohol.
References:
1. "Mercury-in-Glass thermometer." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 December. 2017, Available here.
ii. "Notions of English Disciple." Comparison of Alcohol and Mercury Thermometer, Bachelor hither.
3. "Alcohol thermometer." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Nov. 2017, Available here.
Paradigm Courtesy:
1. "SpiritTherm02" By Chemical Engineer – Ain work, Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. "Mercury-thermometer" By Jurii – (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
three. "Rtuťový teploměr; Mediacal mercury-in-glass thermometer" by Da Sal (CC BY two.0) via Flickr
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