Question

Which would be suitable for measuring temperature at the Arctic- an alcohol thermometer or a mercury thermometer? Give an explanation and justify it.

Answer 1

Alcohol thermometer and mercury thermometer are two types of thermometers which are composed of a bulb and a marked glass tube. 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.

Complete answer:
For measuring very low temperatures, alcohol is used because it solidifies at a much lower temperature, i.e. ${114^ \circ }C$. The temperature in the Arctic and Antarctic may fall below$- {80^ \circ }C$, so in these regions, an alcohol thermometer would be used in place of a mercury thermometer. Mercury has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than alcohol. This means a column of mercury will expand and raise more than a column of alcohol for the same temperature change. As a result, you can get finer readings with mercury. However, clinical mercury thermometers are on the decline. Alcohol is preferred in high temperature thermometers because: For measuring very low temperature alcohol thermometers are suitable due to alcohol freezes at $- {117^o}C$. It is less toxic than mercury thermometer and hence high on safety factors for humans and environment. It has a greater value of temperature coefficient of expansion than a mercury thermometer.

Note:
We must have to know that in the Arctic and Antarctic the temperature may fall below$- {80^ \circ }C$, so in these regions, an alcohol thermometer is used. Alcohol thermometer is used in cold climates. Advantage of using an alcohol thermometer over mercury is that alcohol is suitable to measure low temperatures because its freezing point is low.