Six's thermometer

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A maximum minimum thermometer. The scales are Fahrenheit on the inside of the U and Celsius on the outside. The current
temperature is 23 degrees Celsius, the maximum recorded is 25, and the minimum is 15, both read from the base of the
small markers in each arm of the U tube. The bulbs are hidden by a plastic housing.

Six's thermometer is a registering thermometer which can record the maximum and minimum
temperatures reached over a period of time, for example 24 hours. It is used to record the extremes of
temperature at a location, for instance in meteorology and horticulture. It was invented by Englishman James
Six in 1782; the same basic design remains in use.
It is also commonly known as a maximum-minimum, minimum-maximum, maxima-minima or minimamaxima thermometer, of which it is the earliest practical design.
The thermometer indicates the current temperature, and the highest and lowest temperatures since last reset.

[edit]Description
This describes the traditional construction. Modern designs may substitute materials for less toxic ones but
operate in the same way.
It consists of a U-shaped glass tube with two separate temperature scales set along each arm of the U. One of
these is for recording the maximumtemperature encountered and the other for the minimum temperature. The
arms of the U-shaped tube terminate in sealed glass bulbs. The bulb at the top of the minimum reading scale
arm is full of alcohol, the other contains a vacuum (or low pressure alcohol vapour). [1]

Detail of the thermometer bulbs of the maximum minimum thermometer shown above. The left-hand (minimum arm) bulb is
full of alcohol. This bulb measures the temperature by the expansion and contraction of the liquid. The right-hand (maximum
arm) bulb contains alcohol and a bubble of low-pressure gas or alcohol vapour. This bulb accommodates the expansion in
the other bulb and allows the train of alcohol and mercury to move in the U-shaped tube as the temperature changes.
[2]

In the bend of the U is a section of mercury, a metal which is liquid at normal temperatures. This is pushed
around the tube by the thermal expansion and contraction of the alcohol in the first bulb as it responds to the
external temperature. The near vacuum in the other bulb allows free movement of the alcohol and mercury. It is
the alcohol which measures the temperature; the mercury indicates the temperature reading on both scales.

This is unlike a normal mercury thermometer, in which the expansion and contraction of mercury itself indicates
temperature.[1]

Marker showing the maximum temperature. Mercury has retreated to about 26.5C as the temperature has dropped
below.its maximum of about 28.3C.

The thermometer shows a reading at the top of the mercury section on both the maximum and minimum
scales; this shows the current temperature and should be the same on both scales. If the two readings are not
the same, then the instrument scales are not correctly positioned or the instrument is damaged. [1]
The maximum and minimum readings are recorded by two small steel markers which are sprung into the
capillary tube so that they can slide, but only if a force is applied to them, either by being pushed by the
mercury or under the influence of an external magnet.
Before a new maximum or minimum reading can be taken, the thermometer must be reset by moving the
markers to the top of the mercury, usually by hand using a small magnet to slide them along the tube. Any
change in temperature after that will push one of the markers along with it. (If the markers are not reset, they
will register maxima and minima only if they exceed the values already encountered.)
If the temperature rises, the maximum scale marker will be pushed. If it falls, the moving mercury will push the
minimum scale marker. As the temperature varies, the markers will remain in their positions unless the
temperature becomes higher (for maximum) or lower (for minimum) than already recorded, in which case the
relevant marker is pushed further. The markers thus record the furthest point reached by the mercury in each
arm of the tube, and thereby the highest and lowest temperatures since the last reset. Typically the
thermometer is reset every 24 hours to measure the diurnal temperature variation.
To take a reading, the positions of the ends of the markers nearest to the mercury are examined. Their
positions on the maximum and minimum scales show the highest and lowest temperatures encountered since
the last reset.[3]

[edit]Design

variations

In a variation of design, some models have unsprung markers held in place by a magnetic plate located behind
the card showing the scales and close enough to the U-shaped tube to hold the markers in place unless they
are pushed by the thermal expansion of the device. When a manual control is operated, the plate is pushed
away from the U-shaped tube, freeing the markers which then drop under gravity to the surface of the mercury.
Another design has the U orientated horizontally and the markers completely free and unsprung. The reset is
carried out by turning the U to the vertical so the markers sink to rest on the mercury, and returning it to the
horizontal.

[edit]Maintenance
The Six's thermometer is notoriously known for separations in the mercury column, in particular after shipment,
though accidental knocks have been known causes as well. Separations can usually be corrected by swinging
the thermometer as is done to reset a mercury clinical thermometer; the centrifugal force forces the mercury
together again. Should a marker become partly buried in the mercury, it can either be pulled up again with the
magnet or exposed to an extremum temperature that leaves the marker uncovered. If a strong external magnet
is used to pull up the markers in the push-button type with the magnetic plate in place, there is a risk of
damaging the weak magnet behind the scale, or magnetising the steel in the markers either weakening or
enhancing the pulling force against the capillary tube on all or part of the scale so that the thermometer no
longer works properly.

[edit]Mercury

Free Maximum Minimum Thermometer

The original Six's thermometer design contains mercury, which has been banned for most uses in
the European Union[4] and some other parts of the world.
In 2006 S.Brannan & Sons Ltd, a UK company, was granted a patent for a mercury-free version of Six's
Maximum Minimum Thermometer: instead of mercury two immiscible liquids are used supporting an index. The
thermometer operates in the same way as the mercury version.

A thermometer is used to measure the temperature of solids, liquids, or gases. A thermometer

contains a liquid (usually mercury or an alcohol solution) in a reservoir whose volume is linearly
dependent on the temperature (as the temperature increases, the volume increases). When the
liquid is heated it expands into a narrow tube that has been calibrated to indicate the
temperature. Temperature can be recorded in Celsius, Farenheit, or Kelvin, therefore it is
important to note which scale the thermometer is calibrated for.

When selecting a thermometer, choose one that has an upper limit which exceeds
highest temperature you expect to measure.
Caution: Never heat a thermometer above its upper limit!
The thermometer must have an appropriate scale which reflects the accuracy that you
would like to achieve with your results.
Note which temperature scale the thermometer is calibrated for. Thermometers are
available to measure the temperature in Celsius, Kelvin, and Farenheit.
Step 1: Determine the scale increment:
To find the scale increment, subtract the values of any two adjacent labeled graduations
and divide by the number of intervals between them.
What is the scale increment for the thermometer? Answer
Step 2: Use the graduations to find all certain digits:
Use the labeled graduations and the scale increment to find the certain digits in the
measurement.
What are all of the certain digits for the thermometer? Answer
Step 3: Estimate the uncertain digit and obtain a reading:
Estimate the distance that the meniscus lies between the two graduations as a decimal
fraction and multiply by the scale increment.