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I assume you mean "alcohol". One important disadvantage of Mercury is that it is very toxic. Ethanol (the common alcohol) is toxic as well, but not quite as harmful as mercury. Specifically, inhaling a small amount of its vapor won't get you sick.

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Two kinds of thermometer?

Two common types of thermometers are digital thermometers and mercury thermometers. Digital thermometers use electronic sensors to measure temperature and display it on a screen, while mercury thermometers contain mercury that expands or contracts with temperature changes. Mercury thermometers are being phased out due to environmental concerns over mercury exposure.


Why is digital thermometer is better than mercury thermometer?

Digital thermometers are preferred over mercury thermometers because they are more accurate, faster, and safer to use. Digital thermometers provide a digital reading, eliminating the risk of parallax error associated with reading a mercury level. Additionally, digital thermometers do not contain mercury, making them safer for the environment and in case of accidental breakage.


What is scientific reason for using mercury in thermometers?

Mercury is used in thermometers because it has a high thermal expansion coefficient, meaning it expands and contracts significantly with temperature changes. This property allows for accurate measurement of temperature. Additionally, mercury remains a liquid over a wide range of temperatures, making it ideal for use in thermometers.


Why is mercury rarely used in thermometers that take body temperatures?

Mercury is a toxic heavy metal. The possibility of breakage and the subsequent release of mercury into the body, or into the environment, means that mercury usage has gradually been phased out in consumer thermometers. Laboratory thermometers often still contain mercury, since it's useful over a wide range of temperatures. This isn't so critical in medical thermometers, since the body temperature of someone who isn't actually dead is almost certainly going to be no more than 10 degrees from 37 Celcius.


Why was mercury chosen to be in a thermometer?

Mercury was chosen for thermometers because it has a high coefficient of expansion, meaning it is very sensitive to temperature changes and quickly expands or contracts. This makes it able to accurately indicate slight variations in temperature. Additionally, mercury remains liquid over a wide range of temperatures, making it suitable for use in thermometers.

Related Questions

Two kinds of thermometer?

Two common types of thermometers are digital thermometers and mercury thermometers. Digital thermometers use electronic sensors to measure temperature and display it on a screen, while mercury thermometers contain mercury that expands or contracts with temperature changes. Mercury thermometers are being phased out due to environmental concerns over mercury exposure.


Why is digital thermometer is better than mercury thermometer?

Digital thermometers are preferred over mercury thermometers because they are more accurate, faster, and safer to use. Digital thermometers provide a digital reading, eliminating the risk of parallax error associated with reading a mercury level. Additionally, digital thermometers do not contain mercury, making them safer for the environment and in case of accidental breakage.


Do oral mercury thermometers expire?

No, oral mercury thermometers do not expire. However, they should be handled and stored properly to ensure accurate readings. Over time, the calibration of the thermometer may shift, leading to inaccurate readings.


Why is Mercury used in thermometers instead of alcohol?

Mercury thermometers have advantages over alcohol thermometers. The liquid is visible making the results easy to read. It expands at a regular interval. It measures temperature quickly and accurately.


What is scientific reason for using mercury in thermometers?

Mercury is used in thermometers because it has a high thermal expansion coefficient, meaning it expands and contracts significantly with temperature changes. This property allows for accurate measurement of temperature. Additionally, mercury remains a liquid over a wide range of temperatures, making it ideal for use in thermometers.


Why is mercury rarely used in thermometers that take body temperatures?

Mercury is a toxic heavy metal. The possibility of breakage and the subsequent release of mercury into the body, or into the environment, means that mercury usage has gradually been phased out in consumer thermometers. Laboratory thermometers often still contain mercury, since it's useful over a wide range of temperatures. This isn't so critical in medical thermometers, since the body temperature of someone who isn't actually dead is almost certainly going to be no more than 10 degrees from 37 Celcius.


Why was mercury chosen to be in a thermometer?

Mercury was chosen for thermometers because it has a high coefficient of expansion, meaning it is very sensitive to temperature changes and quickly expands or contracts. This makes it able to accurately indicate slight variations in temperature. Additionally, mercury remains liquid over a wide range of temperatures, making it suitable for use in thermometers.


Why mercury is used in glass thermometer?

Mercury is used in glass thermometers because it expands and contracts uniformly with changes in temperature, making it highly accurate for measuring temperature. Additionally, mercury has a wide range of temperatures over which it remains in liquid form, making it suitable for a variety of temperature measurements.


Why was cuniform preffered over picture writing?

it was quicker .


To get an accurate measurement on a thermometer what do you do?

- Read the temperature over the meniscus (for mercury thermometers)- Avoid the parallaxe error- Respect the depth of immersion thermometer- Don't use thermometers with defects (ex. air bubbles)- Wait a reasonable time the setting of indication for the thermometer


Do modern thermometers contain mercury?

Most modern thermometers do not contain mercury. Instead, they use safer alternatives such as digital sensors or infrared technology to measure temperature. Mercury thermometers have been largely phased out due to the health and environmental risks associated with mercury exposure.


What element is a liquid metal used in a thermometer?

Mercury is a liquid metal that is used in thermometers.