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Why does rubbing alcohol work to lower the high temperature of a sick?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Alcohol evaporates quickly, and removes heat as it does. Kinda like sweating does, but faster. It cools the skin and thus reduces the fever. Although it does cool the skin off via evaporation, the use of alcohol to treat fevers is not as effective as other ways to lower a fever. When alcohol is rubbed on the body, the skin gets cold rapidly. This will cause the person to shiver which increases tempurature. The person's fever will most likely stay the same or raise. Lukewarm baths slightly cooler than the person work well. They cool the body off slowly.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoIt rapidly evaporates, and evaporation causes heat loss. It also improves circulation in the skin - as blood goes through the capillaries close to the surface, it cools down, closer to the ambient temperature, and helps reduce core body temperature.
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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.
Do alcoholic beverages kill contagious viruses and bacteria?
no, but rubbing alcohol does. Bacteria actually thrives in beer, because of the high starch content and yeast.
What conditions are gases most soluble in water?
The solubilty of gases in water is increased at lower temperatures and higher pressures.
How would the observed temperature be affected if distillation was performed on top of a mountain?
The boiling point temperature is lower at low pressure (altitude).
How do you boil water at a high altitude?
At a high altitude, water reaches its boiling point at a lower temperature because of a lower air pressure holding it in its liquid form.
Does plastic float in alcohol?
If you mean drinking alcohol, then yes if it is high enough proof. Rubbing alcohol won't.
Why do you use alcohol to sponge a person with high fever?
alcohol is a volatile liquid since its boiling point is relatively low compared to that of water etc. thus it evaporates faster and at lower temperatures. when it evaporates, it takes away the heat from the skin surface thus bringing down the temperature of the skin. since temperature is the measure of heat energy.
Alcohol is this process affected by temperature?
Yes, temperature affect the concentration of alcohol. Alcohol is made up of ethanol, high temperature oxidised ethanol to ethanoic acid so the concentration of alcohol decrease.
Is high body temperature a key sign of an alcohol overdose?
No. A lower body temperature is associated with alcohol overdose or poisoning. If ever in doubt, obtain medical attention ASAP. Alcohol poisoning is very dangerous and can be fatal. Many universities today have an alcohol amnesty or Good Samaritan policy to protect both the victim and the person who seeks medical attention for the victim.
Which one has high vapour pressure water or alcohol?
alcohol has high vapour pressure than water at room temperature.
Why does rubbing alcohol reduce fevers?
Rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol, and is poisonous if ingested, (the alcohol you can drink safely is ethanol, a different chemical compound). Rubbing alcohol cools the skin by convection, as the alcohol evaporates it carries the heat away from the body with it, just like perspiration, only faster. Cooling of the body with alcohol will help in reducing a fever, but should only be done when the body temperature is dangerously high, 104-105 or greater. It is best to supplement this cooling with effective medicines like ibuprofen, aspirin (not for young children), or acetaminophen, these take longer to work, but their effect lasts longer. Severely elevated body temperature can cause seizures and/or brain damage in children, if they have a fever that is greater than 104 degrees and does not respond to treatment should be addressed by a physician.
Why do people use rubbing alcohol to break a fever?
You should not apply isopropyl alcohol directly to the forehead or anywhere else on the body. Isopropyl alcohol, unlike ethyl (drinkable) alcohol, is toxic to the body. In small amounts applied to wounds, it is not harmful, but since isopropyl alcohol is easily absorbed by the skin, it can rise to toxic levels very quickly. However, since rubbing alcohol is offered as either isopropyl or ethyl alcohol, if you have a purely ethyl alcohol and water- based rubbing alcohol, it can be used for this purpose. However, it should first be diluted with more water since it is of a very high concentration that is still harmful to the body. Use about 1 part ethyl rubbing alcohol, 2-4 parts water. Obviously, do not use this on young children because it has the same effect as if you gave them alcohol to drink. Sure won't hurt, it also won't help. It might feel cooling but it won't significantly affect your internal body temp. You need to rid your body of infection or take a medication that will lower your temp such as aspirin, acetominphen, or ibuprofen. However, don't take aspirin if you are under 15 years old because of the risk of Rye's Syndrome. Studies have shown that using isoprpyl alcohol and water baths for fever can be dangerous. The fumes from the mixture can be harmful to both the person being bathed and the person giving the bath as they can be absorbed through the lungs. The isopropyl alcohol can also be absorbed by the skin when applied to the skin. The amount of alcohol that would be used in a bath could lead to alcohol toxicity. Medical studies have shown that inhalation or absorption from the skin could lead to toxic levels of isopropyl alcohol.
What are high temperature plastics used for?
The high temperature plastics can only be used from the temperature of 135 degree Celsius and lower. Many others thought that high temperature plastics meant that it can handle extremely high temperature but they are wrong.
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.
Can rubbing your body down with rubbing alcohol lead to pneumonia?
This is no longer an accepted treatment for fever or infectious disease as it used to be. Years ago this was an accepted way to lower a temp of an infant or child. Please note: this is no longer accepted. Alcohol fumes could overcome or kill a child. To reduce fever in a child (dangerous high fever) use only a tepid bath (water a couple degrees below body temperature which would feel cool to your elbow) or get directions from the pediatrician. ANY time an infant has fever, the doctor should always be contacted.But being cold or having rubbing alcohol on your skin that makes you feel cold can not cause pneumonia. See the related question below about being cold making you sick.
What happens when an object at a high temperature touches an object at lower temperature?
Heat is conducted form the high temperature body to the low temperature body until their temperatures are the same.
An object with high temperature has more . Than an object with a lower temperature does?
It would be Thermal energy
