Measuring Temperature

Types of thermometers:

• Liquid-in-glass thermometer: glass tube filled with liquid (often mercury or alcohol) that expands/contracts with air temperature

• maximum thermometer: usually are liquid-in-glass thermometers that record maximum observed temperature

• minimum thermometer: usually are liquid-in-glass thermometers (use alcohol) that record minimum observed temperatures

• Electrical resistance thermometers - measure temperature by measuring resistance in a wire

• radiometer - measures radiation emitted by an object

Q: Where should one measure temperature?

• In the shade

• not at the ground - typically 2 meters above ground level

• most instrumentation shelters are 1.5-2 meters above the ground