How to Read Temperature of a Mercury Thermometer
Mercury thermometers comprise a thin glass tube willed with the element mercury, visible as a silver tip and line inside. Many agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), warn against using mercury thermometers due to mercury's toxicity. Should the thermometer break, you have the chance of inhaling or absorbing mercury into your skin; if you break it while checking your oral temperature, you might even swallow the mercury. Use a digital thermometer for safety measures. However, if you choose to use a mercury thermometer, you can easily read its temperature. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Hold the thermometer at the opposite end of the silver tip, clean it with rubbing alcohol or soap and warm water, then rinse with cool water.
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Turn the thermometer in your hand. You will see a red, blue or silver line, which will stop somewhere on the scale. Each horizontal mark leading up the length of the thermometer represents one degree.
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To take a body temperature, shake the thermometer until it reads 96 degrees or below; read the temperature by looking at the top of the red, blue or silver line. The end of this line represents the present temperature registered on the thermometer.
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After taking the temperature, hold the thermometer at eye level, and slowly turn it until you see the line. Read the thermometer at the number or gradient where the line stops on the scale to determine your body's temperature.
Wash the thermometer with soap and water, and dry it before putting it back in its case.
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Tips & Warnings
Shake the thermometer over a bed or couch to protect it from breaking, should it slip out of your hand.
Should your thermometer break, wear plastic gloves when cleaning up the breakage. Vacuum the area.
