Measuring Temperature Using Alcohol and Pasco Digital Thermometers

Day 1: Complete the following in your lab book • Copy Data Table:Item Recorded Alcohol

Thermometer Temp. (Celsius)

Converted Alcohol Thermometer Temp. To Fahrenheit

Recorded Digital Thermometer Temp. (Fahrenheit)

Converted Digital Thermometer Temp. (Celsius)

Ice Water BathHot Water

Measuring Temperature Using Mercury and Pasco Thermometers

Day 1 cont.: • Copy “Precautions” and copy the following:

1. Do not sit during lab since you are using boiling water2. Do not plug in hot plate until you are ready to use it. It

heats very quickly3. Use beaker holder when moving beaker off of hot

plate4. Do not let the thermometer bulb touch the bottom of

the beaker while boiling

Measuring Temperature Using Mercury and Pasco Thermometers

Day 2: Post Lab Requirements:1. Title a new section called “Sample Calculations”

a) Complete 1 sample calculation showing a conversion from °C to °F using your alcohol thermometer ice water value.

b) Complete 1 sample calculation showing a conversion from °F to °C using your digital thermometer boiling water value.

c) Use GFS to calculate the temperature change/difference between the ice water (Column 1) and hot water(Column 3) values you obtained for both the alcohol and digital thermometers.

d) Use GFS to convert your temperature difference from part “c” into F ° and C ° respectively.

Post-Lab Requirements cont.2. Create a new section called “Post Lab Analysis”

a) What are your measured values for ice water for both alcohol and digital thermometers?

b) Are your values similar between the alcohol and digital thermocouple thermometers? If not, why do you think so?

c) What are your measured values for boiling water for both alcohol and digital thermometers?

d) Are your measured values for boiling water similar between the alcohol and digital thermocouple thermometers? If not, why do you think so?

e) Which thermometer do you think was more accurate in its measurement? Why do you think so?

f) You should have noticed that the temperature reading on the digital thermometer “bounced around” as you were trying to record the temperature of the ice water and boiling water. This is called “fluctuation”. What do you think caused this fluctuation?

g) Did your alcohol thermometer temps fluctuate? Why or why not?h) Based on your answers to questions f and g has your opinion to your answer for

question e changed? Why or why not?i) Based on the outcome of this lab what can you conclude about the accuracy and

difference between alcohol versus digital thermocouple thermometers?j) What did you like using better, the alcohol thermometer or the digital thermometer?

Why?