PH0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9
GAS THERMOMETER
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
DEMERITS AND MERITS
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 1
MEASUREMENT OF LOW TEMPERATURES
When we sit in the sun or near fire, we feel warm or
hot. When things are kept on fire, they also become
hot.
It is heat which makes us and the objects feel warm or
hot. Heat is a form of energy which gives the sensation
of warm or hot.
A body becomes hot when it gains heat energy and
becomes cold when it leaves out heat energy.
The measure of the degree of hotness or coldness of a
body is known as its temperature.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 2
MEASUREMENT OF LOW TEMPERATURES
When a substance receives heat the following effects
are observed.
Change in volume
Change in pressure
Change in electric resistance
Change in radiation
Change in thermo electric e.m.f., and
Change in colour.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 3
MEASUREMENT OF LOW TEMPERATURES
Any of these changes can be used for the measurement of
temperature.
The most accurate method of measuring temperature is
based on the change in volume of the substance.
The instrument used to measure the temperature by making
used of expansion of a substance is known as thermometer.
The substance use is known as thermometric substance.
Since solids, liquids and gases expand on heating any of these
three can be used to construct a thermometer.
Solids should be heated to a high temperature.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 4
MEASUREMENT OF LOW TEMPERATURES
So, the expansion of solids is used to measure high
temperatures.
Liquids expand at moderate temperatures and so the
thermometers making use of expansion of liquids are used to
measure moderate temperatures.
In the case of gases, the expansion is very large even at low
temperatures or for a small change in temperature.
So, thermometers making use of gas as thermometric
substance are used to measure low temperatures.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 5
GAS THERMOMETERS
The gas thermometers can be classified into two based on the
method by which the gas can be heated. They are,
Constant Pressure Gas Thermometer
Constant Volume Gas Thermometer.
The constant pressure gas thermometer is not used in practice
because of the errors which arise due to the non – uniformity of
tube bore.
The constant volume gas thermometer is the most accurate
laboratory thermometer and is used for the calibration of other
thermometers.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 6
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
When we heat a gas keeping the volume constant, its
pressure increases and when we cool the gas its pressure
decreases.
The relationship between pressure and temperature at
constant volume is given by the law of pressure.
According to this law, the pressure of a gas changes by
1
273 of its original pressure at 0 o
C for each degree
centigrade (or Celsius) rise in temperature at constant
volume.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 7
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
If Po is the pressure of a given volume of a gas at 0oC and
Pt is the pressure of the same volume of the gas (i.e., at
constant volume) at toC, then
Po
Pt Po t
273
t
Pt Po (1 )
273
i.e., (or) Pt Po (1 v t) (1)
1
v
Where 273 is constant and is known as coefficient of
increase of pressure
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 8
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
It consists of a glass bulb B connected to a tube A, through a
capillary glass tube ‘C’.
The tube A is connected to a mercury reservoir R which is
clamped on the board and can be lowered or raised whenever
required to keep the volume of the air constant.
The capillary tube C is provided with a three way stopper S and
can be used to connect capillary and bulb as well as to disconnect
tube from bulb B.
A pointer is provided such that the end P is projecting inside
from the upper part of A.
A scale calibrated in 0oC is provided between A and R.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 9
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 10
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
The whole apparatus is levelled by adjusting the levelling
screws.
By adjusting the stopper, the bulb ‘B’ is filled with air or
some gas and the pointer is adjusted so that tip of the
pointer just touches the level of mercury in the tube A.
After filling the bulb, it is kept in an ice bath for some time
till the air inside the bulb attains the temperature of ice at
which the mercury level becomes stationary.
Now the reservoir R is adjusted so that the level of
mercury in the tube A just touches the tip of the pointer P.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 11
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
The difference between the mercury levels in the two tubes
is noted and let it be ho. If Po is the pressure exerted by the
air in the bulb, then
Po P h0 (2)
Now ice bath is removed and the bulb B is surrounded with
steam.
Again when the mercury level in both the tubes becomes
stationary, tube R is adjusted so that the mercury column in
this position in tube A touches the tip of the pointer.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 12
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
Let the difference between the mercury column levels in A
and R be h100. The pressure of the enclosed gas in B will
be given by,
P100 Po h100 (3)
If v is the pressure coefficient of the air, then
from equation (1), we have
P100 Po (1 v 100)
P100 Po P0 v 100 (4)
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 13
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
Finally the bulb is brought in contact of the body whose
temperature is to be found out.
After the mercury level becomes stationary, the tube R is
adjusted so that the mercury level touches the tip of the
pointer again.
Let ht be the difference between the heights of
mercury levels and if Pt is the pressure of the air inside
the bulb B, then we have,
Pt Po ht
(5)
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 14
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
and
(or) (6)
Pt Po (1 v t )
Dividing equation (6) by equation (4), we get
Pt Po P0 v t
Pt Po P0 v t
P100 P0 P0 v 100
Pt P0 (7)
t 100
P100 P0
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 15
CONSTANT VOLUME GAS THERMOMETER
Substituting Pt P0 ht and P100 P0 h100 in
equation (7), we get,
(P0 ht ) (P0 h0 )
t 100
(P0 h100 ) (P0 h0 )
ht h0
t 100 (8)
h100 h0
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 16
MERITS
Gas thermometers are more sensitive when compared to
other thermometers.
They work uniformly and regularly over a wide range of
temperature.
They can be used to measure low and high temperatures
and have a wide range of operation. (–200oC to 1600oC)
Since the expansion of glass is negligible when
compared to the expansion of the gas the error due to
expansion of glass is negligible.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 17
DEMERITS
It takes time to measure the temperature and is not a
quick thermometer.
These thermometers can be used only in some cases
where the bodies can be brought in contact with the
bulb.
They are not easily portable.
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 18
PH 0101 UNIT 4 LECTURE 9 19
