How Six's Thermometer Works - Weather Basics

Six's thermometer is built around a U-shaped glass tube, a remarkable design that has stood the test of time.The tube is filled with either alcohol or mercury, which expands and contracts with temperature changes.Two distinct temperature scales are marked on either side of the tube. The left scale measures minimum temperatures, while the right scale records maximum temperatures.Inside the tube, two special indicators - made of either metal or glass - float freely in the liquid.These indicators have several important features that make them essential to the thermometer's function.As the liquid expands due to rising temperatures, it pushes the indicators upward along their respective scales.When the liquid contracts as temperatures fall, the indicators remain in place, marking the temperature extremes.This basic structure allows Six's thermometer to record both maximum and minimum temperatures simultaneously.As the temperature changes, the alcohol in the thermometer expands and contracts, pushing the indicators.When temperature rises, the expanding liquid pushes both indicators upward.When temperature falls, the liquid contracts, but the indicators stay in place due to small springs.Let's take a closer look at the spring mechanism that keeps the indicators in position.Over time, this creates a record of both the highest and lowest temperatures reached.The right indicator shows the maximum temperature reached, while the left shows the minimum.To read the minimum temperature, look at where the blue indicator's bottom edge meets the left scale.For the maximum temperature, check where the red indicator aligns with the right scale.To reset the thermometer, use a magnet to pull both indicators back down to the liquid surface.This simple yet effective design has been helping meteorologists record temperature extremes since the seventeen eighties.Let's review what we've learned about reading and resetting Six's thermometer.Thanks for learning about Six's thermometer with Spark.E!