why is mercury used as the liquid in a manometer?
814756
or_try_this is correct.  It is dense, and a 30-inch column of mercury fits in a laboratory better than a 34-foot column of water.  It is stable and doesn't evaporate at room temperature.  Its thermal expansion can be compensated for, but it's usually small compared to the pressure differences it's measuring.  It looks scientific, too.
1150484
Mercury is cheaper to produce and, thus, saves overhead. Mercury also preserves and products the products it encases and is a very good indicator of temperature. Mercury also stays relatively cool in most conditions so it preserves. I agree though, Mercury, in significant amounts, can cause serious brain damage and even mental retardation if a person is exposed to a sample of mercury for too long or if the sample is large enough.
961628
Two separate questions.  Liquid mercury, for example, contains mercury atoms that are not bonded to each other and are therefore monatomic.  Most metals are also monatomic in solid and liquid state, because heating them will cause them to separate (therefore they have a physical and not a chemical bond).  However, "liquid" and "solid" refer to the interactions between atoms, so you cannot talk about the "form" of a single atom because without other atoms to interact with, there is no meaning to the "liquid" or "solid" terms.
1176031
an anameter  -it is used fr measuring current passing through the circuit.\n\n conical flask -its flat bottemed used to hold liquids in reactions where heating is not required.\n\nburette -used to add one solution to another and also acurately measures the amount of liquid used.\n\ndropper pipette -used to add small but accurate amount of liquid to another.\n\nfunnel - used to carry out filtration.\nboiling tube-made of thick resistant glass used fr strong heating.\n\nround bottemed flask-used to hold liquids in reations where heating is required.\n\nwatch glass-holds solids\n\nevaporating dish-it can be gentely heated\n\nmortar and pestle-fr grinding and mixing solids\n\ngud luck!hope it helps
648268
No, red thermometer mercury vaporates when heated up.\nI don't believe there's another form of mercury.\nI only know of the liquid variation.
431570
um, no. It's not mercury. Liquids can mean any liquid, not just a periodic element. Lauric Acid has an atomic mass of 280g/mole, which is OVER any element by itself and it's melting point is at *negative*16 degrees Celsius. Long fatty chains like vegetable oils are in multiples of that.
565249
Who told you that Mercury is bad conductor of heat and electricity?\n\nWe use mercury in thermometers because it is good conductor of heat and expands well.\n\nWe use mercury in large transformer switches because it is good conductor of electricity and reduces the chance of sparks.
797602
The coefficient of thermal expansion for the liquid in the thermometer (mercury, alcohol, etc.) is greater than that for the glass capillary tube it is in.  Therefore, as the thermometer heats up, the liquid expands relative to the tube and is forced up the tube.  Conversely, when the thermometer is cooled, the liquid is drawn back down the tube.  The small bulb of liquid at the base of the thermometer magnifies this effect.
196346
mercury is known to mankind for a very long time. Probably the Greek or Romans or even the Egyptians were the ones who discovered it for poison or thermometers.\n\nAnother posobility is in the Iron age. This is because people needed thermometers to get to the right tempertature the  bend the iron and the old theromometers consisted of mercury.
14690
Mercury is probably the best metal as it is liquid at room temperature.  This also means that you will have to have a horizontal mirror.
176041
The most commonly utilized sensor for measuring temperature are still the mercury thermometers. Maximum and minimum thermometers use mercury and alcohol. Bimetallic thermographs are the most common mechanical temperature recorders. They are easy to read and maintain. However, mechanical thermographs do require verification and adjustment of the position of the pen recorder. These instruments are installed in shelters that are naturally ventilated.
485749
What has that to do with chemistry at all?  Try asking a meterologist.
302130
An open-tube manometer is one made from a tube open at both ends.  A closed-tube manometer has one end sealed off.\n\nBoth will have some sort of fluid contained within to delineate the pressure differential between the two ends of the manometer.\n\nGo to this page for an illustration of an open-ended manometer: \nhttp://www.efunda.com/formulae/fluids/manometer.cfm\n\nTry this one for an example of a closed-end manometer:\nhttp://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/PVB/Harrison/Manometer/Manometer.html\n\nAnd here's another one comparing the two:\nhttp://humboldt.edu/~scimus/Instruments/Manom-Duff/ManomDuff.htm
970896
There is more than one type of thermometer.  The old ones are being traded for electronic ones these days because they have a mercury inside, which is very, very bad if it gets outside (breaks).  The old ones also have slender glass body sealed on one end by the glass and on the other with a metal tip that goes in your mouth (or rectum) and transfers heat to the mercury which rises up the glass tube, marked approrprietly to show the tempreture's the risig mercury represents.
62318
Chemical companies sell it.  check out this:\nhttp://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/search/ProductDetail/SIAL/215457\nAldrich sells 99.9995% pure mercury.  That's as good as it's going to get.
623637
When you put water in a beaker or test tube, you see a curved surface. With most liquids, the attractive force between the liquid and the container is greater than the attraction between the individual liquid molecules. So the liquid "sticks" to the side of the container. this is what is called miniscus.\n\nA few liquids have a "backwards" meniscus. An example is mercury. If you put mercury in a test tube, it would be higher in the middle than at the edges.
322634
It's difficult with the old glass ones.  For safety, next time you get a chance, buy one of the newer plastic ones that is digital and a piece of cake to use. But in the meantime, grab the thermometer by the end opposite the metal base.  Give several hard flick of wrist shakes to shake down mercury.  Stick the metal end under your tongue for a minute.  Then take it out, hold it horizontally by the metal base and slowly roll it between your finger and thumb while looking for the silver line; it will show up.  98.6 is norma.  If it is an adult, anything more than two degrees either way, you might want to call the doc.  For a baby, they can go to 102 and still be okay but check anyway with a doc.  Hope you feel better!