Name 1
MERCURY THERMOMETER 3
Name 2
/
ID number
002.380.Idrija
Manager / Administrator
Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Center, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Republic of Slovenia
Local / Original ID Number
/
Type of Object
Daily life
Description
Short description
The mercury thermometer is a oblong ellipse one-piece pipe. The bottom part is narrowed and semicircularly fused and filled with mercury. The upper part passes through the narrowed passage into a properly fused opening in which the manufacturer’s emblem is installed. A temperature scale from 35 to 42°C is installed in the large middle part. In the middle of the latter, there is a narrow channel with mercury. On the back side of the scale, next to the manufacturer’s name, there is also a product specification.
Measures
Length 13 cm, diameter 1.2 cm.
Materials
Glass, mercury, metal.
Dating
1960s
Author / Producer
Haweco, Germany.
Picture attachments
Original use
The mercury thermometer is a measuring device for temperature determination, which operation is based on the temperature extension of mercury. It is an oblong glass pipe, filled with mercury. The volume of mercury increases with the increasing temperature. The temperature is read by determining which mark on the pipe is reached by the column of mercury. For the purpose of more accurate reading, one end of the glass pipe has a round-bottom flask, which contains the majority of mercury. The expansion and contraction of the mercury volume is relatively larger in a pipe with thin cross section.
Present use
The mercury thermometer is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the CUDHg Smelting Collection. Visitors can view them within the permanent museum display “From Ore to Mercury Drops” in the Hg Smelting Plant, which represents the characteristics and the versatile use of mercury in science, technology, medicine, culture and every day life. Within the exhibition, the object is placed in the thermal expansion segment and it presents the usefulness of mercury for practical and technical purposes.
Original location
CUDHg, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
Present location
Hg Smelting Plant (From Ore to Mercury Drops), Arkova 50, SI-5280 Idrija
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The mercury thermometer is well preserved. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premise is taken care off.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- CUDHg Inventory Book.
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
16. 3. 2018
Date Edited
Never