3.8: Additional Information
- Page ID
- 46220
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Temperature has been historically measured by a thermometer like the one below. A bulb of expandable fluid grows or shrinks depending on the temperature, indicating the temperature by its top. Thermometers of this type are robust and cheap, but not easily automated.
Another type of early thermometer records the minimum and maximum with mercury (below). A marker is pushed upward (for the maximum) or downward (for the minimum).
Today, most thermometers are electrical. They use components that are temperature sensitive, like a temperature sensitive resistor or capacitor where the electrical current changes depending on temperature. Based on the electrical reading from the instrument, temperature can be automatically recorded.
This type of thermometer is used in radiosondes, which are launched on weather balloons for measuring temperature throughout the entire atmospheric column. We can observe in-situ as high as 50 km, halfway through the stratosphere with a radiosonde balloon.
Thermometers need to be correctly sheltered so that solar radiation does not affect the temperature reading. A shelter is typically placed at least 1 meter above the ground and covered in a white housing that blocks the sun but allows air to flow through like the one in the image.
A temperature reading simply gives the temperature of the air, but wind and humidity can affect the way the atmosphere feels to the human body. The below image shows a wind chill graph where the wind speed and the temperature gives an additional measure of temperature called the wind chill. When the air temperature is cold and the wind is high, the temperature feels even colder and can give a person standing outdoors frostbite within minutes (see the purple area below).
On the other hand when the air is humid, it feels hotter. This is because when the air contains more water vapor and surfaces (like your skin) cannot evaporate it efficiently. Unable to get rid of heat through the latent heat flux (LHF), the surface heats up. This is called the heat index. Notice that a temperature of 84°F at 90% relative humidity has a heat index of 98°F.
You have experienced at least one of these issues (wind chill or heat index) in your lifetime.
Chapter 3: Questions to Consider
- Read the following scenarios and chose the type of energy transfer described.
Query \(\PageIndex{1}\)
- Fill in the blanks to describe what happens when an air parcel rises.
Query \(\PageIndex{2}\)
- Earlier in the chapter, a brick being held up was described as having potential energy. If the brick weighs 3.5 kg and is being held 1.2 m off the ground, how much potential energy does it have? Remember that acceleration from gravity is 9.8 m⋅s-2.
- Mauna Kea, an inactive volcano on the island of Hawai’i, has an elevation of 13,803 ft at the summit. If a weather balloon measures the environmental lapse rate to be 6.5 K⋅km-1, how much cooler is the summit than the rest of the island at sea level?
- In the winter, it often snows on top of Mauna Kea. Explain how that’s possible despite the mountain’s tropical location using your result from the previous question.
Selected Practice Question Answers:
Query \(\PageIndex{3}\)