To list and describe the four commonly used thermometers.
To discuss the factors that are necessary to obtain an accurate air temperature
reading.
To compare and contrast the Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin temperature
scales and perform conversions between each scale, given a selected temperature
reading.
To list typical values and the observed extreme ranges of surface air temperature.
To compute the daily mean, daily range, monthly mean, annual mean and annual
range of temperature at a locale from a provided data set.
To calculate heating- and cooling- degree day units from appropriate data
and relate these calculations to expected fuel consumption.
To recognize the influence of the major controls of temperature upon the
world temperature distribution.
To label the salient features of a typical vertical temperature profile
of the earth's atmosphere ranging from the earth's surface to a height
of several hundred kilometers, using the traditional temperature based
nomenclature.
To describe the general characteristics of the layers in the earth's atmosphere
based upon the vertical variation in air temperature.
To identify the causes responsible for this temperature profile.
Outline:
A. BACKGROUND
Definitions Temperature, Heat, Internal Energy
Human Significance of Temperature
B. THERMOMETRY
The Science of Thermometry
Types of Thermometers
Liquid-in-glass thermometers
Maximum recording thermometers
Minimum recording thermometers
Deformation thermometers
Bimetallic thermometers
Electrical thermometers
Thermistors
Radiation thermometers (radiometers)
Measurement Requirements
Thermometer Exposure
Temperature Scales
Historical Background
The Three Temperature Scales: Fahrenheit, Celsius and Kelvin
Temperature Scale Conversions
C. THE CLIMATOLOGY OF NEAR-SURFACE AIR TEMPERATURE
Temporal Variation in Air Temperature
Diurnal cycle
Annual cycle
Spatial Variation in Observed Atmospheric Temperature
North-south
Continent-ocean
Average Daily Temperatures and Degree-Day Units
D. VARIATION OF OBSERVED AIR TEMPERATURE WITH HEIGHT
Temperature lapse rates
Layer nomenclature
isothermal, inversion, lapse
The Standard Reference Atmosphere
The Temperature Spheres
The boundaries or "pauses"
Reasons for the observed vertical temperature structure
Implications of the vertical temperature structure
Links to Other References:
A set of background documents for meteorological instruments, to include
thermometers, at several levels of difficulty appear as Digital
Library in the EarthLab
Project , at a level intended for the general public. See other demonstrations
entitled Weather
Tools and Displays .
Last revision 20 May 1999
Produced by Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D.
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 53706
hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu