Topic: Heat
Why is a laboratory thermometer not used to check body temperature?
You have got fever.
Why don't you check your body temperature using a thermometer?
No. Please don't use a laboratory thermometer.
You won't be able to get the correct reading.
Why don't you try another one?
This is called a Clinical thermometer.
A clinical thermometer is different from a laboratory thermometer.
Seems like you have made your choice.
A clinical thermometer has a kink.
When we check our body temperature, the kink present in it prevents the mercury from falling back down, thus helping the thermometer to hold the temperature recorded by it and giving us an accurate reading.
Now, in a laboratory thermometer, this kink is absent.
This is because a laboratory thermometer is meant to measures immediate temperature.
Hence, after recording our body temperature, until we check it, the mercury will fall, thus not giving us an accurate reading.
