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Nikita Parmar

Updated on 03rd August, 2023 , 6 min read

Uses of Thermometer: Definition, History, Crucial Parts, Measures, Purpose, Applications, and Types

Uses of Thermometer Overview

A ubiquitous tool for measuring temperature is the thermometer. It is common knowledge that heat is measured in terms of temperature. Using units like Celsius (C), Kelvin (K), and Fahrenheit (F), the temperature may be measured. Thermometers are categorized into many varieties according to how they are used, ranging from digital laboratory thermometers to clinical thermometers. Thermometers are widely used in laboratories for scientific study, by doctors to check patients' body temperatures, for cooking, and even in the car industry.

What is a Thermometer?

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Devices that measure temperature or a temperature gradient are known as thermometers (the degree of hotness or coldness of an object). Two crucial components make up a thermometer, which are as follows-

  1. A temperature sensor that changes in response to changes in temperature, such as the bulb of a mercury-in-glass thermometer or the pyrometric sensor in an infrared thermometer.
  2. A way to translate this change into a numerical value (e.g., the visible scale that is marked on a mercury-in-glass thermometer or the digital readout on an infrared model). 

Uses of Thermometer: Crucial Parts

There are two crucial parts of a thermometer-

Graduated Scale

It consists of numbers with degrees Celsius, Fahrenheit, or Kelvin as the unit of measurement. For instance,an electrical we may see the digital display on an infrared model or the scale that is indicated on a mercury-in-glass thermometer.

Temperature Sensors

It keeps track of temperature fluctuations. For instance, the mercury-in-glass thermometer's bulb or the infrared thermometer's pyrometric sensor

History of Uses of Thermometers

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It is challenging to pinpoint exactly when the thermometer was created because some of its basic concepts were known to Greek philosophers as early as 2000 years ago. The thermometer was created in the early 18th century, although Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, a German-Polish scientist, and physicist, is generally recognized as its creator. His first creation was a thermometer made of glass and mercury. Together with this discovery, Fahrenheit created the Fahrenheit scale, the first widely used standard temperature scale. It is a non-registering thermometer as a result. After the first use, digital thermometers and other types of registering thermometers record and store the temperature measurement.

What exactly does a Thermometer measure?

Although the thermometer's displays show a range of temperatures, thermometers really measure temperature changes. The thermometer displays a temperature measurement as a result of how a sensitive component, such as mercury or a heat-sensitive coil, reacts to temperature changes.

Read more about the SI Unit of Temperature.

What purpose does a Thermometer serve?

There are several purpose for thermometers, which are as follows-

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  1. A thermometer may also be used to measure various solids, liquids, and gases in addition to the temperature of meals during baking and cooking.
  2. Air, water, and even body temperature are all included in these metrics.
  3. It's vital to keep in mind that thermometers can measure the temperature of almost any solid, liquid, or gas available, as long as you use the right sort of thermometer for the target item.

Applications for Thermometers

The following are some of the applications for thermometers-

Uses of Thermometers in Automobiles

As infrared thermometers are made to measure temperatures at a distance, they can be useful when you are working on your car and are having trouble getting to the wiring, hoses, and other equipment. It can be useful if used as a diagnostic tool for repairing flaws since it monitors the temperatures of many car parts, including the tires, the undercarriage, the engine, the gearbox, the brakes, and the clutch, among others.

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Uses of Thermometers for Domestic Purposes

When taking a bath, thermometers are used to measure the temperature of the water. Moreover, it is used to test the readiness of food for cooking. A thermometer may also be used to check the temperature of grill stands, ovens, and other heating sources to prevent burns and mishaps.

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Uses of Thermometers in Industries

Checking for air leaks and inadequately insulated spaces is crucial for several businesses to meet safety requirements. For instance, the temperature of the inner and outer surfaces of the walls may be compared to determine whether insulation is required; if there is a significant difference, insulation is required for the walls.

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Uses of Thermometers in Laboratories

In laboratories, thermometers are often employed for scientific study. It is employed to indicate the solution's temperature andto conduct experiments; it is also used to monitor ambient or room temperature.

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Uses of Thermometers in Restaurants

In order to attain excellence and client happiness, large restaurants employ thermometers to monitor the temperature of the oil and dishes. You may determine the outcome of the entire batch by simply testing the sample with an infrared thermometer. It must be cooked to 165 degrees for 15 seconds before eating, whether it is a fresh batch or leftovers. Thermometers guarantee that semi-solid plates have attained the ideal temperature needed to eradicate any microorganisms.

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Uses of Various Types of Thermometers

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The main use of a thermometer is to measure the temperature of a body, an item, the environment, or the atmosphere. The following are the most common thermometer types-

Type of Thermometer

Uses

 

Alcohol in Glass thermometers

  1. The temperature is displayed on a graduated scale by the point at which mercury or alcohol reaches it, and it is made of sealed glass.
  2. These liquids expand and contract in response to changes in temperature.
  3. Due to the possibility of coming into contact with mercury, these thermometers now include colored alcohol.

 

Clinical and Medical Thermometer

  1. A medical thermometer is used to assess body temperature.
  2. The glass tube of a clinical thermometer is filled with mercury, which expands as the temperature rises.
  3. The mercury's stopping point is shown on a graded Celsius or Fahrenheit scale.
  4. As doctors use these thermometers in clinics, they are often known as "doctors' thermometers.".
  5. Alcohol is used to clean medical thermometers before and after each use.

 

Digital thermometers

  1. They measure temperature using anelectrical circuit and transmit the information they have gathered to a microprocessor, which analyzes it and presents the results numerically on a digital screen.
  2. High-precision thermometers called digital thermometers are used to gauge a person's body temperature.

 

Infrared Ear thermometers

  1. With infrared thermometers, body heat is measured as infrared energy released by a heat source.
  2. The temperature in the ear is measured by the tympanic membrane, often known as the eardrum.

 

Laboratory thermometers

  1. They are used to measure the room temperature of heated solids and liquids for experimental purposes.
  2. It can also detect temperatures between 5 and 110 degrees Celsius.

 

Mercury thermometers

  1. It has a linear expansion characteristic and a temperature range of -35°C to +500 °C (with compressed nitrogen).
  2. The reading of this type of thermometer is usually more difficult, especially for the elderly or visually impaired, and it takes longer than the others to determine the temperature.

Plastic Strip Thermometer

To measure a child's body temperature, plastic strip thermometers is used.

Platinum Resistance Thermometers

  1. They use a platinum wire attached to an electrical resistance that varies with temperature to obtain temperature measurements. 
  2. This is used to assess outside temperatures and is quite accurate.

Thermocouple Thermometers

  1. These thermometers are frequently employed in laboratories to take quick temperature readings.
  2. They use electrical resistance to monitor the temperature.

Read more about the Uses of Thermometer.

Points of Remember

  1. A thermometer is a tool for measuring temperature.
  2. A tiny glass tube with a thin liquid column that rises and falls in response to temperature variations makes up the thermometer.
  3. In laboratories, thermometers are routinely used to track scientific procedures.
  4. With the aid of a medical or clinical thermometer, body temperature is measured.
  5. A laboratory thermometer is used to determine the room temperature of heated solids and liquids.
  6. Readings may be taken with infrared thermometers at a distance.
  7. For baking and cooking, restaurants use thermometers to keep an eye on the temperature of the food.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can we gauge the temperature of things other than the human body?

Ans. A laboratory thermometer may measure the temperature of other items because a clinical thermometer cannot provide readings over 42 °C.

What does the kink in a mercury clinical thermometer serve to do?

Ans. The mercury in a clinical thermometer with a kink is used to stop it from flowing back to the bulb before the temperature is taken.

List the reasons why mercury is a useful thermometer material.

Ans. The liquid form of mercury is present at room temperature, and it normally has the largest expansion coefficient. Consequently, even a small variation in temperature is considered important. The boiling point of mercury also qualifies it for use in higher temperature measurements. The fact that mercury has a bright appearance and does not adhere to the surface of the glass is another reason why it is employed in thermometers.

Provide an explanation of the clinical thermometer’s limitations.

Ans. The clinical thermometer is unable to measure temperatures beyond 42 °C. It may crack if left in the sun or next to a flame.

Why are digital thermometers mostly replacing clinical thermometers today?

Ans. Mercury is an extremely dangerous element, which is one of the major reasons why digital thermometers are replacing clinical thermometers. As a result, digital thermometers have taken the place of these analog ones.

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