Q1.
Can we use a laboratory thermometer for measuring body temperature of a person?
Answer
No, it should not be used for that. Here is why, point by point:
| Point | Laboratory thermometer | Clinical thermometer |
|---|---|---|
| Range | –10 °C to 110 °C | About 35 °C to 42 °C |
| Smallest value | Usually 1 °C | 0.1 °C |
| Holds the reading? | No kink — the column falls as soon as it is taken out | Kink holds the reading |
| Shape and safety | Long, straight, easily broken; not meant for the mouth | Short, with a rounded bulb made for the mouth or armpit |
The deciding reason is the smallest value. A fever of 37.6 °C is a real fever, but a laboratory thermometer that reads only to the nearest 1 °C would call it “38 °C” or “37 °C” — and the reading would in any case begin to fall the instant the thermometer left the body.