what happens when a glass alcohol thermometer gets too "hot"?

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Ika

Lifer
Mar 22, 2006
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I tried googling but I guess my google-fu isn't good enough. What happens when a glass, alcohol thermometer (the red ones) gets to too high of a temperature for the internal alcohol? Does it rupture? does the glass crack? does it just pressurize and look "maxed out" until it cools down again, then everything is fine? I guess now that I think about it it's probably the latter but I'm not quite sure what happens.
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
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Initially as the temperature rises, the thermometer has a safety feature to prevent damage. Look closely at the top of the liquid column and you'll see there is a large empty bulb. With moderate over-temperature the liquid merely expands and fills this space. When cooled the liquid can simply shrink back down.

With substantial overtemperature, though, that is not enough. The liquid will start to generate a vapor pressure inside the closed space, and that pressure will rise a lot at high temperature. I'm not sure whether it is possible for all of the liquid to be converted into a high-pressure gas, but I doubt it. I expect there would be an equilibrium established between gas at VERY high pressure and some liquid. Whichever the case, the point is that the internal pressure would be very high, and the result will depend on details of the glass tube. Most such thermometers, I am sure, are NOT built to withstand such pressure and the glass will break, probably sending a few glass pieces flying off in random directions.
 

Metron

Golden Member
Oct 16, 2003
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Given sufficient temperature, the internal pressure will cause the glass to exceed the point of inelastic deformation...

I tried this once when I was much younger.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
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AtomBomb1.jpg
 

herkulease

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2001
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they will eventually shatter.

Have you never seen that chemistry lab safety video? I've seen that thing probably a dozen times. I've gone to different schools too and yet is the same video.

I'm pretty sure its on youtube.
 

krylon

Diamond Member
Nov 17, 2001
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Wrap your lips around a tailpipe and report back at what happens.
 
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