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Answers to Readers' Questions on Physical Science:

Temperature Measurement

The following 3 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.

List of first 10 items

• Is each degree in a thermometer the same?
• How can I measure temperature without a thermometer?
• Can a color thermometer be used below freezing?

Next 10

Is each degree in a thermometer the same?

Question

April 9, 2009

How do we know that each degree in a thermometer represents equal amount of heat

sushil - India

17580

Answer

The temperature of the object is a measurement of its average thermal energy. Heat is defined as the transfer of thermal energy.

A Celsius degree is 1/100th of the difference between freezing and boiling points of water. The assumption is that the change in thermal energy is the same for each degree.

But that may not be true, because the material in a thermometer that is based on expansion may not expand linearly with temperature.

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How can I measure temperature without a thermometer?

Question

March 30, 2009

plz, give me five manners used to measure temperature without using thermometer

AIME - Rwanda

17529

Answer

A thermometer is the only device to measure temperature. There are different types of thermometers. Some use colored liquid, some use bending metal and some use changes in electricity. You cannot measure temperature without a thermometer. But you can detect heat without one.

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Can a color thermometer be used below freezing?

Question

February 21, 2008

Can a color-change thermometer be used at temps below freezing? Even though not real accurate, could they show a range of 0-10f and 10-20f?

frank - USA

15411

Answer

Thermacolor thermometers have a range from -22 F to 194 F with an accuracy of several degrees.

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