Duhok Technical Institute

Petrochemical Department
COURSE: Thermodynamics
Class: Second, 2021 - 2022

Name of Experiment:
THERMOMETER

Submitted by: Hayder Hassan Hussain

Experiment No.: 1
Date of experiment: 18/1/2022

Date of submission: 25/1/2022

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EVALUATION

Activity During Experiment & Procedure

Data & Results

Discussion, Conclusion & Answer to the Questions

Neat and tidy report writing

Overall, Mark

Name of evaluator: Mr. Majid Ali

 Duhok Technical Institute
Petrochemical Department
COURSE: Thermodynamics
Class: Second, 2021 - 2022

Name of Experiment:
THERMOMETER

Submitted by: Mohammed Ibraheem Hussain

Experiment No.: 1
Date of experiment: 18/1/2022

Date of submission: 25/1/2022

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EVALUATION

Activity During Experiment & Procedure

Data & Results

Discussion, Conclusion & Answer to the Questions

Neat and tidy report writing

Overall, Mark

Name of evaluator: Mr. Majid Al

Contents Page

Objective …..…………………………………………………..……………1

Introduction. …………………………………………………..…….………1

Theory…….……………………………………………………………… 2-3

Equipment ..…………………………………………………….….………..4

Procedure …...…………………….……………………………….………..5

Discussion …...……………………………...…………………….….……..6

Conclusion …....…………………………………………………….………7

References …...……………………………………………….……….……8
Objective:

This experiment will teach you the fundamentals of temperature measurement

devices (Thermometers).

Introduction:

Thermometers, usually made of glass, contain a narrow capillary tube and a

liquid whose density changes predictably with temperature. The density of the
material determines the volume it will occupy. When the liquid is heated its density
decreases and it occupies more space. In the sealed thermometer this means that the
liquid rises up the capillary tube. If the capillary is graduated, then the extent that it
travels up the tube can be used to determine temperature.

The liquids found in most thermometers are mercury, alcohol or a hydrocarbon.

Special care must be taken when a mercury thermometer is broken as mercury vapor
is toxic.

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Theory:

Properties of Mercury Thermometer

• It is clearly visible with light silvery color.

• The temperature range that it can measure falls between -37 degree Celsius
(low freezing point) and 356 degrees Celsius (high boiling point).

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mercury Thermometers

Advantages

• It is a good conductor of heat and hence, can measure even high temperatures.
• It gives results quickly – has a fast response time.
• It expands linearly and less than alcohol and any other liquid.
• It is more durable than alcohol thermometer because mercury does not
evaporate easily.
• It is smaller in size as compared to alcohol one.
• Mercury does not wet the wall of the thermometer, which means that results
can be highly accurate.

Disadvantages

• It is highly toxic for living beings and the environment if the bulb breaks and
mercury leaks out.
• Mercury is difficult to clean, and it can contaminate the surface on which it
leaked.
• It cannot measure cold temperatures.
• It has low thermal co-efficient.

Properties of Alcohol Thermometer

• Since alcohol is colorless, it is dyed, which gives it a bright color.

• It generally ethanol, toluene, kerosene or other liquid, depending on the
manufacturers and range of temperature required.
• The temperature range it can measure falls between -112 degree Celsius (low
freezing temperature) and 78 degrees Celsius (high boiling point).

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Alcohol Thermometer Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages

• It is suitable to measure low temperatures because of its freezing point is low.

• It is less toxic than mercury thermometer and hence high on safety factor for
human and environment.
• It has a greater value of temperature coefficient of expansion than a mercury
thermometer.
• It is less expensive than a mercury thermometer.

Disadvantages

• It is less durable because alcohol evaporates faster than mercury.

• It cannot measure high temperature because of a low boiling point.
• It wets the walls of the thermometer, which can adversely impact the accuracy
of readings.

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Equipment:

1- Thermometer

a- Mercury thermometer

b- Alchol thermometer

2- Beaker

3- Heater

4- Water

5- Rubber plug

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Procedure:

Set up the experiment and follow the directions given below:

A- Calibration at the Melting Point of Ice
1. Fill the beaker with approximately 75% ice and 25% distilled water.
2. Allow 3-5 minutes for the system to equilibrate.
3. Place the thermometer in the ice water solution and allow another 3-5
minutes for the system to equilibrate.
4. Record the temperature on the results page.

B- Calibration at the Boiling Point of Water

1. Fill the beaker about half full with distilled Water.
2. Turn on the heater and allow the Water to come to its Boiling Point.
3. Allow the temperature shown by the thermometer to stabilize, after that
record the temperature to the correct precision.

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Discussion:
1- The Tap Water used in preparing the Ice used in our Ice Point
Calibration will contain dissolved salts. What does adding salt to Ice
typically do to the Freezing Point?
Lowers the freezing temperature of the water means the ice on the ground
can't freeze that layer of water at 0°C anymore.

2- The Tap Water used in preparing the Water used in our Boiling Point
Calibration will contain dissolved salts. What does adding salt to Water
typically do to the Boiling Point?

Adding salt to water is going to do two things to water’s physical properties:

it will raise the boiling point and it will lower the specific heat. These two
changes actually work against each other. Raising the boiling point will make
the water boil slower.

3- What is happening to Boiling point, if we do this experiment at a highest

point in Korek Mountain? Is the Freezing point will have changed?

At higher altitudes such as Mount korek, any cooking that involves boiling or
steaming generally requires compensation for lower temperatures because the
boiling point of water is lower at higher altitudes due to the decreased
atmospheric pressure.

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Conclusion:

Conclusion It was found that mercury was the most accurate of all other

thermometers because it had the closest results compared to alcohol. Therefore, the

hypothesis was proven wrong. Use tap water instead of distilled water, as tap water

usually contains impurities, which in turn affect the reading. The second error is

assuming that the boiling point of water is (100 degrees Celsius), which we found

(101.5 degrees Celsius) in the first thermometer, and in the second it appears

(102 degrees Celsius) and the reason is due to rising above sea level, as the city of

Dohuk has a height of (430 to 450) meters above sea level, and therefore the higher

we rise above sea level, the lower the pressure and thus the lower the boiling point,

and the difference between the error rate is one and a half degrees in the first scale

and two degrees in the second scale, but the alcohol scale has a more accurate

reading at lower temperatures (Below zero).

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References:
https://scienceequip.com.au/blogs/news/mercury-thermometer-vs-
alcohol-thermometer
https://www.epa.gov/mercury/mercury-thermometers
https://slideplayer.com/slide/3537409/

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