disadvantage is that mercury is very toxic. so if the thermometer breaks it is very dangerous. one of the reasons it is still used is because it can measure very high temperature.
Mercury will solidify (freeze) at -38.83 °C (-37.89 °F) and so may only be used at higher temperatures
2006-11-08 07:22:57
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answer #1
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answered by fatz 2
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The three good reasons for using mercury in a thermometer are:
1 It is a liquid that expands evenly as it gets warmer.
2. It is liquid over a good range of temperature -39 to 357 C. So it will measure higher tempertures than an alcohol thermometer.
3 It is opaque and shiny so makes it easy to read the themometer.
The main disadvantage with mercury is that it is toxic and if the thermometer is broken the mercury spilled gives off a toxic vapour.
2006-11-10 08:55:49
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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I'd still use it as long as I'm confident that I could keep it from getting broken. If it's stored so that only adults could get at them, and you're careful when you're handling it, it's hard to argue against continuing to use it. The old mercury thermometers are accurate, and perfectly safe as long as they don't get broken. On the other hand, once they are broken, loose mercury is nasty stuff. If you have small kids visiting, though, it may be best to ditch the thermometers. There's a risk they'll do something to break the thermometer. Unfortunately, free liquid mercury is unthreatening, pretty to look at, fascinating to play with, and seriously poisonous over time, and kids if unsupervised will likely do things like play with it or worse eat it thus drastically increasing their exposure.
2016-05-21 22:27:04
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Advantages
1. Mercury remains a liquid at the temperatures that would measured using a standard thermometer
2. It is highly reflective in its appearance making it easy to read the temperature
3. Can be used to measure extremes of temperature due to it's high boiling point approx 356.7 degrees celcius
Disadvantage
Mercury is being steadily phased out of its use in thermometers because of it's toxicity. It's extremely poisonous.
Hope this helps.
2006-11-08 07:33:13
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answer #4
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answered by Justin G 2
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It is only good compared to water but the freezing and boiling temperatures are lower/higher. It is found as a liquid and not many substances are other than water which freezes at zero. I am not sure the third but the disadvantage is it is poisonous
2006-11-08 07:19:16
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answer #5
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answered by Waylon R 2
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this to answer what you asked:-
Because it only comes in liquid form at room temperature.
Because if it was a solid it would breal the glass when it expands.
Because if it was a solid you couldn't get it inside the glass in the first place.
This to answer what you maybe meant:-
It is liquid at room temperature
It has a high rate of expansion when heat is applied
It is easily visible through a glass
Disadvantage
Poisonous. Goes through the bloodstream, stays in the brain and can kill you.
2006-11-08 07:27:33
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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1, It lets us build small thermometers because it expands little thermally compared to water.
2, it's electrically conductive, so we can make thermostats with it.
3, it's opaque, so we can see the display.
disadvantage: if it breaks, you get dementia. Hahahahaha!
2006-11-08 07:18:35
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answer #7
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answered by sciguy 5
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1 it is opaque, so can be easily read.
2 it expand rapidly and conduct heat
3 it can measure a very high temperature
Disadvantage is that it cannot be use to measure a low temperature, so not usefull in a cold region.
2006-11-08 09:25:47
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answer #8
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answered by Tosin A 2
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1 its quite accurate in the human body temperature range
2 its readily available
3 its affordable
disadvantage? its poisonous!
2006-11-08 07:19:19
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answer #9
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answered by mike c 5
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dont know advanteges but disad
is
its a poision & will send you loopy after exposure for too long
2006-11-08 07:23:22
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answer #10
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answered by party69_27 3
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