hydrometer

/hai'drɔmitə/

Thân thiện

A scientist carefully lowers a hydrometer into a beaker of liquid.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A measuring instrument for determining the specific gravity of a liquid or solid: A hydrometer is a device, typically a sealed glass tube with a weighted bulb at one end and a calibrated scale, used to measure the relative density or specific gravity of a fluid based on the principle of buoyancy.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The brewer used a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of the beer wort.
  • A hydrometer is an essential tool for testing the charge level in a car battery by measuring the density of the electrolyte.
  • In the laboratory, the scientist carefully lowered the hydrometer into the saline solution to take a reading.

Advanced Usage

• "To take a hydrometer reading": The act of using a hydrometer to obtain a measurement.

  • After fermentation, it's important to take a hydrometer reading to calculate the alcohol content.

• "To calibrate a hydrometer": To adjust or check the accuracy of a hydrometer's scale, often using distilled water at a specific temperature.

  • For accurate results, you should calibrate your hydrometer before testing unknown liquids.

Variants and Related Words

• Hydrometry (n): The science or process of measuring specific gravity, especially of liquids.

  • Hydrometry is a fundamental practice in fields like brewing and chemistry.

• Hydrometric (adj): Relating to the measurement of specific gravity or the properties of water.

  • The hydrometric data was crucial for the environmental study.

• Aerometer (n): An instrument for measuring the density or specific gravity of gases. (A related concept for gases, contrasting with the liquid/solid focus of a hydrometer).

Synonyms

• Gravimeter: An instrument for measuring density or specific gravity. (Note: In some contexts, "gravimeter" is synonymous, though it can also refer to an instrument for measuring gravitational fields).
• Densimeter: An instrument for measuring density.
• Areometer: Another term for a hydrometer.

Related Phrases / Compound Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Battery hydrometer: A specialized hydrometer used to test the specific gravity of battery acid.
• Sugar hydrometer / Saccharometer: A type of hydrometer calibrated for measuring the sugar content in a solution, commonly used in brewing and winemaking.
• Alcohol hydrometer: A hydrometer designed to measure the potential or actual alcohol content in a liquid.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a measuring instrument for determining the specific gravity of a liquid or solid

Từ đồng nghĩa

• gravimeter