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Firstly, Mercury has a freezing point of about -38Co. So a mercury thermometer cannot be used below this. Alcohols have a much lower freezing point, some around -100Co . Thus they are useful at much lower temperatures. Though alcohols are usually colourless, they can easily be dyed, usually red or blue. Alcohols however have lower boiling points, and this limits the maximum temperature at which they may be used.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoMost often thermometers use mercury, but alcohol could be used as well since it has a very low freezing point (-114°C).
You cannot use water in a thermometer because it will freeze at 0°C rendering the use of a thermometer impossible when it's freezing outside. That's why they use liquids like alcohol or mercury which have a very low freezing point so the liquid thermometer stays a liquid and doesn't start to harden.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoBecause Mercury has a freezing point at -38 (ORA) oC, therefore some of the temperatures that a cold thermometer is used for may be well below this. Also at colder temperatures thermometers are easier to handle ( hot thermometers reach high temperatures in hot substances). So it makes sense to reduce unnecessary risk, by using an alcohol which is much safer.
Wiki User
∙ 16y agoAlcohol is cheaper than mercury, and if you break the thermometer, it is not toxic.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoAlcohol is cheap and not dangerous to health and the environment like mercury.
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Which instrument is often filled with mercury or colored water or alcohol?
Thermometers are the instrument that is often filled with mercury, colored water, or alcohol. Most early thermometers were made with mercury.
How should a thermometer be sterilized?
Digital thermometers should have a plastic sleeve, but even with that, you should use an alcohol swab to thoroughly wet, rub it and allow it to air dry after each use. Some of the digitals will have battery and "mother board" problems if you wash them in soapy water. The old-timey mercury thermometers and modern non-digital thermometers can be soaked in alcohol over night or washed with warm soapy water and then swabbed with alcohol, allowed to dry and returned to their cases. Since you can get digital thermometers for less than 10.00, it is a good idea to have a thermometer for each person in your family....and if you are really germ-phobic you can replace them after every illness...but that is overkill, IMO.
Why is an alcohol thermometer better than mercury in the freezer?
Dropped mercury thermometers account for almost half of the spills that occur each year on campus. Rarely do people have the mercury spill kit required to clean up the half a gram of mercury that can escape from these thermometers. If someone drops a mercury thermometer in your lab, you lose time, money, and possibly your clothing or equipment. Instead, recycle your mercury-filled thermometers through EH&S and we'll deliver a free alcohol-filled thermometer in exchange. Our alcohol thermometers are semi-submersible and measure from -20 to 110ºC to within 1º. They perform most routine laboratory functions that mercury thermometers are used for, such as measuring the temperature of water baths or ambient air. And best of all, when you drop one, all you have to do is wipe up the liquid with a paper towel and throw it away, and place the broken glass in your lab glass bin.
Can you smoke alcohol?
yes you can and it has a mild effect. you can do it in a water bong too... fill bong with spirit (alcohol) instead of water. then put a pleasant herb in the smoking pit and puff away (not cannabis)
What is the solvent and solute for Rubbing Alcohol?
Alcohol is a type of organic solvent. Regardless, when alcohol is the majority of a mixture, it is considered the solvent, and when something else is the majority of the mixture, it is the solute.
Why are thermometers made with alcohol instead of water?
thermometers are made out of mercury and alcohol because mercury expands when it is heated
Which instrument is often filled with mercury or colored water or alcohol?
Thermometers are the instrument that is often filled with mercury, colored water, or alcohol. Most early thermometers were made with mercury.
What are thermometers filled with besides mercury?
Most inexpensive thermometers are filled with a colored mix of alcohol and water, rather than mercury, which is hazardous and has become more expensive.
Before mercury what was used to fill thermometers?
Water was initially used and later on alcohol was used.
Which is better mercury or alcohol thermometers for low temperature measurements?
alcohol is best for both hot and cold (only in water) mercury is best for fire temps
Why do people use alcohol or mercury in the thermometer instead of water?
The main reason that mercury or alcohol is used in thermometers instead of water is due to the fluctuations that are seen in the boiling and freezing points of water which vary with pressure. Water is also used as a standard by which the thermometer is calibrated by. Alcohol's low freezing point makes it perfect for measuring low temperatures, but it's low boiling point means that high temperatures are hard to measure. Plus, it expands very nicely within the capillary tubes in which it is held. Mercury's low freezing point and high boiling point make it ideal for measuring most temperatures. However, mercury is also very expensive and dangerous.
Why the mercury is the most used element in many thermometers?
Mercury is a liquid at room temperature and has a specific gravity which is higher than water and is not nearly as likely to vaporize as water or alcohol.
Why people consumed more alcohol instead of water?
Tap water hasn't always been available. I imagine beer may have been safer to drink than water
How should a thermometer be sterilized?
Digital thermometers should have a plastic sleeve, but even with that, you should use an alcohol swab to thoroughly wet, rub it and allow it to air dry after each use. Some of the digitals will have battery and "mother board" problems if you wash them in soapy water. The old-timey mercury thermometers and modern non-digital thermometers can be soaked in alcohol over night or washed with warm soapy water and then swabbed with alcohol, allowed to dry and returned to their cases. Since you can get digital thermometers for less than 10.00, it is a good idea to have a thermometer for each person in your family....and if you are really germ-phobic you can replace them after every illness...but that is overkill, IMO.
What is the most common drink instead of alcohol?
Water. It is also the best for you.
Why don't you make thermometers with water?
You can make a thermometer with water, and in fact Galileo invented a rudimentary water thermometer in 1593. However, using other materials such as alcohol or mercury allows you to measure a greater variation in temperature.
Will rubbing alcohol remove water in a car gas tank?
Rubbing alcohol is 70% isopropyl alcohol, so you wouldn't use it since it contains some water. Use 99% isopropyl alcohol instead.
