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Describe with aid of diagrams 5 types of thermometers

Describe with aid of diagrams 5 types of thermometers

Answers

1. Liquid-in-glass thermometer – this applies to the expansion of a liquid in a thin-walled glass-tube. The liquid moves up the tube when the bulb is heated. The liquid must be a good conductor, visible and be able to contract and expand quickly and uniformly over a wide range of temperatures. It should also not stick on the sides of the tube. Liquids commonly used are mercury and coloured alcohol. The scale is obtained by choosing two temperature points called fixed points. In Celsius lower point is taken to be 0^oC (when placed in ice) and the upper point as 100^oC (boiling steam). The two points are therefore divided into 100 equal parts (calibration). The melting and boiling points of both mercury and alcohol are (-39 ^oC – 357 ^oC) and (-112 ^oC - 78 ^oC) respectively.
2. Clinical thermometer– this is a special type of mercury-in-glass thermometer used to measure body temperature. Since body temperature is normally 37 ^oC the scale is only a few degrees below and above 37^oC. It has a constriction which prevents mercury from going back after expansion for convenient reading of temperature. This thermometer has a narrow bore for greater sensitivity and accuracy.

3. Six’s maximum and minimum thermometer– it is used to measure temperature of surroundings of an area or a place. It can record both maximum and minimum temperatures attained. Consists of a large bulb (A) containing oil of creosote connected to U-shaped stem which connects to a second bulb (B) containing the same liquid. The base (C) contains a thin thread of mercury. The range of this thermometer is between -20 ^oC and 50 ^oC. After each reading the indices are pulled down to the level of mercury by use of a magnet.

4. Bimetallic thermometer– it is made up of a bimetallic strip with one end fixed and the other connected to a pointer. Metals used are usually brass and invar. As temperatures increase the strip unwinds and moves the pointer over a calibrated scale. It is used to measure high temperatures.

5. Thermocouple thermometer– thermocouple is a junction made of copper and iron looped at both ends. In practice a sensitive millivoltmeter is used instead of a galvanometer. A cold junction is maintained in melting ice (0^oC) while the other junction is heated steadily. This thermometer does not apply the principle of expansion.

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raphael answered the question on October 11, 2018 at 04:41

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