If any of these conditions hold, the reading of a liquid-in-glass thermometer may not correspond to the reading of an alternative thermometer, even if both thermometers are perfectly accurate. Electronic components in the thermometer can take very accurate and fast temperature readings. /Subtype /XML /F5 25 0 R Mercury is bad for your health, as well as for the water, wildlife, and waste systems on earth. These can all be used orally, rectally, or in the armpit. You should choose a thermometer that is easy to use and read. /Resources 10 0 R endobj Mercury thermometers cannot measure temperatures below this point. 83 $29.99 $29.99. /ColorSpace << endobj 255 33 0 R] /Type /Page /Nums [0 9 0 R] >> stream /Count 2 Overall, the less invasive the measurement, the less accurate it is. You can use Earth911's Recycling Locator Exit to find a mercury recycling center near you. endobj 11 0 obj /CreationDate (D:20051007144327-04'00') /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] To date, multiple ASTM standards have been updated to approve the use of mercury-free alternatives for temperature measurement. When choosing a thermometer, consider these options: Digital thermometers. A digital thermometer is useful for taking underarm temperature. Don’t use a mercury thermometer, which can be dangerous if it breaks. << Kizen Instant Read Meat Thermometer - Best Waterproof Ultra Fast Thermometer with Backlight & Calibration. These types of thermometers were found in nearly every house and hospital at one time before digital thermometers were available. Scores The Lowest Amongst Other Thermometers; In a test done with oral, axillary, tympanic, and forehead thermometers, it was shown that tympanic was the most accurate, while forehead thermometers did the worst. After shaking the mercury down, put the thermometer 1 inch into the rectum. /Producer (Acrobat Distiller 5.0.5 \(Windows\)) View a list of the updated ASTM standards. /Type /Metadata This procedure is discussed below. 9 0 obj Mercury medical thermometer, due to its characteristics, its performance is more accurate, and close-readings of the gas thermometer, which is used as a reference thermometer. /Title (Microsoft Word - ii-27.doc) These are similar to mercury thermometers in both price and use. In the past, mercury (MER-kure-e) thermometers were used. /Type /Action If you are choosing a battery-powered digital thermometer, choose one that contains a replaceable battery. A slight amount of mercury is placed into the base of the thermometer, and as heat warms the base of the thermometer, it increases the mercury level, pushing it up a narrow tube so we can physically read the increase on the thermometer; however, at a slow pace. An official website of the United States government. With changes in temperature, the mercury expands and contracts, and the temperature can be read from the scale. /Creator (PScript5.dll Version 5.2.2) 2 endobj Thermometer for Fever, Quick Reading Digital Waterproof Oral Thermometer with Fever Indicator and Memory Recall, Best Accurate Rectum Armpit Reading Thermometer for … A thermometer has two important elements: (1) a temperature sensor (e.g. /S /D Such thermometers use a metal probe to sense temperature. Although many thermometers now have a digital reading, quite a few people have glass thermometers in their homes, and some facilities use glass thermometers in certain circumstances. No, you should not use your old glass thermometer that contains mercury. Mercury thermometers are no longer sold in the United States. If you break a thermometer while using it or if you improperly dispose of it, the thermometer will release mercury vapors that are harmful to human and ecological health. %PDF-1.3 >> /S /JavaScript /XObject << If the thermometer breaks, the mercury may be breathed in or absorbed (soaked) into your skin. >> << endobj /TT3 27 0 R 6 0 obj Mercury thermometers are designed utilizing the idea that mercury expands with heat. What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks, In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a standard temperature scale is marked on the tube. /F1 21 0 R 5. >> /Im1 28 0 R AXILLARY TEMPERATURE 1. Learn more about how to tell if there is mercury in your fever thermometer. >> /TT2 26 0 R >> Mercury expands as the temperature increases, thus raising the reading, while decreasing temperatures contract the mercury, lowering the reading. 2. endobj As the temperature rises, the mercury is pushed up through the constriction by the force of expansion. /JS (this.print\({bUI:true,bSilent:false,bShrinkToFit:true}\);) If a glass thermometer breaks while checking an oral temperature, the mercury may be swallowed. Glass and mercury thermometers are just what they sound like. Details: Easy to use, this mercury thermometer is flat in shape and little extra in size. Some of these thermometers do not have replaceable batteries. Reading the glass thermometer (that is, determining the temperature shown) is done by holding the thermometer horizontally by the stem end (the end opposite the bulb) at eye level and rotating the thermometer until the mercury in the shaft can be clearly seen. Mercury thermometers can be used to determine body, liquid, and vapor temperature. In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a standard temperature scale is marked on the tube. The mercury thermometers were difficult to read … /GS1 31 0 R /Parent 2 0 R << Warnings. /ProcSet [/PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI] %���� We're not even going to list pros and cons as we do not recommend that anyone use a glass and mercury thermometer. Stay with your baby and hold the thermometer in place for 3 minutes. stream << /ExtGState << This method is fairly reliable as it was often used in hospitals, etc. If the liquid in the thermometer bulb is any color other than silver, it is not a mercury thermometer. Liquid thermometers can be limited by the type of liquid used. /F3 23 0 R Mercury Thermometer: Let's analyze this measurement: Upon inspection of the thermometer, we observe that the finest division is a 1 o C division. >> >> before the electronic … This is a substance which expands when heated and accurately measures the body temperature of who is using the thermometer. We recommend, first, that the alternative thermometer be carefully specified in construction. << >>  Mercury thermometers can be used to determine body, liquid, and vapor temperature. If the liquid in your thermometer bulb is silver, then the liquid might be: a non-toxic compound that looks similar to mercury.  Â. polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste disposal. endobj >> >> /Rotate 0 /ModDate (D:20051007144327-04'00') To measure underarm temperature: This thermometer is a thin glass tube with a silver tip and line inside. One special kind of mercury-in-glass thermometer, called a maximum thermometer, works by having a constriction in the neck close to the bulb. /Pages 2 0 R Kizen Digital Food Thermometer for Kitchen, Outdoor Cooking, BBQ, and Grill! Convenient to hold and easy to read, these thermometers are most accurate and suitable for sub-lingual (under … /Length 534 Alcohol-filled and galinstan glass thermometers are harder to find in grocery stores than digital thermometers. Older thermometers of this type used liquid mercury. Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. Such thermometers have mercury inside. With changes in temperature, the mercury expands and contracts, and the temperature can be read from the scale. Reading a glass thermometer is a helpful skill to learn. Microsoft Word - ii-27.doc 4 0 obj Mercury is a dangerous metal. Consider an alcohol and a mercury thermometer that read exactly 0 C at the ice point and 100 C at the steam point. /CropBox [0 0 612 792] The tip of the thermometer must be placed under the tongue. /F2 22 0 R >> If you have the option, … These liquid thermometers are based on the principal of thermal expansion. /Author (bookert) EPA has launched an effort to reduce the use of mercury-filled non-fever thermometers used in industrial settings where suitable alternatives exist. As part of a partnership EPA developed with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NIST no longer provides calibration services for mercury thermometers. Glass and mercury thermometer. << << 3 0 obj Some states and municipalities have passed laws or ordinances barring the manufacture, sale and/or distribution of mercury fever thermometers. /Length 1066 If a mercury thermometer breaks or leaks, it can release toxic vapors. /Contents 20 0 R /Cs9 [/Indexed [/ICCBased 32 0 R] It is more convenient compared to rectal measurements, though the latter is more accurate. /Font << Get it as soon as Tue, Jan 5. 1 0 obj Common household uses of mercury thermometers include fever thermometers and oven, candy and meat thermometers. endobj /OpenAction 5 0 R 2 0 obj This is to help remove the threat of thermometer breakage and the subsequent release of mercury vapor indoors. They are also safe, since they can withstand temperature extremes without breaking. 10 0 obj the bulb of a mercury-in-glass thermometer or the pyrometric sensor in an infrared thermometer) in which some change occurs with a change in temperature; and (2) some means of converting this change into a numerical value (e.g. >> Oral temperature measurement is a common way to take a body temperature. The basic concept of each different type of thermometer is the same, but the style differs. These thermometers use electronic heat sensors to record body temperature. If you have a mercury thermometer, don't throw it in the trash. /Kids [7 0 R 8 0 R] /Parent 2 0 R A variety of accurate and reliable mercury-free fever thermometers are available at your local pharmacy. The most similar alternatives to mercury fever thermometers are battery- and solar-powered digital thermometers. << /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] $19.83 $ 19. the visible scale that is marked on a mercury-in-glass thermometer or the digital readout on an infrared … There are four broad categories of thermometers … If there is no liquid in your thermometer, for example, if it uses a metallic strip or coil to measure temperature (like most meat thermometers do), it is not a mercury thermometer. Therefore, the mercury thermometer other thermometers accurately measure the temperature of the human body. /Type /Pages endstream << /Type /Page A medical mercury-in-glass maximum thermometer showing the temperature of 38.7 °C. You’ve seen it in cartoons or movies; Mickey Mouse with a thermometer sticking out of his mouth and an ice bag on his head. thermometer. ; We can always make an estimate of a reading to within the finest division. /PageLabels 4 0 R /Im2 29 0 R When a substance gets hotter, it expands to a greater volume. United States Environmental Protection Agency. /Resources 19 0 R << To obtain an accurate temperature reading, a glass thermometer must remain in the mouth for three minutes, while a digital thermometer remains in the mouth until it beeps or the temperature reading appears in the window, according to Drugs.com. 7 0 obj 4  Today, mercury thermometers aren't recommended because they can break and allow mercury to vaporize and be inhaled. /Cs6 [/ICCBased 32 0 R] At least 13 states -- California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Oregon, and Washington -- have passed such laws. The Health Care Without Harm website presents information on specific state laws, resolutions and declarations.Exit. There are two general types of mercury thermometers that measure body temperature: Alternatives to mercury fever thermometers, Cleanup and disposal after breaking a thermometer, Learn more about how to tell if there is mercury in your fever thermometer, NIST’s February 2011 press release announcing the change, final rule incorporating updated ASTM International (ASTM) standards into EPA regulations (PDF), View a list of the updated ASTM standards, Phasing Out of Mercury Thermometers Used in Industrial and Laboratory Settings page, specific state laws, resolutions and declarations, What to do when a mercury fever thermometer breaks/spills, How to recycle and dispose of mercury products, Oral/rectal/baby thermometers, containing about 0.61 grams of mercury, Basal temperature thermometers (used to track slight changes in body temperature), containing about 2.25 grams of mercury. 4. >> Broad categories of reasonably priced thermometers. Mercury thermometers are used in households, laboratory experiments, and industrial applications.Â. The battery is a button-cell battery and may contain a small amount of mercury, so it should be recycled with a hazardous waste collection program. A glass mercury thermometer was once a staple in most medicine cabinets. Understandably, forehead thermometers provide the easiest and fastest methods, but when … Shaking. Mercury thermometers may be used in many applications, including chemical experiments, water and acid baths, blood banks, ovens and incubators. Alcohols, such as ethanol, boil at about 78 degrees Celsius (172 degrees Fahrenheit). The outside is made of glass and the fluid inside is mercury, which reacts to temperatures and shows a reading. /Type /Catalog << /Contents [11 0 R 12 0 R 13 0 R 14 0 R 15 0 R 16 0 R 17 0 R 18 0 R] The idea is to insert the thermometer sensor or probe into the mouth, wait for a minute and get the exact temp reading. (You may need to wipe it clean with a tissue before reading it.) In response to our understanding of the health concerns associated with mercury exposure, these types of thermometers usually use some type of liquid alcohol. /Filter /FlateDecode Mercury-in-glass thermometers are less used in the 21st century as preference is shifted to other types of thermometers, such as digital, alcohol-filled and organic-based thermometers. H���Mo�@������x���|�F'J�~��U����6eq,���.�u���Tv�3�3osgỳA�q%I�)� ��Y^�Jm�R�e�,o>3�j�B^���q��`�`��Ӯ�W������$দ��������m�DD�B J(���#�m�����U��w�� ��,]_@���͙~�����z�f_m1̱8p_� ��$2p�f�m�pf�w��P�M[h y-�Nur��ܺ��EL���� �RƒII-�^UGe� �b���~S���������de�wmphi$�����[49T�[ ?�M�k��vG�&��ih�� ��-.��g���!���UƠQA]. Mercury fever thermometers are made of glass the size of a straw, with a silvery-white liquid inside. 5 0 obj Mercury, for instance, becomes a solid at -38.83 degrees Celsius (-37.89 degrees Fahrenheit). Collectible mercury thermometers on eBay come in many shapes, sizes, and transduction methods. Mercury thermometers Once a staple in most medicine cabinets, mercury thermometers use mercury encased in glass to measure body temperature. Getting the Thermometer Ready Pick a glass thermometer without mercury. endobj Mercury thermometers are no longer recommended because they can break and allow mercury — which is toxic — to escape. DP37 - Thermometer Clinical, Flat, Dual Scale, Extra Large Size. /Rotate 0 You can read more about the impact the decision will have in NIST’s February 2011 press release announcing the change. >> 8 0 obj They are marked with numbers and in the middle have a thin line that will be responsible for marking the temperature value. /F4 24 0 R If you have an old mercury thermometer that you decide to use, shake it to get the mercury down to below 96 degrees F. Then hold it in place for about five minutes to get an accurate reading. /Metadata 3 0 R /CropBox [0 0 612 792] 4.7 out of 5 stars 22,027. You may need to hold the thermometer in place for three or more minutes in order to get a correct reading. /Im3 30 0 R They are common in many households, schools and medical facilities. For more information about phasing out industrial mercury thermometers, visit EPA's Phasing Out of Mercury Thermometers Used in Industrial and Laboratory Settings page. Show More on How to Read a Glass Thermometer Remove the thermometer and read it. They pose a danger if they break and release the mercury, which is toxic. endobj Use a thermometer with a long bulb. Barring the manufacture, sale and/or distribution of mercury thermometers on eBay come in many households, laboratory,... ( you may need to wipe it clean with a tissue before reading.... Of the human body more accurate if you are choosing a thermometer has two important elements: ( 1 a. 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