General
Information about Temperature
The measurement of temperature in the laboratory is
unsophisticated in its approach and at the same time complicated.
Temperature is best defined as the level of thermal
energy, where temperature is the driving force of thermodynamic flow.
Three of the most commonly used scales for measuring
temperature are:
Celsius or Centigrade = C
Fahrenheit = F
Kelvin = K
See the chart below for common temperature
measurements in each scale.
|
Common
Temperatures Standard Measuring Points
|
|
Degrees
|
°C
|
°F
|
°K
|
|
Boiling Point of Water
|
100.00
|
212.00
|
373.00
|
|
Ice Point of Water
|
0.00
|
32.00
|
273.00
|
|
Absolute Zero
|
-273.00
|
-460.00
|
0.00
|
The conversion of
temperature readings from one scale to another can be easily calculated by using the
appropriate formula below.
The following is a "Quick Reference Chart"
for converting temperatures from Centigrade to Fahrenheit. To use, look up the measured
temperature in the middle column and find its conversion by looking left for Centigrade
and right for Fahrenheit. (Chart assumes measured temperature to be in either Centigrade
or Fahrenheit to start with.)
|
Quick Reference
Temperature Conversion Chart
|
|
°C
|
|
°F
|
°C
|
|
°F
|
|
-34.4
|
-30
|
-22
|
9.44
|
49
|
120.2
|
|
-28.9
|
-20
|
-4.0
|
10.0
|
50
|
122.0
|
|
-23.3
|
-10
|
14
|
10.6
|
51
|
123.8
|
|
-17.8
|
0
|
32
|
11.1
|
52
|
125.6
|
|
-17.2
|
1
|
33.8
|
11.7
|
53
|
127.4
|
|
-16.7
|
2
|
35.6
|
12.2
|
54
|
129.2
|
|
-16.1
|
3
|
37.4
|
12.8
|
55
|
131.0
|
|
-15.6
|
4
|
39.2
|
13.3
|
56
|
132.8
|
|
-15.0
|
5
|
41.0
|
13.9
|
57
|
134.6
|
|
-14.4
|
6
|
42.8
|
14.4
|
58
|
136.4
|
|
-13.9
|
7
|
44.6
|
15.0
|
59
|
138.2
|
|
-13.3
|
8
|
46.4
|
15.6
|
60
|
140.0
|
|
-12.8
|
9
|
48.2
|
16.1
|
61
|
141.8
|
|
-12.2
|
10
|
50.0
|
16.7
|
62
|
143.6
|
|
-11.7
|
11
|
51.8
|
17.2
|
63
|
145.4
|
|
-11.1
|
12
|
53.6
|
17.8
|
64
|
147.2
|
|
-10.6
|
13
|
55.4
|
18.3
|
65
|
149.0
|
|
-10.0
|
14
|
57.2
|
18.9
|
66
|
150.8
|
|
-8.89
|
16
|
60.8
|
20.0
|
68
|
154.4
|
|
-8.33
|
17
|
62.6
|
20.6
|
69
|
156.2
|
|
-7.78
|
18
|
64.4
|
21.1
|
70
|
158.0
|
|
-7.22
|
19
|
66.2
|
21.7
|
71
|
159.8
|
|
-6.67
|
20
|
68.0
|
22.2
|
72
|
161.6
|
|
-6.11
|
21
|
69.8
|
22.8
|
73
|
163.4
|
|
-5.56
|
22
|
71.6
|
23.3
|
74
|
165.2
|
|
-5.00
|
23
|
73.4
|
23.9
|
75
|
167.0
|
|
-4.44
|
24
|
75.2
|
24.4
|
76
|
168.8
|
|
-3.89
|
25
|
77.0
|
25.0
|
77
|
170.6
|
|
-3.33
|
26
|
78.8
|
25.6
|
78
|
172.4
|
|
-2.78
|
27
|
80.6
|
26.1
|
79
|
174.2
|
|
-2.22
|
28
|
82.4
|
26.7
|
80
|
176.0
|
|
-1.67
|
29
|
84.2
|
27.2
|
81
|
177.8
|
|
-1.11
|
30
|
86.0
|
27.8
|
82
|
179.6
|
|
-0.56
|
31
|
87.8
|
28.3
|
83
|
181.4
|
|
0.00
|
32
|
89.6
|
28.9
|
84
|
183.2
|
|
0.56
|
33
|
91.4
|
29.4
|
85
|
185.0
|
|
1.11
|
34
|
93.2
|
33.3
|
86
|
186.8
|
|
1.67
|
35
|
95.0
|
33.9
|
93
|
199.4
|
|
2.22
|
36
|
96.8
|
34.4
|
94
|
201.2
|
|
2.78
|
37
|
98.6
|
35.0
|
95
|
203.0
|
|
3.33
|
38
|
100.4
|
35.6
|
96
|
204.8
|
|
3.89
|
39
|
102.2
|
36.1
|
97
|
206.6
|
|
4.44
|
40
|
104.0
|
36.7
|
98
|
208.4
|
|
5.00
|
41
|
105.8
|
37.2
|
99
|
210.2
|
|
5.56
|
42
|
107.6
|
37.8
|
100
|
212.0
|
Liquid in Glass Thermometers
Technika offers certified versions of mercury filled
and spirit filled liquid in glass thermometers. Our certified liquid in glass thermometers
is a partial immersion thermometer, which means a line has been scribed in the body at
76mm from the bottom of the bulb. For proper temperature measurements, the thermometer
should be immersed into the media being measured to the scribe line.
Temperature with Relative Humidity
General Characteristics:
RH (relative humidity) measurement can be accomplished by several means. A sling
psychrometer can be used to measure RH. This is done using a wet and a dry thermometer;
the RH is proportional to the temperature of the wet bulb when compared to the temperature
of the dry thermometer. This system is tried and true but not as accurate as digital and
synthetic hair hygrometers.
Synthetic Hair Hygrometers:
Synthetic hair hygrometers are exactly that—a moisture sensitive "hair"
that contracts or expands depending on the amount of water in the air. This contraction
and expansion can easily be measured on a dial marked with the % RH. Synthetic hair
hygrometers are accurate, but only in a limited range. If your application involves small
fluctuations in RH%, then these are economical and effective devices. We do not recommend
these as portable units, because the reaction time is slow, and moving rapidly through
changing environments will affect the calibration and accuracy of the units.
