The table shows properties of four types of thermometer. Type Range / °C Response time liquid-in-glass (mercury) -10 to 360 slow liquid-in-glass (alcohol) -...
Question 1 Report
The table shows properties of four types of thermometer.
| Type | Range / °C | Response time |
|---|---|---|
| liquid-in-glass (mercury) | -10 to 360 | slow |
| liquid-in-glass (alcohol) | -115 to 78 | slow |
| thermocouple | -200 to 1500 | fast |
| clinical | 35 to 42 | slow |
A scientist needs to measure rapidly changing temperatures inside a furnace at 1200 °C. Which thermometer should be used?
Answer Details
The scientist needs a thermometer that satisfies two requirements: it must be able to measure temperatures as high as 1200 °C, and it must have a fast response time to track rapidly changing temperatures.
Looking at the table, the thermocouple is the only thermometer that meets both criteria. It has a range of -200 to 1500 °C, which covers 1200 °C, and it has a fast response time.
The mercury liquid-in-glass thermometer only measures up to 360 °C, so it cannot reach 1200 °C and would also be too slow. The alcohol liquid-in-glass thermometer has an even lower maximum of 78 °C. The clinical thermometer only ranges from 35 to 42 °C, designed specifically for measuring body temperature. All three liquid-based thermometers also have slow response times, making them unsuitable for rapidly changing temperatures.
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