Form 4 – IGCSE Physics

Thermometers
(5.02, 5.03 - Temperature (1 & 2))
Cambridge IGCSE Physics Syllabus 625: 2.2 (b)

St. Paul’s
Form 4 IGCSE Physics
Mr. Andre Borges
2010 / 2011
 Learning objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able
to…
• … understand how a physical property that varies with temperature
may be used for measurement of temperatures, name examples of
such properties. Also demonstrate understanding of sensitivity,
range and linearity.
• … recognise thermometers as tools based on such properties.

• … recognise the need and identify fixed points.

• … describe the structure and action of liquid-in-glass thermometers

• … describe the structure of a thermocouple and understand how to

use it
 Physical properties may vary
with temperature
• Some materials have properties that
changes with temperature:
 Liquids can expand if the temperature
increases, or contract if it decreases;
 Metals and alloys also expand and
contract if the temperature changes;
 Some substances change their colours
when the temperature increases
 Some substances change their electrical
conductivity when its temperature rises
 Thermometers
o Devices that measure temperature or temperature gradient (variation)
using substances’ physical properties that vary with temperature .
o A glass thermometer (clinical thermometer) contains a liquid (either
mercury or coloured alcohol) whose volume increases when the
temperature increases.
 Thermometers
• Bulb thermometers

• Bi-metal thermometers

• Thermocouple
 Fixed points
• Before it can be used, a thermometer must be
calibrated (ºC marks need to be put on it).
• To do that, we need to mark the fixed points.
 Lower fixed point or “Ice point”: temperature of pure melting ice
 Upper fixed point or “Steam point”: temperature of steam above pure
boiling water at standard pressure (Remember!! 100 kPa)

• Then, we calculate the scale:

Y=24cm

X=6cm
Properties of Thermometers
• Range : How many °C the thermometer can
measure from the biggest to the smallest.
– oil thermometer -10ºC 400°C large range
– clinical thermometer 35°C 42°C small range

• Sensitivity: The change in length per change in

temperature. To nearest
– Liquid in glass thermometer measures to ± 0.5°C
– Clinical thermometer measures ± 0.1°C More sensitive
 It has a thinner tube (bore)
 Properties of Thermometers
• Linearity: The change in temperature
produces the same change in length.
y

Length
(mm)
c e.g. In a thermometer, a
2°C rise in temperature,
causes a 5 mm increase
in length.
x
Temperature
(°C)
 Kelvin Scale
• When a material is cooled, its particles lose kinetic energy and
move more slowly.
• Until a point is reached where it has no more energy left to
loose. At this point it is not possible to lower the temperature
any further. This point is -273°C and is called Absolute Zero.
• In scientific work this temperature is used as the basis for a
temperature scale called Kelvin Scale.
• In the Kelvin Scale, the fixed points are 273 K (melting ice) and
373 K (boiling water).
• To convert from Celsius (ºC) scale to Kelvin scale:
Kelvin temperature = Celsius temperature + 273°C

or

T(K) = T(ºC) + 273°C

 Thermocouple
• A thermocouple consists of a mechanical junction of two
dissimilar metals. This junction generates a small electrical
potential (voltage), the value of which depends upon the
temperature of the junction. Thus with calibration, and an
appropriate choice of metals, one can obtain a thermometer for
the desired temperature range.
Iron wire
Copper wire
Copper wire

Hot junction Cold junction

 Thermocouple
• The bigger the temperature difference
between the two junctions, the greater the
electric current (the thermocouple is not
linear).
• A thermopile is lots of thercouples joined
together.
• Advantages of thermocouple:
1. Measure rapidly changinge temperatures
2. Measures higher temperatures
3. Can be reader and logged (recorded) in a
computer
4. Sensitive
 Demonstration: Thermocouple

• Observe your teacher’s demonstration

1. Draw a diagram of the demonstration in
your notebook
2. Record the values
3. Write your conclusions
 Homework
Due date: Wed Aug 25
Mr. Borges’ tray
• Read pages 100 to 103. Make notes in
your notebook.
• Answer questions 1, 2, 3 (page 101) and
1, 2 (page 103). Show all the work, when
appropriate.