Temperature

Topic Content:

Temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of a body, in this case, the atmosphere. It is commonly measured in Celsius or Fahrenheit. The Sun is the source of heat on Earth and directly affects the temperature.

Measurement of Temperature using a Thermometer:

A thermometer is a narrow glass tube filled with mercury or alcohol. It works based on the principle that mercury and alcohol expand when heated and contract when cooled. The unit of temperature readings is either Celsius/Centigrade (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F). On a Centigrade Thermometer, freezing of water occurs at 0°C whereas the boiling point of water is 100°C. While on a Fahrenheit Thermometer, water freezes at 32°F and the boiling point of water is 212°F.

When measuring the Temperature of the Atmosphere (or air), it is important to obtain the reading exclusive of the heat of the sun’s intense radiation. To ensure the readings obtained are accurate, thermometers used for taking the Atmospheric Temperature are placed in a shelter known as the Stevenson Screen.

A Stevenson Screen is a box-like shelter or enclosure, placed 4