Lesson Two

Lesson Two: Temperature and Thermometers

Today I am… learning about temperature and ways to measure temperature

So I can… understand how we measure temperatures with different instruments

I’ll know I have it when… I can compare and contrast the various instruments used to measure temperature

The estimated time to complete this lesson is 2 hours

By the end of the lesson...

You should be able to answer these questions:

What are four technologies that are used to measure temperature?
What are some old technologies used to measure temperature?
What happens to a liquid thermometer in the summer?

Lets Review

Last lesson we learned about temperature and temperature scales. Try to answer these questions before we begin today:

What are three temperature scales?
Are our senses the most reliable to estimate the temperature of items?
Where are some places in a home where we could put a thermometer?

How can we measure temperature?

What are some of the different ways that we can measure temperature?
If you wanted to measure your temperature, how would you do it?

Write down your answers on a piece of paper

Measuring temperature in the past

Galileo Thermoscope

Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer, engineer and physicist
He invented the thermometer in the 1600’s
Each bulb has a different liquid with a different density or weight
As matter cools it becomes more dense (heavy), as it warms it becomes less dense (lighter)

Boyle's Thermometer

Robert Boyle was born in Ireland and is seen as the first modern chemist
He proved that senses can be subjective, they don't always tell us the right temperature (remember the hand experiment)
He thought that heat and cold were separate from each other, but they are related

Galileo Thermoscope

Watch this video to learn more about how a Galileo Thermoscope is able to measure the temperature.

What do you think would happen to the bulbs in the Galileo Thermoscope if you put it outside in the winter?

Measuring temperature in the present

Liquid Thermometer

The liquid inside is coloured alcohol
It used to be mercury
The liquid rises or expands when warmed
The liquid falls or contracts when cooled

Thermostat

They can switch an appliance on or off at a specific temperature
They use a bimetallic strip to measure the temperature
A bimetallic strip is made of two types of metals
The metals expand and contract which causes the strip to bend
The amount of bending depends on the temperature

Thermocouple

This uses electricity
It has two different metal wires that are connected at one end
They are used to measure really high temperatures
By measuring the amount of electricity that flows through the wires, you can measure the temperature of the metals

Clinical Thermometer

This is sensitive to very small changes in temperature
It is used to measure the temperature of a human body
The temperature of a human in 37⁰C

Infrared Thermography

It is used to detect the heat energy of an object without touching it
Each temperature is represented by a different colour

Digital Thermometer

These give you a temperature within seconds
Some digital thermometers can be linked to a computer to record temperature data over time
This is just one example of a digital thermometer

Learn more about infrared thermography

Infrared thermography is a very important tool. It allows us to determine the temperature of an object without touching it. Watch the video to learn more about how important it can be.

Have you seen or heard of any of these temperature measuring technologies before?

Where have you seen these methods to measure temperature before?
Have you ever used any of these temperature measuring technologies?

2.2 Temperature and Thermometer Worksheet

Test your knowledge

Now that you have learned about different forms of technology used to measure temperature, try to complete the worksheet to the left.

In part one, you will choose an appropriate temperature measuring technology to measure the temperature of various objects
In part two, you will compare and contrast any two of the technologies that were discussed

For fun, try to find the actual temperatures of each of the objects in part one!

How could we build our own liquid thermometer?

We have learned about the different technologies that have been used to measure temperature. Just like Galileo and Boyle, they had to create thermometers from the items they had available to them. You may not realize it, but you probably have all the materials in your house to build your own simple liquid thermometer.

Before you get started, think about the different parts that are in a liquid thermometer. How could you build this using the materials listed?

The materials that you will need to build the thermometer are:

Water
A straw
A pop bottle
Clay or a glue gun

Use the document to the right to help you build and test your thermometer. Get your friends and family to use it too to collect more data!

2.3 Making an Air Thermometer (worksheet & rubric)

Before you go...

Make sure you can answer these questions so you know you have a good understanding of the material! Try to answer these questions before moving onto the next lesson:

Can you list four technologies used to measure temperature?
What is one of the old technologies used to measure temperature?
What do you think happens to the liquid in a liquid thermometer if it is outside in the summer?

Take the quiz to make sure you are on the right track!

Resources

Find a variety of resources that correspond to this lesson to help enhance learning and understanding. The documents can either be printed off or opened and edited in Google Docs.

2. Temperature and Thermometers

This fill in the blank worksheet is designed to accompany the slideshow. However, it can be used in conjunction with this web page.

2.1 Temperature and Thermometers (Notes)

To make sure you have a good understanding of temperature and thermometers, you can complete the worksheet below.

2.2 Temperature and Thermometer Worksheet

This worksheet is designed as a resource to help facilitate the creation of an air thermometer. The materials, procedure, analysis and questions are included.

2.3 Making an Air Thermometer (worksheet & rubric)

This document is designed to provide additional information and resources when creating the air thermometer. It offers alternative materials and methods.

2.4 Building an Air Thermometer: Teachers Notes

References

American Scientific, LLC. (2018, August 10) STEM Product- Galileo Thermometer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoW20hgMjOg
Eitel, J. (2017, April 24). Sciencing. How to make a Galilean Thermometer. Retrieved on April 10, 2020 from https://sciencing.com/make-galilean-thermometer-5075484.html
Fluke Thermal Imaging. (2010, February 3). Benefits of Thermography. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=lDwtDyEVxI0&feature=emb_logo
How Stuff Works. (n.d.). How does a Galileo thermometer work? Retrieved on April 10, 2020 from https://science.howstuffworks.com/how-does-a-galileo-thermometer-work.htm
John J. Burns Library’s Blog(2016, February 16). Feeling Cold?: Robert Boyle’s Experiments with Temperature. Retrieved on April 10, 2020 from https://johnjburnslibrary.wordpress.com/2015/02/16/robertboyle/
Nelson Thomas Learning. (1999). Nelson Science & Technology 7.

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