0
Mercury expands more evenly than alcohol. This is why thermometers that contain mercury are more accurate than those that contain alcohol. However, alcohol freezes at a temperature much lower than mercury, so it is better used in thermometers in extreme cold conditions.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Differences between mercury and alcohol thermometers?
Alcohol is used to measure at low temperatures because it has a lower freezing point than Mercury. Mercury has a higher boiling point than alcohol, mercury boils at around 400 Co and alcohol boils around 80 C0.
What is mercury used for in a thermometer?
The thermal expansion of mercury is proportional and linear to temperature.
Does aything compare of mercury and earth?
they both have iron cores
Which thermometer is a greater health hazard if it breaks Is it the mercury in glass or alcohol in glass thermometer?
Mercury is poisonous.
What is the mercury inside a thermometer?
usually a type of alcohol now
Can mercury and alcohol mixed to become a thermometer?
Mercury and alcohol are not the thermometers but the liquids found in the thermometer they have different properties that make them uniqe for example alcohol is safe while mercury is poisonous,alcohol does not expand uniformly but has great expansion while mercury expands uniformly and has low expansion,alcohol is cheap while mercury is expensive,alcohol wets the glass while mercury does not.so alcohol can not combine to form a thermometer simply because they are the liquids found in it and not the thermometer itself.
Why is alcohol found in the school's thermometer instead of mercury?
Because the thermal expansion is higher from alcohol (ethanol) and then it's more precise.
A thermometer works on the principle that a rise in temperature causes?
A rise in temp causes the expansion of the mercury or alcohol present in the tube.The graduation is done in such a way that the amount of expansion gives the temp.
Why alcohol used in laboratory thermometers instead of mercury?
mercury is toxic but alcohol is not and alcohol is cheaper than mercury
What liquids are used in thermometer?
Mercury and alcohol
What happen to the liquid in a thermometer when it gets warm?
The liquid expand from heat. We use these expansion to indicate temperature. Common thermometer liquid is Mercury and alcohol.
Differences between mercury and alcohol thermometers?
Alcohol is used to measure at low temperatures because it has a lower freezing point than Mercury. Mercury has a higher boiling point than alcohol, mercury boils at around 400 Co and alcohol boils around 80 C0.
What is in liquid in thermometer?
mostly Mercury but there are some with alcohol
Would you rather use alcohol or Mercury in a thermometer?
Alcohol. Mercury is very toxic.
Would have it be possible to make mercury thermometers if expansion of glass is greater than the expansion of mercury?
Suppose so, but the mercury would fall, instead of rising with temperature increase.
Why would you take an alcohol thermometer to Antarctic?
Mercury freezes or at least does not expand and contract at the calculated rate under arctic conditions. I.E., the expansion coefficient of mercury does not allow it to operate at that extreme temperature so as to give accurate results.
Why use of alcohol is preferred over mercury in thermometers?
Alcohol is less expensive and the compounds formed from oxides of Mercury are poisonous while alcohol is less problematic.
