vmelkon
National Hazard
Posts: 669
Registered: 25-11-2011
Location: Canada
Member Is Offline
Mood: autoerotic asphyxiation
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Mercury thermometers and low temperature
From the mercury thermometers that I have seen, they all tend to go to a minimum of -10 °C. Is there is reason they don't go below that? They could
easily print more of the numbers all the way down to -25 °C.
Also, is it a bad idea to freeze the mercury in the thermometer?
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confused
Hazard to Others
Posts: 244
Registered: 17-3-2013
Location: Singapore
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Mood: tired
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its not a good idea to freeze the mercury
from wikipedia:
"Mercury cannot be used below the temperature at which it becomes solid, -38.83 °C (-37.89 °F). If the thermometer contains nitrogen, the gas may
flow down into the column when the mercury solidifies and be trapped there when the temperature rises, making the thermometer unusable until returned
to the factory for reconditioning"
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