What was used to fill thermometers before mercury?

Question

Here is the question : WHAT WAS USED TO FILL THERMOMETERS BEFORE MERCURY?

Option

Here is the option for the question :

  • Magma
  • Bourbon
  • Brandy
  • Helium

The Answer:

And, the answer for the the question is :

Brandy

Explanation:

Hebrew literature from the 17th century contain some of the oldest allusions to thermometers. These documents discuss an instrument that was used to assess the relative temperature of the air. The first description of a sealed liquid thermometer may be found in a book published in 1629 called “Ma’yan Ganim (A Fountain of Gardens)” that was authored by rabbi and physician Joseph Solomon Delmedigo, who had been a student of Galileo at one point. For a considerable amount of time, historians believed that the idea was conceived in 1654 by Ferdinand II, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Ferdinand utilized a mixture of brandy and text that was printed on the side of a glass tube. This combination created a device whereby, by observing the movement of the brandy, one could detect when there was a change in temperature. It wasn’t until the 20th century that Delmedigo’s writings were given their full translation, and it wasn’t until then that he received credit for inventing the sealed liquid thermometer.

What was used to fill thermometers before mercury?
Before the widespread use of mercury in thermometers, brandy was often used as a filling material. While it may sound unusual, brandy was actually an effective and reliable alternative to mercury.

Brandy has a very low freezing point, which makes it an ideal substance for use in thermometers. It is also less toxic than mercury, which can be harmful if it is ingested or inhaled. Additionally, brandy has a lower boiling point than water, which means that it can be used to measure temperatures above the boiling point of water.

The use of brandy in thermometers dates back to the 18th century, when alcohol thermometers were commonly used in scientific experiments. These thermometers were made by filling a glass tube with brandy and then sealing it at both ends. The tube was then calibrated based on the expansion of the brandy as the temperature increased.

However, the use of brandy in thermometers was eventually phased out in favor of mercury due to its superior accuracy and wider temperature range. Mercury is also less volatile than brandy, which means that it is less likely to evaporate or break down over time.

brandy remains a popular alcoholic beverage around the world. It is a type of distilled wine that is typically aged in oak barrels, which gives it a distinct flavor and aroma. Brandy is also used in cooking and baking, and is sometimes added to desserts like cakes and pies to give them a rich, boozy flavor.

brandy was used as a filling material in thermometers before the widespread use of mercury. While it may seem unusual, brandy was actually an effective alternative due to its low freezing point and lower toxicity than mercury. However, mercury eventually replaced brandy in thermometers due to its superior accuracy and wider temperature range. Today, brandy remains a popular alcoholic beverage and a key ingredient in many culinary dishes.