Short Answer Type Questions
Q1. Explain why a laboratory thermometer cannot be used to measure the human body
temperature.
Answer: Because a laboratory thermometer has a wide range (–10 °C to 110 °C) and does not have
a kink, so mercury falls back quickly. It is not designed to measure small changes around 37 °C.
Q2. Why a mercury-based clinical thermometer cannot be used to measure the temperature of hot
milk?
Answer: Because a clinical thermometer’s range is only 35 °C to 42 °C, while hot milk’s temperature
is much higher. The thermometer may break due to expansion of mercury.
Q3. A person says that he has a fever of 102.4 degrees. Name the temperature scale on which this
fever has been measured.
Answer: The fever has been measured on the Fahrenheit (°F) scale.
Q4. A patient tells a doctor that he had 38.2 degrees fever in the morning. Name the temperature
scale on which he measured the fever.
Answer: The fever is measured on the Celsius (°C) scale.
Q5. What is the usual temperature range of:
(a) alcohol-based laboratory thermometer?
(b) mercury-based clinical thermometer?
Answer:
(a) Alcohol-based laboratory thermometer: –10 °C to 110 °C (approx.)
(b) Mercury-based clinical thermometer: 35 °C to 42 °C
Q6. A laboratory thermometer has 50 small divisions between 0 °C and 100 °C marks. What
temperature will each small division of this thermometer measure accurately?
Answer:
Range = 100 – 0 = 100 °C
Number of divisions = 50
Value of 1 division = 100 ÷ 50 = 2 °C
Q7. Define temperature. Name the device which can be used to measure the temperature of:
(a) body of a person
(b) hot water
Answer:
Temperature: It is the degree of hotness or coldness of a body.
(a) Body of a person → Clinical thermometer / Digital thermometer
(b) Hot water → Laboratory thermometer
Q8.
(a) Name one thermometer which measures body temperature of a person using sensor and can be
placed in the mouth under the tongue.
Answer: Digital thermometer
(b) Name another thermometer which can measure body temperature of a person when held a
small distance away from his forehead.
Answer: Infrared (IR) thermometer
Q9.
(a) What is the common unit of measuring temperature?
Answer: Degree Celsius (°C)
(b) What is the SI unit of temperature?
Answer: Kelvin (K)
Q10. What is a clinical thermometer? What is the smallest temperature which can be measured by
a mercury-based clinical thermometer?
Answer:
Clinical thermometer: It is a thermometer used to measure human body temperature. It is a mercury
thermometer with a range from 35 °C to 42 °C.
The smallest temperature measurable = 35 °C
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Name the three temperature scales. Also name the scientists who developed these scales.
Which of these temperature scales is used mainly for research work? Which of these scales is used
for a laboratory thermometer?
Answer:
Celsius scale (°C) – developed by Anders Celsius
Fahrenheit scale (°F) – developed by Gabriel Fahrenheit
Kelvin scale (K) – developed by Lord Kelvin
Mainly used for research work → Kelvin scale
Used for laboratory thermometer → Celsius scale
Q2. What is the relation between Kelvin scale and Celsius scale temperatures? If the temperature
of an object is 150 °C on the Celsius scale, what will it be on the Kelvin scale?
Answer:
Relation: K = °C + 273
If temperature = 150 °C
→ K = 150 + 273 = 423 K
Q3. Why are mercury-based clinical thermometers gradually being replaced by digital clinical
thermometers? How does a digital clinical thermometer measure body temperature? What are the
advantages of using a digital clinical thermometer?
Answer:
Mercury is toxic and dangerous if the thermometer breaks.
Digital clinical thermometer uses electronic sensors to measure body temperature and shows
reading directly on a digital display.
Advantages:
1. Safe (no mercury risk)
2. More accurate and quick reading
3. Easy to read
Q4. Write the names of all types of thermometers which you have studied. Describe the principle of
working of each type of thermometer.
Answer:
Types of thermometers studied:
1. Clinical thermometer – works on expansion of mercury with heat (used for human body).
2. Laboratory thermometer – works on expansion of mercury/alcohol with temperature (used in
labs).
3. Digital thermometer – works on electronic sensors to detect temperature.
4. Infrared thermometer – works on detecting infrared radiation emitted by the body/object.
Q5. How is body temperature measured by using a digital clinical thermometer? State two
precautions which should be observed while using a digital clinical thermometer.
Answer:
Digital thermometer is placed in the mouth / under armpit / ear / on forehead (depending on type).
The sensor detects temperature electronically and displays it on screen.
Precautions:
1. Ensure thermometer is clean and disinfected before use.
2. Do not bite, bend, or keep near hot objects/liquids.
3. Wait until the beep sound indicates measurement is complete.