Thermometry measures temperature using contact or non-contact methods and different scales such as Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin. It determines the energy released or absorbed by an object and can be used to compare temperatures quantitatively.
Thermometry is basically the process of measuring the temperature of a particular material or substance, often through the use of an arbitrary but commonly agreed upon scale. The temperature of an object is typically viewed in relation to the energy in that object, usually heat release or absorption. There are several ways this type of temperature can be measured, although common methods include contact and non-contact measurement procedures. Thermometry measurements can be expressed using a number of different systems such as Fahrenheit (F), Celsius (C) and Kelvin (K) which typically refer to different units in terms of numerical degrees.
The general purpose of thermometry is to measure the temperature of an object, which can be a solid, liquid or gas. Temperature is a basic expression of how “hot” or “cold” an object is, indicating whether heat is likely to be transferred to it from another object or from it to that object. The temperature of an object is based on the kinetic energy of the particles within that object and is an expression of the energy that is released or absorbed by it. Thermometry can be used to measure the temperature of an object to provide information for that material relative to other objects in a quantitative way.
There are several ways that measurements can be made in thermometry, although most techniques fall under contact or non-contact methods. Contact measurements are made by bringing one object into direct contact with another, which matches the temperature of the second object, and then transmits the temperature information. An ordinary glass thermometer, for example, uses this type of measurement because the mercury inside the glass corresponds to a person’s temperature and expands according to that new temperature. Non-contact measurements in thermometry do not require physical contact between two objects and can include the use of infrared thermometers to measure temperature based on the heat emission from an object.
Different scales have also been developed for measurements made in thermometry and the preferred scale often depends on the context in which it is used. Most scales for thermometry use degrees or “°” as a unit of measurement, although the Kelvin scale, often used in scientific measurements, does not. In the United States, the most common scale for non-scientific measurements is Fahrenheit, in which water freezes at 32°F; and boils at 212° F;. Celsius is used in many other countries, such as the UK, and was formerly known as “Centigrade”; water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C.
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