Thermometer

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/thermometer

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the core physical principles?Thermal expansion, changes in electrical resistance, thermoelectric effect, and thermal radiation
2. What is the key scales?Celsius (°C), Fahrenheit (°F), and Kelvin (K) for scientific applications
3. What is a thermometer and how does it work?A thermometer measures how hot or cold something is. It uses a liquid like mercury or alcohol that expands when it gets warmer, so the liquid rises in a glass tube that shows the temperature on a scale.
4. Why do some thermometers use mercury while others use alcohol?Mercury is very dense and moves a lot when it heats up, so it shows temperature changes clearly. Alcohol is safer and lighter, so it is used in many household thermometers.

Thermodynamics: The branch of physics concerned with heat and its relation to other forms of energy and work.
Thermal Radiation: Electromagnetic radiation emitted by a substance due to its temperature.
Thermocouple: A temperature-measuring device consisting of two dissimilar conductors that produce a small voltage when subjected to temperature differences.