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There is a technical reason for using mercury in clinical thermometers. Mercury has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than alcohol. This means a column of mercury will expand and rise more than a column of alcohol for the same temperature change. As a result, you can get finer readings with mercury.Mar 27, 2016

Mercury is the only one in liquid state at room temperature. It's used in thermometers because it has high coefficient of expansion. Hence, the slightest change in temperature is notable when it's used in a thermometer. It also has a high boiling point which makes it very suitable to measure higher temperatures.Feb 11, 2007

The disadvantages of mercury as thermometric liquid are: i) its temperature coefficient of expansion is very low and it cannot be used to measure the temperature below –39°C and above 357°C. ii) Mercury thermometer cannot be used in very cold regions like arctic regions because it freezes below a temperature of 39^o C.

Those days have passed. Since 2001, 20 states have banned mercury “fever thermometers” for medical use, and regulations tighten every year. ... But as of today the federal government has more or less killed the mercury thermometer in the United States—NIST has announced it will no longer calibrate mercury thermometers.Mar 1, 2011

Mercury is a very toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it, a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to harm you.

Unlike mercury in the mercury thermometer, alcohol is less toxic and evaporates quickly. But the maximum temperature measured by an alcohol thermometer is 78.5°C; hence this thermometer is suitable for measuring lower temperatures.Dec 24, 2017

Answer: alcohol thermometers are used rather than Mercury thermometers in very cold regions because alcohol has a lower freezing point than Mercury.Sep 9, 2019

A substance that expands faster will also contract faster. Alcohol expands more than mercury because of its low density and volatile nature. ... Alcohol is not poisonous like mercury so it is less hazardous. Alcohol thermometers can be used to measure lower temperatures than mercury thermometers.Aug 11, 2013

• Dental amalgam production. When mixed with two metals like tin and silver,mercury helps create a useful alloy known as an amalgam.
• Better thermometer gauge. Due to temperature sensitivity,non-wetting and good visibility,mercury is normally a very precise temperature gauge.
• Lamp making. ...
• Barometers. ...