What's a dipstick

Answer 1

A dipstick is one of several devices dipped into a liquid to perform some kind of test. This might be of quantity or of the chemical properties of the liquid. Dipsticks can be used to meaure the quantity of liquid in an otherwise inaccessible space, by inserting and removing the stick and then checking the extent of it covered by the liquid. The most familiar example is the dipstick in an internal combustion engine, which is a metal strip or thin flexible coil used to measure the quantity of lubricating oil. Generally the procedure for reading the dipstick is to remove it, clean it with a rag or paper towel to provide a fresh surface for the oil to contact, then reinsert it. The stick is then removed once more and the oil level is compared to markings on the dipstick which indicate the required level. A dipstick can also be used to check the amount of beer remaining in a real ale cask. The stick (generally stainless steel or brass) is made of thin square rod or flat strip, and is inserted through the small hole in the shive on the top of a horizontal cask. If double-decker racking is used a flexible strip may be useful, since casks on the lower rack might not have enough headroom for a rigid rod to be inserted.