Question

A liquid thermometer and an electronic thermometer are both properly placed in the same liquid. The liquid thermometer shows 53.4 degrees Celsius and the electronic thermometer shows 58.2 degrees Celsius. Which could best explain why they show different readings?

A. The liquid thermometer was not calibrated correctly.
B. The electronic thermometer was not calibrated correctly.
C. The liquid thermometer was not read with the correct units.
D. The electronic thermometer was not read with the correct units.

Answer 1

The answer here is probably B.

It's probably not a question of units because the conversions here from C to F or K do not give the right numbers. An electronic thermometer (as with most electronic measuring devices) need to be calibrated regularly to some sort of reference point. A liquid thermometer works based on the actually physical properties of the liquid inside it, and so will always display the same values - no calibration required!

Answer 2

Option B, The electronic thermometer was not calibrated correctly.

Step-by-step explanation:

Calibration is required when a relationship is to be established between a known standard unit and a new measuring device.

Since liquid thermometer is a standard device to measure temperature of a room, it is the electronic thermometer which might have been collaborated to convert measured electric pulses into degree Celsius.

There are rare chances of a standard device showing a wrong reading and hence it is the electronic thermometer that has not been collaborated well.

Thus, option B is correct.