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RENDA FUZHONG
INTERNATIONAL CURRICULUM CENTRE

PHYSICS

A LEVEL PROGRAMME

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
UNIT 2

Thermometer

NAME

CLASS

“It is what we think we know already that often prevents us

from learning.”~ Claude Bernard
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Temperature

Content

12.1 Thermal equilibrium

12.2 Temperature scales

12.3 Practical thermometers

Learning outcomes

Candidates should be able to:

(a) show an appreciation that thermal energy is transferred from a region

of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature

(b) show an understanding that regions of equal temperature are in

thermal equilibrium

(c) show an understanding that a physical property that varies with

temperature may be used for the measurement of temperature and state
examples of such properties

(d) compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of resistance and

thermocouple thermometers as previously calibrated instruments

(e) show an understanding that there is an absolute scale of temperature

that does not depend on the property of any particular substance (i.e. the
thermodynamic scale and the concept of absolute zero)

(f) convert temperatures measured in kelvin to degrees Celsius and recall

that T / K = T / °C + 273.15.

Reference
Understanding Physics Jim Breithaupt
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Thermal energy transfer

Second law of thermodynamics

No external work is done for transferring thermal energy from higher
temperature to low temperature objects. Thermal energy transfer happens only
when there is a temperature difference between objects.

Thermal Equilibrium
If two systems said to be thermal equilibrium when there is no net energy
transfer between them.
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Zeroth law of thermodynamics

If two bodies A and B are, separately, in thermal equilibrium with
another body c, then A and B are in thermal equilibrium when they
are in thermal contact.

Thermometer

Defining a temperature scale refers to the process of setting up a

system in order to measure temperature.

To set up a temperature scale

(1) Choose a suitable body of substance

(2) Thermometric property ( a property of a substance changes

continuously with the degree of hotness , example- length of a liquid
or metal, resistance of metal, pressure of a gas at constant
temperature etc)

(3) Select two fixed points. Measure the thermometric property at

the upper and lower points

(4) Assume that the thermometric property varies linearly with

temperature
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Thermometric
property
x

x2

x1
Temperatur
e

1 2
Lower Higher
Fixed Fixed
point point

By definition,

Lower fixed point , 1 = ice point = 0 0

Upper fixed point , 2 = steam point = 100 0

Write x1 = x0 , x2 = x100

The equation of the straight line is

 x x 
    0  100
 x100  x 0 
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 x x  Centigrade scale
    0  100 0C
 x100  x 0 

When one junction X of a thermocouple is placed in melting ice and the other
junction Y in steam at 100 0C, the e.m.f. is 6.0 mV. Junction Y is removed
from the steam and is placed in a liquid bath at a constant temperature,
junction X remaining in the ice. The e.m.f. is now - 1.5 mV.
What is the temperature of the bath on the centigrade scale of this
thermocouple? [-250C]

The readings of a resistance thermometer are 20.0 ohm at ice point,28.2

Ohms at steam point, and 23.1 at an unknown temperature.
Calculate the unknown temperature on the centigrade scale of the
thermometer. (37.8°)
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Disagreement between Temperatures Measured by Different

Thermometers

One would obtain the same temperature from all different

thermometers only if all thermometric properties vary with degree
of hotness in the same way. In practice, however, most
thermometric properties do not vary with temperature in the same
way. Hence there are discrepancies in temperature measured by
different types of thermometer.

Therefore we need a standard thermometer to compare

thermometers.

Thermodynamic Temperature Scale

A thermodynamic or absolute scale of temperature is a scale that

does not depend on the way (how) a physical property of any
particular substance changes with temperature.

The thermodynamic scale is theoretical and cannot be put directly

to use. In practice, the thermodynamic or absolute temperature
can be obtained from the ideal gas scale. For this scale, the
working substance is a fixed mass of ideal gas whose volume is to
be kept at a fixed value. The thermometric property is the pressure
of the gas.
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Lower fixed point: Absolute Zero (0 K)

Upper fixed point: Triple point of water (273.16 K)

Since triple point can be reproducible accurately it is chosen as upper fixed

point.

Ideal gas equation of state : pV = nRT

if n , V are constant, then

p  T
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Because R is a constant.
pressure

ptr

temperatur
0 Ttr T e

p  T
ptr  Ttr
T p
 
Ttr ptr
p
T   Ttr
ptr

 p 
T  273.16    K
 tr 
p

Celsius temperature is defined in terms of the thermodynamic

temperature.
Hence for the Celsius scale, the fixed points are
 absolute zero (-273.15 0C) ,and
 Triple point of water (0.01 0C).
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Comparison between Celsius scale and Kelvin scale

Comparison of different types of thermometer

Temperature
Thermometer Thermometry Property
Range/K
length of Hg column in capillary
Mercury 234 - 630
tube
Platinum
resistance of platinum wire 83 - 1400
resistance
Thermocouple e.m.f. 25 - 1750

Thermometer Advantages Disadvantages

a) portable
Mercury not very accurate
b) direct reading

a) wide range
b) best for small steady differences Not suitable for varying
Platinum
of temperature temperature because of
resistance
c) most accurate in the range slow response
138K-904K

a) wide range
b) very small, useful for measuring
Not as accurate as
local and rapidly varying
Thermocouple resistance thermometer
temperature (small quantity)
in the range 138K-904K
c) most accurate in the range
904K-1338K
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Thermo couple

A kind of thermometer consisting of two wires of different

metals that are joined at both ends; one junction is at the
temperature to be measured and the other is held at a fixed lower
temperature; the current generated in the circuit increases as the
temperature difference increases.

Eg AL- Ni Aluminum - Nickel pair

Explanation
When two different metals are brought into contact, free electrons
pass between them at the contact points. But, because the
electrons leave one metal more easily than the other a potential
difference develops across the junction.
Potential difference varies smoothly with the temperature
difference between the junctions.

∆θ = k (θ1 – θ2) where k is constant.

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Thermometry

1 An advantage of the platinum resistance thermometer is that

A it may be used to measure rapidly changing

temperatures.
B it has a linear scale, because the resistance of a piece
of platinum varies
directly as thermodynamic temperature.
C it may be used to measure steady temperatures with
very high accuracy.
D it is the only type of thermometer that can measure
accurately temperatures over 3000 K.

2 The triple point of water has been chosen as the fixed point
for the establishment of the kelvin scale, rather than the
melting point of ice, because

A it is more precisely reproducible.

B it is closer to the defining temperature of 273.16 K.
C it gives a more convenient scale between 0 0C and
100 0C.
D it ensures a more linear scale for gas thermometers.

3 A solid X is in thermal equilibrium with a solid Y, which is at

the same temperature as a third solid Z. The three bodies
are of different materials and masses. Which one of the
following statements is certainly correct?

A Y and Z have the same internal energy.

B There is no net transfer of energy if X is placed in
thermal contact with Z.
C It is not necessary that Y should be in thermal
equilibrium with Z.
D It is not necessary that X should be at the same
temperature as Y.

4 When one junction X of a thermocouple is placed in melting

ice and the junction Y in steam at 100 0C, the e.m.f. is 6.0
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mV. Junction X is removed from the melting ice and is

placed in a liquid bath at a constant temperature, junction Y
remaining in steam. The e.m.f. is now -1.5 mV. The
temperature of the bath on the centigrade scale of this
thermocouple is

A -25 0C B 25 0C C 75 0C
D 125 0C

5 For the construction of a thermometer, one of the essential

requirements is a thermometric substance which

A Remains liquid over the entire range of temperatures to

be measured.
B has a property that varies linearly with temperature.
C has a property that varies with temperature.
D has a constant expansivity.

6 A sample of an ideal gas gives the isotherms shown below,

where T1 = 273.15 K, the ice-point, and T2 is the boiling
point of water at standard pressure.
pV / J

x T3
y T2
z T1

p / Pa
0

The magnitude of the thermodynamic temperature T3 in

kelvin is

x y x
A 273.15 B 273.15
yx z

x y x
C 273.15  D 273.15  100
yz y

7 Two thermometers X and Y are placed inside an enclosure

whose walls are maintained at a steady temperature T.
When equilibrium is established, X and Y will give the same
reading T
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A under all circumstances.

B only if they absorb radiation at equal rates.
C only if both are perfect absorbers.
D only if they have equal thermal capacities.

8 Which one of the following thermometers would be most

suitable for monitoring the temperature of gases in a factory
chimney if the temperature can vary over a range of 200 K in
a minute?

A mercury in glass.
B constant-volume gas.
C thermoelectric.
D platinum resistance.

9 Which thermodynamic temperature is equivalent to 501.85

0
C?

A 775.00 K B 774.85 K C 228.85 K

D 228.70 K

10 Which combination of thermometers would be most appropriate for measuring the

following three temperatures?

1 2 3
Temperature at boiling point of boiling point of
Various positions sulphur (717K) liquid nitrogen
in a flame (80K)

A resistance liquid-in-glass thermocouple

B resistance thermocouple liquid-in-glass
C thermocouple liquid-in-glass resistance
D thermocouple resistance resistance

11 The table lists the approximate range, accuracy and

response time of different types of thermometer.
Which set of properties belongs to a thermocouple?
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thermometer range / K accuracy response

time
3 - 1750 very good long
A
30 - 1750 average short
B
75 - 1550 good long
C
230 - 630 poor medium
D

12 The temperature of a body at 100 0C is increased by  as

measured on the Celsius scale. What is this temperature
change expressed on the Kelvin scale ?

A  + 373 B  + 273 C  + 100 D 

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Centigrade Celsius Kelvin
Absolute zero - 273.15 - 273.15 0.00
Freezing point of
0.00 0.00 273.15
water
Triple point of
0.01 0.01 273.16
water
Boiling point of
100.00 100.00 373.15
water

The above table gives the numerical values of the

temperature, to 2 decimal places, of four reference points on
three different temperature scales. In each column, two of
the values are exact by definition and two are found by
experiment. Which, for each scale, are the exact
temperatures?

14 (a) State why the thermodynamic scale of temperature is

called an absolute scale of temperature?
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(b) Name types of thermometer that would be suitable for

measuring each of the following:

(i) the boiling point of oxygen (about 90 K),

(ii) a rapidly changing temperature,
(iii) the temperature of a very small quantity of a
liquid.

Give a reason for your choice of thermometer in (ii).

15 A resistance thermometer is placed in a bath of liquid at 0 0C and

its resistance is found to be 3740 . At 100 0C, its resistance is
210 . The bath is now cooled until the resistance of the
thermometer is 940 .

(a) What is the temperature of the bath, as measured

using the resistance thermometer?

(b) The reading taken at the same time on a mercury-in-

glass thermometer placed
in the bath is 40 0C. Suggest a reason for the
difference between these readings
and the value calculated in (a).

16 By reference to thermal energy transfer, explain what is

meant by

(a) two bodies having the same temperature,

(b) body H having a higher temperature than body C.

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Answers

1 C 2 A 3 B 4 D 5 C 6 B
7 A 8 C 9 A 10 D 11 B 12 D

15 (a) 79.3 0C