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The bulb at the bottom of a thermometer is a reservoir of the temperature sensitive material, traditionally Mercury. If you just had one narrow column of mercury, it would not change its height very much in response to changes of temperature, and therefore it would be very hard to read the temperature accurately off such a thermometer, but when you have a reservoir of mercury which gives you much more mercury and hence much more change in the total volume of the mercury in response to a change in temperature, then the mercury rises and falls to a much greater degree, and is easier to read.

The reservoir shape can be whatever the manufacturer wants it to be, though spherical is not really an optimal choice because a sphere is the minimum surface area to volume shape, which is the exact opposite of what you want if the goal is for the mercury to equilibrate its temperature rapidly with the environment.

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What is the role of the bulb on a labatory thermometer?

The bulb of a laboratory thermometer contains a liquid (like mercury or alcohol) that expands and contracts with temperature changes. This expansion and contraction moves the liquid up and down the calibrated scale, allowing the thermometer to measure the temperature of a substance or environment accurately.


What is black bulb thermometer?

A black bulb thermometer is a device used to measure the temperature of a surface by measuring the amount of thermal radiation it emits. It consists of a blackened bulb exposed to the surface being measured and a thermocouple or temperature sensor that registers the black bulb's temperature. This type of thermometer is commonly used in industrial settings to monitor the temperature of objects like ovens, furnaces, or heating systems.


What should bethe shape of an ideal thermometer?

An ideal thermometer usually has a thin glass tube with a uniform bore, capped at one end with a bulb containing a temperature-sensitive liquid like mercury or alcohol. The tube should have uniform markings along its length for accurate temperature reading. The thin design allows the liquid to expand and contract easily as the temperature changes.


What is the base of a thermometer called?

The base of a thermometer is called the bulb, which is typically filled with a fluid like mercury or alcohol. This is where the temperature is measured by the expansion or contraction of the fluid in response to changes in temperature.


What did the first thermometer look like?

The first thermometer was likely a simple glass tube filled with liquid. It had a bulb at one end to trap the liquid and a scale along the side to measure temperature changes. These early thermometers were developed in the 17th century by scientists like Galileo and Santorio.

Related Questions

What is the structure of red blood cells like?

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What is the bulb of the thermometer is used for holding?

The bulb of a thermometer is used as a hot spot or "fire place" because as the temperature rises the bulb is heated which as heats the mercury inside to estimate the outside temperature. So as you see the bulb attract to sunlight to heat itself like a hot spot.


What is the role of the bulb on a labatory thermometer?

The bulb of a laboratory thermometer contains a liquid (like mercury or alcohol) that expands and contracts with temperature changes. This expansion and contraction moves the liquid up and down the calibrated scale, allowing the thermometer to measure the temperature of a substance or environment accurately.


What is black bulb thermometer?

A black bulb thermometer is a device used to measure the temperature of a surface by measuring the amount of thermal radiation it emits. It consists of a blackened bulb exposed to the surface being measured and a thermocouple or temperature sensor that registers the black bulb's temperature. This type of thermometer is commonly used in industrial settings to monitor the temperature of objects like ovens, furnaces, or heating systems.


What should bethe shape of an ideal thermometer?

An ideal thermometer usually has a thin glass tube with a uniform bore, capped at one end with a bulb containing a temperature-sensitive liquid like mercury or alcohol. The tube should have uniform markings along its length for accurate temperature reading. The thin design allows the liquid to expand and contract easily as the temperature changes.


What is the base of a thermometer called?

The base of a thermometer is called the bulb, which is typically filled with a fluid like mercury or alcohol. This is where the temperature is measured by the expansion or contraction of the fluid in response to changes in temperature.


What did the first thermometer look like?

The first thermometer was likely a simple glass tube filled with liquid. It had a bulb at one end to trap the liquid and a scale along the side to measure temperature changes. These early thermometers were developed in the 17th century by scientists like Galileo and Santorio.


What is the chemical formula and structure of potassium?

Potassium is an element, it has a symbol which is K, rather than a formula. Like all elements, its structure is spherical. There are protons and neutrons in the center, and electrons in the outer layers.


How is a thermometer like a number line?

How is a thermometer like a number line?


What did first thermometer look like?

it looked like a modern thermometer


Describe the structure of a thermometer?

The thermometer consists of a very fine glass tube having a very small bore and is called capillary tube. At one end of capillary tube a very thin glass bulb is provided. The bulb is filled with mercury( most of the times) or alcohol The other end of capillary tube is sealed. The capillary tube is protected by a thick glass tube called stem. On the stem are made markings. These markings are called graduations or degrees.


What is the structure of fullerenes?

A fullerenes or Buckminster Fullerene ( footballene) is a spherical allotrope of carbon. At its simplest it is 60 (sixty) carbon atoms arranged in hexagons and pentegons, anf the whole is then integrated into a spherical shape. Similar to the shape patterns on an Association Football.