Using Thermometers

In Science this week we talked about why meteorologists use instruments to measure weather rather than just relying on their senses. We realized that weather forecasts would be pretty confusing if meteorologists just walked outside and said how the weather felt to them. It might sound something like this:

Meteorologist #1 (who has just moved to Surrey from Nunavut): It's warm today!

Meteorologist #2 (who has just moved to Surrey from Hawaii): It's very cold today!

We wouldn't know whether to wear shorts or parkas! We realized that with instruments, meteorologists can be more accurate, and everyone will give the same information.

The first instrument we talked about was thermometers to measure temperature. First, we learned how to properly read a thermometer:

1) Hold the thermometer at eye level.
2) Hold the thermometer at the top so that your hand does not cover the bulb of the thermometer.   Otherwise, the heat from your hand will heat up the liquid inside the thermometer and make it seem like the temperature is hotter than it really is.
3) Each little line means one degree.
4) If the liquid is below zero than we read these numbers as negative numbers.
(ex. -2 degrees Celsius)

Next, we practiced using thermometers to measure the temperature in different areas inside the school. We found that the temperature varied from one place to another. The coldest place was the gym (about 20 degrees Celsius) and the warmest place was our classroom (about 24 degrees Celsius).

Finally, we went outside to measure the temperature.  Wow, was it cold!  It was about -5 degrees Celsius!  This is very cold for Surrey.  

 

If you are visiting our blog from somewhere far away, what is temperature like in your part of the world?  If you live near Surrey, have you ever been to another place where the temperatures were much hotter or colder than here?