Six's thermometer

Six's maximum and minimum thermometer is a regist ering t hermomet er t hat can record t he
maximum and minimum t emperat ures reached over a period of t ime, for example 24 hours. It is
used t o record t he ext remes of t emperat ure at a locat ion, for inst ance in met eorology and
hort icult ure. It was invent ed by t he Brit ish scient ist James Six, in 1780;[1] t he same basic design
remains in use.
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.

It is also commonly known as a maximum–minimum, minimum–maximum, maxima–minima or

minima–maxima thermometer, of which it is t he earliest pract ical design.

The t hermomet er indicat es t he current t emperat ure, and t he highest and lowest t emperat ures
since last reset .

Description

Six's Maximum and Minimum t hermomet er consist s of a U-shaped glass t ube wit h t wo separat e
t emperat ure scales set along each arm of t he U. One of t hese is for recording t he maximum
t emperat ure encount ered and t he ot her for t he minimum t emperat ure. The arms of t he U-shaped
t ube t erminat e in sealed glass bulbs. The bulb at t he t op of t he minimum reading scale arm is full
of alcohol, while t he ot her cont ains a vacuum (or low pressure alcohol vapour).[2]
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.[3]

In t he bend of t he U is a sect ion of mercury, a met al which is liquid at normal t emperat ures. This
is pushed around by t he t hermal expansion and cont ract ion of t he alcohol in t he first bulb as it
responds t o t he ext ernal t emperat ure. The vacuum in t he ot her bulb allows free movement of
t he alcohol and mercury. It is t he alcohol which measures t he t emperat ure; t he mercury indicat es
t he t emperat ure reading on bot h scales. This is unlike a normal mercury t hermomet er, in which
t he expansion and cont ract ion of mercury it self indicat es t emperat ure.[2]
Marker showing the maximum temperature. Mercury has retreated to about 26.5°C as the temperature has dropped below
its maximum of about 28.3°C.

The t hermomet er shows a reading at t he t op of t he mercury sect ion on bot h t he maximum and
minimum scales; t his shows t he current t emperat ure and should be t he same on bot h scales. If
t he t wo readings are not t he same, t hen t he inst rument scales are not correct ly posit ioned or
t he inst rument is damaged.[2]

The maximum and minimum readings are recorded by t wo small st eel markers which are sprung
int o t he capillary t ube so t hat t hey can slide, but only if a force is applied t o t hem, eit her by
being pushed by t he mercury or under t he influence of an ext ernal magnet .

Before a new maximum or minimum reading can be t aken, t he t hermomet er must be reset by
moving t he markers t o t he t op of t he mercury, usually by hand using a small magnet t o slide
t hem along t he t ube. Any change in t emperat ure aft er t hat will push one of t he markers along
wit h it . (If t he markers are not reset , t hey will regist er maxima and minima only if t hey exceed t he
values already encount ered.)

If t he t emperat ure rises, t he maximum scale marker will be pushed. If it falls, t he moving mercury
will push t he minimum scale marker. As t he t emperat ure varies, t he markers will remain in t heir
posit ions unless t he t emperat ure becomes higher (for maximum) or lower (for minimum) t han
already recorded, in which case t he relevant marker is pushed furt her. The markers t hus record
t he furt hest point reached by t he mercury in each arm of t he t ube, and t hereby t he highest and
lowest t emperat ures since t he last reset . Typically t he t hermomet er is reset every 24 hours t o
measure t he diurnal t emperat ure variat ion, t he posit ions of t he ends of t he markers nearest t o
t he mercury are examined. Their posit ions on t he maximum and minimum scales show t he highest
and lowest t emperat ures encount ered since t he last reset .[4]

Design variations

In a variat ion of design, some models have unsprung markers held in place by a magnet ic plat e
locat ed behind t he card showing t he scales and close enough t o t he U-shaped t ube t o hold t he
markers in place unless t hey are pushed by t he t hermal expansion of t he device. When a manual
cont rol is operat ed, t he plat e is pushed away from t he U-shaped t ube, freeing t he markers which
t hen drop under gravit y t o t he surface of t he mercury.