Why we prefer mercury to be used in thermometer give five reasons?

Why we prefer mercury to be used in thermometer give five reasons?

Mercury is best suited as a thermometric liquid:

  • It expands uniformly when heated.
  • It has low specific heat capacity.
  • I has a high boiling point (357 °C) and a low freezing point (-39 °C).
  • It is a good conductor of heat.
  • It does not stick to the walls of the glass tube.
  • It is opaque and shiny and hence clearly visible.

Why mercury is used in thermometer Quora?

Mercury is the only metal which is in liquid state even at the ordinary room temperature. Also, it uniformly expands when heated and does not stick to the walls of thermometer. Its high boiling point and low freezing point is the main reason for using it in ordinary thermometers.

Why mercury is used in the thermometers even though it is toxic?

The small silvery ball in a mercury thermometer can be dangerous if the glass breaks and the mercury is not cleaned up properly. The mercury will evaporate and can contaminate the surrounding air and become toxic to humans and wildlife. There are several alternatives to mercury thermometers: digital thermometers.

What is the symbol of mercury?

Hg
Mercury/Symbol

What is the principle of working of a mercury thermometer?

Mercury thermometers are based on the principle that liquids expand when heated and contract when cooled. So, when the temperature increases, the mercury expands and rises up the tube and when the temperature decreases it contracts and does the opposite.

Is mercury used in all thermometers?

The oldest thermometers used are mercury in glass. Newer thermometers include non-mercury liquids in glass and digital and electronic devices that use sensors to measure temperature. Thermometers that check body temperature in the ear, across the forehead, or have a digital display do not contain mercury.

Why is mercury used in a thermometer scale?

In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a usual temperature scale is marked on the tube. With changes in temperature, the mercury expands and contracts and the temperature can be read from the scale. It also has a high boiling point which makes it very suitable to measure higher temperatures.

Is it safe to use mercury in a thermometer?

Mercury boils at 357°C, so, it can, therefore, be used to measure higher temperatures. However, it freezes at – 39 Celsius, so Mercury cannot be used below this temperature. Mercury thermometers are reasonably priced, durable and perfect.

Why are mercury thermometers being phased out in the US?

1 Mercury thermometers are being phased out in the US. 2 Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit used alcohol in thermometers in the 1700s. 3 Mercury has a lower coefficient of expansion, compared with alcohol.

Why is mercury used as a heat conductor?

Mercury is not easily vaporized even at low temperatures. It is a metal, so it’s a good conductor of heat. This means that it reacts quickly to changes in temperature. The increase of mercury is steady or linear to the changes of the heat, except for actual high temperature.