Thermometers

A thermometer is a type of instrument used to gauge temperature. These instruments are made using a variety of different tools.

How Thermometers Work

Most thermometers work by using a contained substance which expands or contracts as temperature changes. For instance, the Mercury thermometer expands as temperature rises and contracts as temperature drops. This liquid is confined to a vertical column, and this liquid is forced up and down it.

Types Of Thermometers

As mentioned above, one of the types of thermometers is the mercury thermometer. Another type of thermometer that works similarly to the mercury one is the one that measures temperature using alcohol.

Just like mercury, alcohol expands when heated, and contracts when cooled. Again, this liquid is force up and down a column.

Other types of thermometers include the water-based ones and the Celsius thermometer, among others. More about these are described in the next section-“History of Thermometers”. You can also learn more about the modern-day digital thermometers in the next section as well.

History Of Thermometers

The first Mercury thermometer was invented in the year 1714 by Gabriel Fahrenheit. Of course, this is the man after whom one scale of modern temperature measurements is named as well. A Few years prior, Mr. Fahrenheit had also invented the alcohol thermometer.

Before the invention of the Mercury thermometer, the thermoscope had been invented. This was one of the more primitive temperature measuring devices which had undergone quite a few advancements. For example, an Italian inventor known as Santorio Santorio was the first to apply a numerical scale to this device.

Before all of this, Galileo Galilei had invented a type of water-based thermometer in the year 1593. This was the first time that temperature variations were ever measured in history.

This crude temperature-measuring instrument was not necessarily Galileo’s most successful invention (as opposed to his success developing early clocks as well as a military compass). However, it had paved the way for future curiosity as far as being able to measure temperature is concerned.

Of course, there also is the Celsius version of the thermometer, which works in a similar way as most Fahrenheit measuring instruments. The Celsius scale used for this type of tool is based on intervals of 100. For example, there is 100 degrees (°) between the freezing point, which is 0°C (Celsius) and the boiling point, which is 100°C.

How To Build A Thermometer

Thermometers can be built at home using a variety of different materials. For instance, this type of device can be created from items such as a plastic bottle, water, rubbing alcohol, and clear plastic drinking straw. Modeling clay and food coloring is used as well.