A bulb thermometer gives an indoor temperature reading of 21 c. A digital thermometer in the same room gives a reading of 20.7 c. Which device is more precise? Explain.
2007-03-07 15:21:59 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The digital, because it is giving exact measurements, while the bulb thermometer is rounding to the nearest degree.
2007-03-07 15:24:53 · answer #1 · answered by Miss Interpreted 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The bulb thermometer is more accurate. This is because of the mercury or material inside the thermometer is directly affected by the temperature of the surrounding environment. Heat makes the metal expand thus pushing it up the channel inside the thermometer. The bulb thermometer works in a natural way, natural law that can not be changed. With a digital thermomiter there are many ways the thermometer could be faulty.
2007-03-07 15:28:16 · answer #2 · answered by jwplaster 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the bulb thermometer has a resolution of 1 °C.
the digital thermometer has a resolution of 0.1 °C
The digital thermometer has 10x the resolution of the bulb thermometer and is therefore more precise.
This question has nothing to do with calibration. Calibration is associated with accuracy. accuracy and precision are two different critters.
This also has nothing to do with digital vs bulb. if the digital thermometer reported to 1°C also, then the precision would be the same....
2007-03-07 16:03:31 · answer #3 · answered by Dr W 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the digital, because it gives the reading to the tenth or whatever
but the guy reading the bulb term can be misreading the temperature.
and also the digital thermometer could be wrong by mis calacuating it.
2007-03-07 15:26:37 · answer #4 · answered by mikedrazenhero 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Digital.
2007-03-07 16:15:33 · answer #5 · answered by welma 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Digital.
It has been electronically calibrated to higher standards of exactness than a mercury bulb thermometer.
Mercury based ones are more approximated.
2007-03-07 15:25:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋