Mercury is preferred to alcohol as a thermometric substance primarily due to its wide liquid temperature range, remaining fluid at extremely low temperatures and not boiling until 356.7°C. Additionally, mercury has a high thermal conductivity, allowing for quick and accurate temperature readings. Unlike alcohol, mercury does not wet glass, preventing it from sticking to the sides of the thermometer and ensuring clear and consistent readings. Finally, mercury is less affected by changes in atmospheric pressure, which enhances measurement reliability.
Mercury in glass thermometers pose a greater health hazard if broken, as mercury is a toxic substance that can be harmful if inhaled or ingested. Alcohol in glass thermometers are considered less hazardous as alcohol is not as toxic as mercury. It is still important to clean up any broken thermometer carefully to avoid injury.
Thermometric substances are materials that are sensitive to changes in temperature and can be used to measure it. Examples include mercury, alcohol, and liquid crystal.
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.
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.
Mercury is considered a pure substance because it is made up of only one type of atom, which is mercury itself. It does not contain any impurities or other substances mixed in with it, making it a pure element.
what are the qualities of mercury over alchoholic as thermometric liquid
Mercury is very toxic and can cause nerve damage and once it enters the body is just about impossible to get out. Alcohol is a much less hazardous substance. Even though it can be toxic, the body easily breaks it down in low doses. . Also, alcohol is commercially more abundant and less expensive than mercury.
Alcohol is less expensive and the compounds formed from oxides of Mercury are poisonous while alcohol is less problematic.
iodine and Mercury
Alcohol is preferred as a thermometric liquid substance due to its wide range of liquid state temperatures, which allows for accurate measurement across a broad spectrum. Additionally, alcohol has a low freezing point, making it suitable for use in cold environments. Its low viscosity ensures quick and consistent response to temperature changes, making it a reliable choice for various thermometric applications.
Alcohol thermometers are preferred in cold countries because they have a lower freezing point compared to mercury thermometers, so they can accurately measure temperatures in colder conditions without freezing and causing damage. Additionally, alcohol thermometers are safer to use as they do not contain toxic mercury, which is important for environmental and health reasons.
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.
Thermometers can be made from various materials, but common ones include glass, mercury, alcohol, and digital sensors such as thermocouples and resistive temperature detectors. Glass thermometers often contain mercury or alcohol as the temperature-measuring substance. Digital thermometers use semiconductor materials for temperature sensing.
Mercury in glass thermometers pose a greater health hazard if broken, as mercury is a toxic substance that can be harmful if inhaled or ingested. Alcohol in glass thermometers are considered less hazardous as alcohol is not as toxic as mercury. It is still important to clean up any broken thermometer carefully to avoid injury.
If the liquid is silver, it is liquid mercury (Hg). If the liquid is red, it is coloured ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH).
Mercury and alcohol
The substance in a thermometer that tells us the temperature is usually mercury or alcohol. These substances expand or contract in response to temperature changes, allowing the thermometer to measure the temperature accurately.