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Q: How do you describe the way in which thermometers measure temperature?
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What is the advantage and disadvantage of using water in a thermometer?

Thermometers are devices which can be used to measure the body temperature. The body temperature is an important health indicator, and to assess it properly the core temperature must be measured. The best way to this is through a rectal or aural measurement - these require specific thermometers. Aural measurements are most common in professional settings because of their reliability and ease of use, though a rectal measurement is still the most accurate. Nowadays most thermometers are electric, for greater accuracy and safety. Mercury thermometers are no longer used in medical applications, due to the toxicity of mercury, and many countries have banned the classic mercury-in-glass thermometers from such purposes.


The way in which themometers measure temperature?

All 'old' thermometers measure temperature as a difference between the thermal expansion of two substances. Every substance expands at a slightly different rate. Mercury, for example, expands at a large and consistent rate; while glass hardly expands at all. This makes them a very accurate combination in a thermometer (at low temperatures, -20 to 150 deg C 'ish). Other thermometers use two strips of different metals stuck together, like a double layered cake. When heated or cooled one strip expands more than the other so the strips will curl, the amount of curl indicates how much the temperature has changed. The best substances for 'old' thermometers have a high (fast) thermal conductivity. Modern inferred (laser) thermometers measure the amount of heat being emitted by an object. Essentially it measures the total energy of photons being emitted by a given area. NB. the laser is just used to help aim the thermometer; it plays no part in the actual measurement.


Why are there two thermometers in a hygrometer?

A hygrometer is used to measure relative humidity. The two thermometers in a hygrometer are different in that one is a "regular" thermometer and the other has some batting (a wrap) around the bulb that is kept wet. The thermometers are called a dry-bulb thermometer and a wet-bulb thermometer, respectively. The dry-bulb thermometer measures "regular" or ambient air temperature. The wet-bulb thermometer will measure a cooler temperature (usually) because moisture evaporating from the wrap around its bulb will cool it down below ambient temperature. Below zero, the wrap freezes and the wet-bulb thermometer will read a higher temperature (usually) than its dry-bulb companion. The dry-bulb thermometer will tell us the actual ambient temperature of the air. It's a very necessary baseline. There is a maximum amount of moisture that air at a given temperature will hold. (Higher air temperatures will allow air to hold more moisture and lower air temperatures will not allow as much.) What we need to know is what fraction (the percentage) of moisture the air is holding relative to the maximun it can hold. That's why we call it relative humidity. It is the wet-bulb reading that is critical now. The hygrometer looks at the difference between the dry- and wet-bulb temperatures. This number, the difference, is looked up on a psychrometric chart, and for a given ambient temperature and a given temperature difference, there is only one relative humidity that will be possible. The psychrometric chart is a calibrated "graph" that has been drawn up from precise laboratory measurements of the way the two thermometers will react for a given ambient temperature and a given temperature difference (which means a specific relative humidity). A link is provided to the Wikipedia article on the hygrometer so you can see some pics and do some additional reading.


Do pool thermometers contain mercury?

Most pool thermometers do not contain mercury. An easy way to tell if a pool thermometer contains mercury is if it sinks to the bottom of the pool rather than float.


Is Temperature a measure of the amount of heat stored in a substance?

No. As Temperature isn't by any way a measure of how much energy is ''stored'' in a substance, it vary with the heat capacity of the said substance...«Heat capacity (usually denoted by a capital C, often with subscripts), or thermal capacity, is the measurable physical quantity that characterizes the amount of heat required to change a substance's temperature by a given amount. In the International System of Units (SI), heat capacity is expressed in units of joule(s) (J) per kelvin (K).»

Related questions

Is Jupiter's temperature ferienheight or Celsius?

When we measure Jupiter's temperature, we can describe it either way.


What is the correct place to put a thermometer?

You put the thermometer in what you want to get the temperature from. If you want to measure body temperature, the rectum would be the best way to get an accurate reading with an old school thermometer. There are however new thermometers which are as effective in an ear.


What are two types of thermometer?

The two types of thermometers are the total immersion and partial immersion thermometers. However, they both read temperature the same way!


What is the advantage and disadvantage of using water in a thermometer?

Thermometers are devices which can be used to measure the body temperature. The body temperature is an important health indicator, and to assess it properly the core temperature must be measured. The best way to this is through a rectal or aural measurement - these require specific thermometers. Aural measurements are most common in professional settings because of their reliability and ease of use, though a rectal measurement is still the most accurate. Nowadays most thermometers are electric, for greater accuracy and safety. Mercury thermometers are no longer used in medical applications, due to the toxicity of mercury, and many countries have banned the classic mercury-in-glass thermometers from such purposes.


Why are thermometers important to us?

The thermometers which we used were: clinical, digital and forehead. Thermometers measure temperature. They tell us what the weather is like outside so we can now how to dress without actually going out and feeling it ourselves. In terms of science it is very important. There are things that only occur under certain temperatures, so knowing what that temperature that is, we can make phenomen occur. They are used in cooking. It is a way of recording data and studying something, a characteristic. Understanding these things allows us to advance and to understand how the world works


How do you find a temperature of a shirt?

The only possible way is to use a thermometer. The best kind is the instantaneous electronic thermometers where you point at an object and it gives you the temperature reading.


Kinds of thermometers and uses?

There are a few main types of thermometers in health: tympanic - goes into your ear oral/sublingual - mouth recual - inserted into the anus auxillar - under the arm laser / tape - across the forehead. these are all used to measure a persons tempersture


Why we cannot you use your hand to measure temperature?

You cannot use laboratory thermometer to measure human body temp because of its markings. It is designed to measure large scale temperatures and therefore it may be hard to read the exact bocy temperature.


How do you check the fever of a baby?

By doctor recommendation, the best suited way to get an accurate reading of a baby's temperature would be in the rectum. Digital thermometers are specifically designed for that area.


The kelvin scale is used to measure what?

The Kelvin scale is used to measure absolute temperature, i.e., temperature from absolute zero. The way it is defined, there are no negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale.The Kelvin scale is used to measure absolute temperature, i.e., temperature from absolute zero. The way it is defined, there are no negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale.The Kelvin scale is used to measure absolute temperature, i.e., temperature from absolute zero. The way it is defined, there are no negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale.The Kelvin scale is used to measure absolute temperature, i.e., temperature from absolute zero. The way it is defined, there are no negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale.


Why the doctors put thermometre under the tongue at the time of fever?

There are a few different types of thermometers and a few different ways body temperature can be taken: - A tympanic thermometer measures the body temperature by taking a reading from the tympanic membrane in the ear. - The old mercury thermometers aren't used anymore, the risk of them breaking is too high. - Digital thermometers are about 15cm long and can measure oral, axillary or rectal temperature. They have plastic coverings to go over the top.Even though it is rarely used (except in paediatrics), for obvious reasons, the rectal method of measuring body temperature is the most accurate.


What is the English way to measure temperature?

The English reason for measuring temperature is no different to that for any non-English person.