How to Measure Temperature
Whether you’re measuring body temperature or dealing with high-temperature substances in laboratories, you need a very reliable way to measure heat. Thermometers and temperature measurements make it possible for you to gauge the exact temperature of an object you’re testing. Here are some ways to measure temperature.
Thermometers
Before scientific instruments for temperature were developed, most people guessed temperature through guesswork. The problem is that “hot” and “cold” are not precise. For a precise reading of temperature, you need to use a thermometer:
thermometer
Mercury thermometers. Mercury is a substance that reacts wil changing temperatures through capillarity. A small amount of mercury is sealed inside a glass tube, and the mercury rises as the temperature increases. Mercury thermometers are often used to measure body temperature.
Kitchen thermometers are analog versions of the mercury thermometer. Most kitchen thermometers use coil springs to prevent the leaking of, or contamination from, mercury.
Digital thermometers. Digital thermometers are all-purpose thermometers used for clinical, laboratory, and kitchen uses. Unlike analog thermometers, digital thermometers give a very precise temperature reading.
Scientific thermometers. The most precise thermometers are usually used in hospitals, laboratories, and universities. Scientific thermometers give the most precise, if not the exact, reading of a temperature, and can withstand extreme conditions.
Temperature Scales
Temperature is expressed in degrees. There are three common ways to denote temperature:
Fahrenheit. Degrees Fahrenheit sets the lowest temperature (0°F) from a stable mixture of ice, ammonium chloride, and water. Ice melts at 32°F, while it boils at 212°F. Fahrenheit scales are not often used today in science, but is often used in cooking.
Celsius. Degrees Celsius sets the zero temperature from the freezing point of water, or 0°C. Water boils at 100°C. Celsius is often used to measure climate and weather.
Kelvin. Kelvin units are used to measure very precise temperatures in scientific applications. The lowest temperature (0 K) from absolute zero, Water freezes at 273.15 K, and boils at 373.1339 K.
Temperature is very important to determine the amount and degree heat in an environment or from an object. With these steps, you can measure temperature quickly and accurately.