Question

State similarities and differences between a laboratory thermometer and a clinical thermometer. [4 marks]

Answer 1

Similarities between the laboratory thermometer and the clinical thermometer:

(i) Both are made up of a uniform glass tube which contains mercury.
(ii) Both have a bulb at one end.

(1 mark)


Differences between the laboratory thermometer and the clinical thermometer:

(i) Range of laboratory thermometer is from $-{10}^{\circ }C$ to ${110}^{\circ }C$ while range of clinical thermometer is from ${35}^{\circ }C$ to ${42}^{\circ }C$.
(ii) A laboratory thermometer is used to take temperature readings in the laboratory while a clinical thermometer is used to measure the temperature of human body.
(iii) A laboratory thermometer doesn't have a kink, unlike a clinical thermometer.

(3 marks)