An Urinometer is a simple piece of equipment for determining
urine specific gravity
Specific gravity, in the context of clinical pathology, is a urinalysis parameter commonly used in the evaluation of kidney function and can aid in the diagnosis of various renal diseases.
Background
One of the main roles of the kidneys in hu ...
.
Description
A typical urinometer is composed of a float, a weight, and a stem. The float is an air-filled glass tube, ending in the weight on the left and the stem on the right. The weight is a bulb filled with ball bearings embedded in a red solid, probably a glue of some sort. The glass stem extends to the right, and has calibrated graduations and numbers marked off to indicate specific gravity measurements.
Application
An urinometer is typically used in medical
diagnostic
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine " cause and effect". In systems engine ...
labs. It is placed in a tube of urine, and where the
meniscus
Meniscus may refer to:
*Meniscus (anatomy), crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that partly divides a joint cavity
*Meniscus (liquid)
The meniscus (plural: ''menisci'', from the Greek for "crescent") is the curve in the upper surface ...
of the urine reaches displays the specific gravity of the urine.
See also
*
Urinalysis
Urinalysis, a portmanteau of the words ''urine'' and ''analysis'', is a panel of medical tests that includes physical (macroscopic) examination of the urine, chemical evaluation using urine test strips, and microscopic examination. Macroscopic e ...
References
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Urine