Question

What type of thermometer is clinical thermometer?

• A. Always mercury based
• B. Always digital
• C. It can be either mercury based or digital
• D. Neither mercury based or digital

Answer 1

The correct option is C

It can be either mercury based or digital

A clinical thermometer is a small medical thermometer with a short but finely calibrated range, for taking a person's temperature. Mercury-based clinical thermometers have been considered the most accurate liquid-filled thermometer type. However, Mercury is a toxic heavy metal and is used in clinical thermometers if protected from breakage of the tube. A safer and similarly accurate option is to use digital clinical thermometers. Thus, both mercury and digital clinical thermometers are in use today.