Why do we use mercury in thermometers ? Can water be used instead of mercury ? What are the problems with using water ?
Answers
We use mercury in thermometers because most metals are good conductor of heat and mercury is the only metal in liquid state. ... No,we cannot use water instead of mercury because water do not expand as per temperature given to it and can give us wrong reading.
Answer:
Why do we use mercury in thermometers ?
In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a standard 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. Mercury thermometers can be used to determine body, liquid, and vapor temperature.
Can water be used instead of mercury ?
Water cannot be used in thermometer because of its higher freezing point and lower boiling point than other liquids . This range is very small as compared to other liquids as mercury , having freezing point about −39oC and boiling point 356oC .
What are the problems with using water ?
When waters run dry, people can't get enough to drink, wash, or feed crops, and economic decline may occur. In addition, inadequate sanitation—a problem for 2.4 billion people—can lead to deadly diarrheal diseases, including cholera and typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses