If you know about thermometers...?

Question

I know that when mercury is heated up, it expands, and thats why the stuff in the thermometer goes up when it is hot. I also know that mercury is in the non-electric thermometers that you put in your mouth. But, my question is, is mercury in the thermometers that you put outside to measure the temperature of the air? Also, does the thermometers for outside measure the temperature of the air, atmosphere, sun, or what?

Please help me!

xoxox- luvpinkforever

Answer 1

Any thermometer will measure the temperature of the media that's touching it.  If its in water it will measure the water, if its in air will measure the air, if you stick it in ice it will read 32 degrees ( 0* C ) since that's the temperature of ice.

I doubt you have anything to worry about as far as mercury.  Non of the thermometers you use should have mercury, they just haven't been sold in the US for 20 years or so.  Thermometers with mercury will have a silver column instead of a red one.

Answer 2

A thermometer is a tool to measure the amount of heat. The more heat, the more the mercury expands and rises in the thermometer.

Answer 3

Mercury is being phased out because of toxicity. You can probably trade in your old oral thermometer for a new one, free, at your Health Department.

Some thermometers, the round ones, use a bimetallic strip instead. Outdoors, it measures what ever heat strikes it; put it in direct sun  it will read higher, in the shade it reacts to air temperature.

All metals expand when  heated, by the way, but at different rates.