Mercury is used in thermometers because It has a high coefficient of expansion so that even a small rise in temperature brings about sufficient expansion which can be detected in the capillary of the calibrated part of the thermometer.
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Why is only mercury used in clinical thermometer ? – Vedantu
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Why is mercury used in thermometers instead of alcohol?
The boiling point of mercury is 356.7∘ C and that of alcohol is approximately 80∘ C. Due to its low boiling point alcohol cannot be used to measure high temperatures. It is mostly used in cold climate.
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When was mercury used in thermometers?
1 Mercury-in-glass thermometer. About 1713, Fahrenheit developed the sealed mercury-in-glass thermometer. This thermometer type (Figure 1) is the oldest device still in use in both scientific and clinical settings. The thermometer consists of a mercury-filled bulb connected to a thin capillary with a temperature scale.
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Why water is not used in thermometer instead of mercury?
Water cannot be used in thermometer because of its higher freezing point and lower boiling point than other liquids . If water is used in a thermometer , it will start phase change at 0oC and 100oC and will not measure temperature , out of this range .
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When was mercury last used in thermometers?
Phase-out. As of 2012, many mercury-in-glass thermometers are used in meteorology; however, they are becoming increasingly rare for other uses, as many countries banned them for medical use due to the toxicity of mercury.
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When was mercury first used in thermometers?
1714: the first mercury thermometer Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736) was the first person to make a thermometer using mercury. The more predictable expansion of mercury combined with improved glass working techniques led to a much more accurate thermometer.
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Why did they stop using mercury in thermometers?
The reason: Mercury released into the environment from a broken thermometer is highly poisonous. Pure mercury and its compounds can cause neurological problems and other ailments in people exposed to them.
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What was used in thermometers instead of mercury?
Ethanol-filled thermometers are used in preference to mercury for meteorological measurements of minimum temperatures and can be used down to −70 °C (−94 °F). The physical limitation of the ability of a thermometer to measure low temperature is the freezing point of the liquid used.
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Why is mercury thermometer preferred over alcohol thermometer?
The main advantage of mercury thermometer over alcohol thermometer is that mercury has greater boiling point than alcohol.
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Why is mercury or alcohol used in a thermometer instead of liquid?
Mercury is the only one in liquid state at room temperature. It’s used in thermometers because it has high coefficient of expansion. Hence, the slightest change in temperature is notable when it’s used in a thermometer. It also has a high boiling point which makes it very suitable to measure higher temperatures.
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Why alcohol is not used in thermometer?
Alcohol is not used in a clinical thermometer. It cannot measure the high temperatures because of its low boiling point.
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What is the difference between alcohol and mercury thermometer?
The main difference between alcohol and mercury thermometer is that the bulb of mercury thermometer is filled with mercury whereas the bulb of alcohol thermometer is filled with alcohol. The alcohol thermometers are less toxic, whereas the mercury thermometers are highly toxic.
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Why is mercury and not water used in thermometer?
Water cannot be used instead of mercury, because of the following reasons: Water cannot expand as much as mercury expands for a small rise in temperature. Water is not opaque and shining. Water sticks to the sides of the glass tube.
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Can we use water instead of mercury?
For example the density of water is 13.6 times smaller than that of mercury, that means we would require a 13.6 times taller column of water than that of mercury to measure same pressure difference. Thus obviously water will be very inconvenient to use.
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Why is mercury preferred to water as a thermometric liquid?
Mercury is having a high boiling point of 357°C, so it can be used to record temperatures as high as 357°C. The freezing point of mercury is -39°C, so it can record temperatures as low as -39°C. Mercury can be easily seen in the capillary tube because of its shining and opaque properties.
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What problem would happen if Colour water is used instead of mercury in a thermometer?
It is a property ofmercury that it will respond very easily with small increase in temperature. When you use water in the thermometer certainlyit will not react to our body temperature.
