Then, the thermometer was placed in boiling water and that temperature was marked. The very first thermometer was calibrated by sticking it in freezing water and marking where the fluid was. Degrees are the units of temperature similar to how meters are units of length. The final step is calibrating the thermometer (dividing the tube into degrees, either Fahrenheit or Celsius). The interior mercury tube has a bulb at the end of it that is placed on an object to obtain its temperature (that is, under your tongue if you are sick and want to know your temperature). To see the liquid shrinking or expanding, the mercury is placed in a narrow tube (contained inside a wider-diameter glass tube) to magnify the changes that occur. Mercury is the most common fluid used due to its low freezing point, and high boiling point. So how does a thermometer know how hot your body really is (that is, your temperature)? Bulb thermometers contain a type of fluid that changes volume relative to its temperature: heat makes the fluid expand (take up more space), while the cold makes it shrink (take up less space). To check if your body has a fever, your parents or a medical practitioner uses a thermometer. However, if a fever is too high, it can cause physical damage or even death, so often it is necessary to reduce a fever by using cooling baths, cloths or packs, or medications. By raising your body's temperature, certain bacteria and viruses that are sensitive to temperature changes are destroyed (killed by the higher than normal temperature). Fevers are thought to be one way that the immune system defends itself against germs and infection. When your body temperature rises, it is called a fever. Have you ever wondered why your parents take your temperature to see if you are sick? They are checking to see if your body is hotter than it should be (98.6☏ is considered normal). Research Report Rubric (pdf) Visit [ to print or download.Ĭonducting the associated Fighting Back! (lesson 10) of this unit is helpful, but not required.
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