Calibrating thermometers

The reason our workplace is so damn cold all the time...minus our boss saving money
Status: Going to have to do some digging on this one...an interesting question though.
Background: This one is another semi-scientific question and piqued our interest cause frankly the boxes we are forced to live in due to our low wages could use an accurate temperature device to tell us how much we are freezing =). Thanks go out to Danelo for sending this question our way.

-----Original Message-----
From: *e-mail address omitted*
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2003 11:13 AM
To: questions@stupidquestionsanswered.com
Subject: I have a stupid question!

I bet many people would like this stupid question answered. I have 2 outdoor thermometers, one a glass mercury-filled and the other a bimetallic "dial-type." They are 20 degrees apart! This morning, the dial reads 30 degrees and the mercury reads 50 degrees. The television weather forecast says it's 39 degrees! Which thermometer is more accurate? Is there a place that can calibrate the one I choose to keep? Thank you.

 

The range wasn't specified, I'll asume the standard outdoor type. Start with the Mercury thermometer. Use a container large enough to emerce the device, at least half way down. fill the contaner with ice, next top it off with water. insert the thermometer to the bottom. Allow it to set for a while. The ice water will be 32 dregrees farenheight. That will check that one. If it's close, all you have to do is verify the mercury to the by-metallic. Good luck.