Temperature controllers regulate the temperature of a system, such as water baths in scientific labs or aquariums for fish. They can be man-made or natural, and living organisms have natural thermoregulators. Cold-blooded animals regulate their body temperature using external means, such as basking in the sun.
A temperature controller is any device, man-made or natural, that controls the temperature within a system. Science laboratories use devices called temperature controllers to maintain the temperature of a water bath while heating or cooling chemical solutions. Other types of temperature controllers are used in agriculture and aquaculture to control temperatures for the benefit of live animals. Living organisms also use natural thermoregulators to control body temperature.
It is often important in industrial and scientific laboratories to keep a chemical solution at a certain temperature so that a reaction or process can be carried out. One way to accomplish this is to immerse the solution container in a water bath. The heat or cold of the surrounding water alters the temperature inside the container without coming into direct contact with the solution, providing a gentle and effective means of regulating the temperature of the solution from the outside.
A laboratory temperature controller keeps the temperature of the water bath constant by heating or cooling the water, which is then circulated through the bath by a pump mechanism. The thermoregulator is usually hooked to the tank in such a way as to be partially immersed, to allow the correct functioning of both the circulator and the electronic components. Manufacturers offer these devices in a variety of sizes, designs, and temperature ranges for different needs. A typical scientific temperature controller may be able to maintain temperatures between -40°F (-40°C) and 248°F (120°C).
Temperature controllers can also be useful in other applications. Aquariums, for example, need to be kept at a certain temperature for fish to thrive; often this temperature is higher than the ambient one, as in the case of tropical fish. Special temperature regulating devices are sold for use in the aquarium. Agricultural environments also sometimes use temperature controllers. Incubators for hatching chicks need to be kept above room temperature and temperature controllers are used to ensure the correct level of heat.
Humans and other mammals have built-in biological thermoregulators that control body temperature. The production of sweat for cooling during periods of intense heat or exercise is an example of a natural thermoregulatory process. A part of the brain called the hypothalamus provides signals that increase or decrease body temperature depending on external stimuli, such as environmental heat or cold.
Cold-blooded animals, such as reptiles, do not have the same internal thermoregulatory mechanisms as humans and other mammals. Instead of sweating or shivering in response to changes in the environment, reptiles must regulate their body temperature using external means. This is why lizards spend their time basking in warm sunlight: The sun’s heat acts as an external thermoregulator, allowing the animal to maintain a warm body temperature.
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