Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

How to Measure Room Temperatures With a Laboratory Thermometer

Temperature is key measurable quantity used throughout science and engineering. On the microscopic level, temperature is related to the velocity that atoms move and bump into one another. The faster the atoms move around, the higher the temperature. A thermometer is a device used to measure temperature and there are several types on the market. The most common type of laboratory thermometer consists of a narrow glass tube which is filled with a quantity of liquid mercury. This is known as a mercury thermometer.

Things You'll Need

Mercury thermometer
Nail
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Find a wall within the room that does not have a window. Using the hammer, knock a nail into the wall. Hang the mercury thermometer from the nail.
- 2
  Read off the value of temperature at the point where the mercury level stops. The left-hand-side of the mercury has a scale which is in Fahrenheit, whereas the right-hand-side of the mercury has a scale that is in Celsius.
- 3
  Measure the temperature everyday at the same time for seven days. Add the seven temperature measurements, and divide by seven to get the average room temperature.

Science