How to Make Liquid Thermometers
Making a homemade liquid thermometer is fun and very easy. This will teach you and your kids about how mercury works in a store-bought thermometer, and will be a fun home science project. This thermometer will not give you an exact temperature, but if you follow the steps below on how to make a liquid thermometer, you will also get a tip on how to get an approximate temperature on your homemade thermometer.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic or Glass Bottle
- Food coloring
- Modeling Clay
- Soda Straw (clear)
- Water
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Measuring Cup
Instructions
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1
Get a clear plastic or glass bottle. You will need to use a bottle that has narrow neck at the top. Soft-drink bottles or similar bottles will work well.
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2
Fill your bottle about 1/4 full with rubbing alcohol and water. Mix equal parts of tap water and rubbing alcohol together. Next add a few drops of food coloring and mix the fluid until it is all the same color.
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Grab your modeling clay and clear plastic straw. You will want to position your straw so it is not touching the bottom of the bottle and so it is in the middle of the neck of your bottle. Once you have it in place, use your modeling clay to seal the top and keep your straw in the correct position.
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Watch the effects of the liquid in your straw. When the temperature is hot, the colored liquid will rise in the straw and stop once it hits a certain temperature. When the temperature is cold, the liquid in the straw will drop.
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Calibrating your thermometer. You can calibrate the temperature of your homemade thermometer with a conventional store-bought outside thermometer. Grab a Sharpie pen and you can mark the outside of the your liquid thermometer bottle with different temperature levels.
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Tips & Warnings
Mark your bottle at 10-degree intervals
Do not drink the liquid mixture
