Q=hA

b
(T
m
-
T
b
)
MODELING OF A THERMOMETER
In order to model a mercury in glass type thermometer consider the heat trans!er to a
thermometer "hich is dipped in a "ater #ath o! temperature T
#
the temperature o! the
mercury T
m
rises as "ith time until it reaches the same temperature as that o! the "ater
#ath$ %onsider the !igure gi&en #elo"
According to ne"ton's la" o! cooling the heat trans!er
rate !rom the !luid to the thermometer #ul# is gi&en
#y(
Q=hAb(Tm-Tb)
According to conser&ation o! energy the heat lost #y
the !luid should result in an increased temperature o!
mercury inside the #ul# the heat gained #y mercury
inside is gi&en #y :
)here
m : the mass o! mercury
C ( speci!ic heat o! mercury
Tm( Instantaneous temperature o! mercury
To ( Initial temperature o! mercury
Therefore,
hAb(Tm-Tb)=
*ut Tm-Tb= T,
the e+uation #ecomes(
This is a !irst order linear di!!erential e+uation separating &aria#les and integrating gi&es
)here ,
Applying the initial condition at ,- T= Tb-To
T= (Tb-To)
i$e., Tm=Tb-(Tb-To)
.olume e/pansion o! Mercury

The &olume e/pansion o! mercury can #e computed using the !ormula
V= 3(Tm-To) Vo

)here
, coe!!icient o! linear e/pansion
and the change o! height o! mercury column is gi&en
#y
l= V/A.
the dimensions o! the mercury #ul# is gi&en #elo"
From the %AD model the &olume and sur!ace area are
calculated as
.olume , 012$-3 mm
2
4ur!ace area , 356$70 mm
0
%onstants used
The density o! mercury is 3$288 / 3-
7
9g:m
2
The speci!ic heat o! mercury ;at 08
o
%< is 325$7 =:9g>
The coe!!icient o! con&ecti&e heat trans!er !or still "ater is appro/imately ?8- ):m
0
>
MATLA@ code
h=750;% convective heat transfer coefficient
A=198.4202*10^-6; %surface area of u!
"0= 26#.01 *10^-9; %vo!u$e of $ercur%
$="0*1#550; %$ass of $ercur%
&=1#9.4; %s'ecific heat of $ercur%
tau=$*&()h*A*; %ti$e constant
+=,#1 41 51 61 71-; %ath te$'eratures
+o=,20 10 10 10 10-; %initia! te$'eratures
t=0..5.25;
fi/ure ;% for the ti$e res'onse '!ot
for 0=1.5
+=+)0*-))+)0*-+o)0***e0')-t(tau**;
'!ot)t1+*
0!ae!)2ti$e)s*2*;
%!ae!)2+e$'erature)3e/ree ce!cius*2*;
tit!e)2+i$e res'onse2*
ho!3 a!!;
en3
ho!3 off ;
fi/ure ;% co$'arison et4een thoretica! an3 e0'eri$enta! rea3in/s
t5theor=tau*)!o/)+-+o*-!o/)0.5**; %ti$e to reach a te$'erature
0.5 !esser then stea3% sate va!ue
t2=,7.06 5.61 6.17 6.44;8.50 6.95 7.09 7.84;8.01 8.70 7.66
8.05;9.70 8.## 8.15 9.0;9.#4 10 12.51 12.8 -; %e0'eri$enta!
rea3in/s
t5e0'=$ean)trans'ose)t2**;%$ean va!ue of e0'eri$enta! rea3in/s
ho!3 on;
%!i$),0 18-*
0!ae!)2!o/)+-+o*2*
%!ae!)2res'onse ti$e )secon3s*2*
'!ot)!o/)+-+o*1t5theor1!o/)+-+o*1t5e0' *
set)/ca126tic721!o/)+-+o**
set)/ca126+ic78ae!2192i212ii212iii212iv212v2:*;scatter)!o/)+-
+o*1t5theor*
scatter)!o/)+-+o*1t5e0'1232*
tit!e)2res'onse ti$e co$'arison2 *
Graphs