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Why is mercury rarely used in thermometers that take body temperatures?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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.
Elza Olson
Kip Strosin
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.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoMercury 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.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoBecause the element mercury (Hg) expands or contracts based on your temperature.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agocuz they just are
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoyes
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What liquid is inside thermometers?
If the liquid is silver, it is liquid mercury (Hg). If the liquid is red, it is coloured ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH).
Why is mercury no longer used in thermometer?
Mercury, if it enters your body, causes severe brain problems, and is usually deadly, so it is a poisonous material. it is no longer used in thermometers because thermometers were breaking and too many people were dying.
What is the advantage and disadvantage of using water in a thermometer?
Thermometers are devices which can be used to measure the body temperature. The body temperature is an important health indicator, and to assess it properly the core temperature must be measured. The best way to this is through a rectal or aural measurement - these require specific thermometers. Aural measurements are most common in professional settings because of their reliability and ease of use, though a rectal measurement is still the most accurate. Nowadays most thermometers are electric, for greater accuracy and safety. Mercury thermometers are no longer used in medical applications, due to the toxicity of mercury, and many countries have banned the classic mercury-in-glass thermometers from such purposes.
What is the differences between a clinical thermometer and a laboratory thermometer?
Clinical thermometers are made to be used in a hospital to accurately determine body temperature. They are often digital. Lab thermometers are made of metal or glass and usually don't give you an accurate reading as much as a "ball park." A clinical thermometer may have mercury but lab thermometers usually have alcohol .
Why does the liquid in a thermometer go down before the temperature is taken?
It does not by itself. It must be shaken down. The liquid is mercury, which is very heat-expansive, i.e. it changes its volume noticeably and quickly depending on its temperature. The warmer, the larger the volume. That's why it's used in thermometers. However, thermometers are built so that the mercury does not go down by itself to enable taking precise readings (otherwise, it would fall quickly immediately after the thermometer is removed from the body). So, the thermometer must cool and the contracted but vacuum-stuck mercury must then be shaken down to take another measurement.
Why is mercury rarely use in thermometers for body trmperatures?
Mercury is poisonous... If the thermometer is broken - it could cause harm. It's safer to use alcohol thermometers - or electronic ones.
What are mercury thermometers used for?
If the bulb is red, blue, purple, green or any other color, it is not a mercury thermometer. Mercury thermometerscan be used to determine body temperature (fever thermometers), liquid temperature, and vapor temperature.
5 different things that the temperature can be measured?
1. About Digital Thermometers 2. Appliance Thermometers 3. Bimetallic-Coil Thermometers 4. Calibrating the Thermometers 5. Cooking Temperatures
Why do you put thermometers on body for 1 minute?
Older thermometers took about a minute for the body temperature to warm the mercury in the glass bulb so that it reached body temperature and a reading could be taken. Modern thermometers are much faster and do not need to be kept for a minute.
Why is that mercury is used in thermometer?
Mercury is used in thermometers because mercury is the only liquid metal in room temperature. Hence our body temperature is observed by melting the liquid metal mercury due to our body temperature.
What liquid is inside thermometers?
If the liquid is silver, it is liquid mercury (Hg). If the liquid is red, it is coloured ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH).
What is the difference between clinical thermometers and other mercury-in-glass thermometers?
Clinical thermometers are specifically designed for measuring human body temperature, while other mercury-in-glass thermometers can be used for various purposes such as measuring temperature in laboratories or industrial settings. Clinical thermometers typically have a narrower temperature range focused on human body temperature, while other thermometers may have a wider temperature range. Additionally, clinical thermometers are often designed with features like an easy-to-read scale and a flexible tip for comfort and safety during use.
What is the basic principles of temperature measurement?
temperature is a measure of effect of heat energy. It tells us about the degree of hotness or coldness of a body. Increase in volume, change in specific resistance, emmision of electro magnetic waves (like Light) are the general effects of the temperature. Based on these principles temperatures are measured. Change in volume --- Liquid thermometers -- Mercury thermometers Change in resistance --- Resistance thermometers ---- digital thermometers Emmission of E/M waves --- Radiation thermometers --- Pyrometers RAMKI--India
The metal mercury used for?
It is used in the thermometers as it detects the heat change.It points out the variation of temperature of human body.
Why is mercury no longer used in thermometer?
Mercury, if it enters your body, causes severe brain problems, and is usually deadly, so it is a poisonous material. it is no longer used in thermometers because thermometers were breaking and too many people were dying.
What is the danger of using lab thermometers in human body?
im not sure if this is what you mean, but some lab thermomometers contain mercury and when mercury enters the human body its extremely toxic and can cause brain damage and other such things.
How do you remove mercury in your stomach?
You wouldn't have any there unless you've been snacking on thermometers. Mercury typically gets stored in fatty tissues in the body, and those metabolize very slowly. About the only thing you can do is to remove the source on the mercury, and the body will cleanse itself at the pace it can.
