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TEMPERATURE
& TEMPERATURE
THERMOMETERS
PHY 125: HEAT, SOUND AND OPTICS
By
Dr. Oyewumi, K. J.
Physics Department, University of Ilorin
P. M. B. 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria.
TEMPERATURE Cont’d
This is the temperature reached when no more
heat can be removed from a body. Absolute zero
temperature 0K = -273 ℃.
In general, absolute zero, or the thermodynamic
temperature T, is given as = + 273, where =
Celsius temperature.
The concepts of temperature forms basis for
thermodynamics, which is often defined as the
study of temperature, heat, and exchange of
energy.
The temperature of a body is a quantitative
measure of its degree of hotness or coldness.
Temperature is measured by the use of
thermometers.
The SI unit of temperature is Kelvin (K). Kelvin is
defined as 1/273.16 of thermodynamic
temperature of triple point of water.
 Kelvin Scale: This uses the absolute zero of
temperature as its zero.
TEMPERATURE Cont’d
 Other units of temperature are:
1. The Centigrade Scale (℃)
 This scale was suggested by a Swedish Astronomer
Anders Celsius in 1742 and is also known as Celsius scale.
 The ice point is 0℃ and steam point is 100℃, under
normal pressure (76 cm of mercury).
 The interval between the two fixed points is divided into
100 equal parts, each part being called a degree
centigrade or Celsius.
 The thermometer using this scale is known as centigrade
or Celsius thermometer.
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TEMPERATURE Cont’d TEMPERATURE Cont’d

2. The Fahrenheit Scale (℉) 3. The Reaumur Scale (° )

 Suggested by a German Physicist, Fahrenheit in  Suggested by a French Scientist, de-Reaumur in

1720. 1731.

 The ice point is 32℃ and steam point is 212℃.  The ice point is 0 ° and steam point is 80 ° ,
respectively.
 The interval between the two fixed points is divided
into 180 equal parts, each part being called a degree  The interval between the two fixed points is divided
Fahrenheit. into 80 equal parts, each part being called a degree
Reaumur.
 Such a thermometer is known as Fahrenheit
thermometer.  Such a thermometer is known as Reaumur
thermometer.

TEMPERATURE Cont’d TEMPERATURE Cont’d

Figure 2. Relationships among Kelvin (K), Celsius (C), and

Fahrenheit (F) temperature scales. Temperatures have been rounded off to
Figure 1. A comparison of the three thermometric scales the nearest degree.
indicating the ice and steam points

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TEMPERATURE Cont’d TEMPERATURE Cont’d

 Conversion of Temperature:
 , that is
 From Figure1., it is clear that between the two fixed
points (ice and steam points) there are 100  = =
Centigrade degrees, 180 Fahrenheit degrees, and 80
Reaumur degrees, that is
 = =

 100 ° = 180 ° = 80 ° .  or

 If C, F and R are actual reading on Centigrade,

Fahrenheit and Reaumur scales for the same  = =
temperature, we have the following simple relation
for converting reading from one scale to another:

TEMPERATURE Cont’d TEMPERATURE Cont’d

Scale of temperature: this is the quantity used to
define a thermometer.
Every scale of temperature measurement
(thermometer) needs:
I. A property which increases continuously with
temperature (thermometric property).
II. Two fixed points, ice point and steam point
which are the temperatures of pure melting ice
and saturated steam at normal atmospheric
pressure, respectively.
III. A numerical scale.
Thermometric properties: These are the
properties that are sensitive to temperature
variations.
Different types of thermometers have
different thermometric properties (that is,
what they actually measure).
Liquid-in-glass thermometer measures
height or length.
Water-Vapour Thermometer measures
saturated vapour pressure (SVP).

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TEMPERATURE Cont’d
Constant-Volume gas thermometer measures
volume (V).
Constant-Pressure gas thermometer measures
pressure (P).
Resistance thermometer measures electrical
resistance (R).
Thermocouple thermometer or thermoelectric
thermometer measures EMF (E).
TEMPERATURE Cont’d
Triple point of water and the ideal gas scale:
Water can exist simultaneously in solid, liquid or
gaseous form at only one temperature and
pressure, this point is called the triple point of
water.
This point is chosen because, it can be
established with great precision and all
thermometers have the same readings at this
point.
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TEMPERATURE Cont’d
Optical pyrometer measures colour changes, the
principle is based on Planck’s radiation law. It
measures the quality of electromagnetic
radiations emitted by a very hot object.
Fundamental Interval: The fundamental interval
of a thermometer is the difference between the
two fixed points, that is, ice and steam points.
TEMPERATURE Cont’d
The temperature in absolute scale on the ideal
gas scale, also called the thermodynamic
temperature scale is defined by the relation:
 = 273.16 , where is the thermometric
property at temperature T and is the
thermometric property at triple point of water.
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Comparison between Mercury and Alcohol as
Thermometric liquids.
1. Mercury is opaque and it is easier to read its
temperature, while Alcohol is transparent and it is
difficult to read its temperature unless it is coloured.
Alcohol wets of the sides of the capillary tube of the
thermometer.
2. Mercury is a good conductor of heat and easily takes
of the temperature of the surrounding, that is, high
coefficient of expansion, while Alcohol is a poor
conductor of heat. The whole of the Alcohol do not all
come up to the temperature of the surrounding quickly
at the same time.
Comparison between Mercury and Alcohol as
Thermometric liquids Cont’d.
6. The specific heat capacity of Mercury is
138 (very small), while that of alcohol is
25200 (relatively big).
7. Relative density of Mercury is high, that is, 13.6, while
that of Alcohol is low, that is, 0.8.
8. Mercury has low freezing point (-39 ℃) and high boiling
point (360℃), while Alcohol has a lower freezing point (-
112 ℃) and boiling point (78℃).
9. Mercury is expensive, while Alcohol is comparatively
cheap.
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Comparison between Mercury and Alcohol as
Thermometric liquids Cont’d.
3. Mercury expands regularly, while Alcohol does not
expand regularly, though, it expands about six times as
Mercury does for the same temperature rise.
4. Mercury does not vapourize easily and its vapour is
poisonous, while Alcohol vapourizes easily.
5. The cubical expansivity of Mercury is 0.00018 (very
small), while that of alcohol is 0.00104 (relatively
higher than Mercury).
Thermometers Cont’d.
Errors due to Liquid-in-Glass Thermometers.
1.Change of zero.
2.Recent heating.
3.Non-uniformity of the bore of the capillary tube.
4.Due to exposed stem
5.Internal pressure and position.
Why Water is bad Thermometric Liquid.
1. It has irregular expansion and contrast when warmed from
0 ℃ to 4 ℃ .
2. It is colourless.
3. It wets glass.
4. It has low temperature range 0 ℃ to 100 ℃ .
5. It is a poor conductor of heat.
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TEMPERATURE Cont’d
Thermal equilibrium: When two bodies
at different temperatures are placed in
thermal contact, heat energy flows
from the body at higher temperature to
the one at lower temperature, until a
final uniform temperature is reached or
attained.

 This state of equal temperature of two

bodies is called thermal equilibrium.