The correct spelling of the word "maximum thermometer" is /mæksɪməm θərˈmɑmɪtər/. The first syllable is pronounced as "max" with a short "a" sound followed by "uhm." The second syllable "imum" is pronounced as "im" with a short "i" sound and "uhm." The final syllable is pronounced as "ther" with a silent "e" and "maw-muh-tur." A maximum thermometer is an instrument used to measure the highest temperature reached during a given time period.
A maximum thermometer is a specialized temperature measuring device commonly used in meteorology and other fields to determine the highest temperature reached within a given period. It is designed to record the maximum temperature attained since its last reset or reading.
The maximum thermometer consists of a glass tube filled with a liquid such as mercury or alcohol with a properly positioned constriction or bulb. As the temperature rises, the liquid expands and moves up the tube. However, when the temperature falls, the liquid cannot flow back into the bulb due to the constriction, which prevents the liquid level from reducing incorrectly. This ensures that only the highest temperature reached remains recorded.
To read the maximum temperature, the thermometer is reset by either manually shaking or inverting it, allowing the liquid to contract and return to the bulb. As the temperature increases again, the liquid expands and remains in the position representing the maximum temperature reached until the reading is taken.
Maximum thermometers are commonly used in weather stations, greenhouses, and laboratories to track temperature fluctuations. They provide valuable data for climate analysis, risk assessments, and various scientific experiments. Additionally, maximum thermometers are frequently found in indoor and outdoor weather instruments, such as barometers or hygrometers, enhancing their overall functionality.
See self-registering t.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "maximum" comes from the Latin word "maximus", which means "greatest" or "largest". The term "thermometer" is derived from the Greek words "thermos" which means "heat" and "metron" which means "measure". Therefore, the etymology of "maximum thermometer" can be understood as a thermometer used to measure the highest or maximum temperature.