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Room temperature refers to the indoor air temperature that people generally find comfortable. Measuring room temperature is quite straightforward. You can place a thermometer in the center of the room to check the temperature or use a room temperature measurement app on your smartphone.
Steps
Using a Thermometer
Opt for a digital thermometer for the most accurate results. Digital thermometers are typically more expensive than other types, but they provide quicker and more precise readings. They also respond faster to temperature changes compared to other thermometers, ensuring the accuracy of the measurements.
- Many digital thermometers also feature the ability to store temperature readings. This allows you to compare room temperatures at different times to observe changes.
Use a glass thermometer for relatively accurate results. A glass thermometer consists of a glass tube containing a liquid inside. When the surrounding air temperature rises, the liquid in the tube moves upward, allowing you to determine the room temperature with reasonable accuracy.
- Choose a glass thermometer that does not contain mercury. Mercury is highly toxic and can be dangerous if the thermometer accidentally breaks.
- Glass thermometers are also known as bulb thermometers.
Opt for a bimetallic thermometer for easy temperature observation. A bimetallic thermometer, or dial thermometer, features a metal strip that moves across a circular dial to display the temperature. This metal strip expands and bends as the temperature increases, causing it to shift on the dial. A large arrow at the end of the strip makes it easy to read the temperature.
- Bimetallic thermometers are less accurate than digital thermometers.
Place the thermometer in the center of the room. Regardless of the type of thermometer you use, position it in the middle of the room, about 0.6 meters above the floor, for the most accurate room temperature reading. Mounting it on a wall may lead to inaccurate results due to the wall's temperature influence.
- Place the thermometer on a table or chair to avoid interference from the floor's temperature.
Tip: Ensure there are no other heat sources near the thermometer.
Wait 5 minutes for the thermometer to adjust to the room temperature. Before taking a reading, allow the thermometer some time to acclimate to the room's temperature. Most thermometers, especially glass and bimetallic ones, require a few minutes to provide an accurate measurement.
- Avoid holding or standing too close to the thermometer to prevent your body heat from affecting the reading.
Check the temperature on the thermometer. After placing the thermometer in the center of the room and waiting a few minutes for it to adjust, you can read the thermometer to get the measurement. The average room temperature typically ranges between 21–24 °C.
- Digital thermometers display the reading on a screen and provide the most accurate results.
- For glass thermometers, read the number at the top of the liquid column to determine the room temperature.
- With bimetallic thermometers, observe the number indicated by the arrow on the metal strip to find the room temperature.
Using a Smartphone
Download a thermometer app on your phone. Many smartphones come equipped with sensors that monitor the device's temperature. You can download apps that utilize these sensors to measure room temperature. Open your phone's app store, search for a thermometer app, and download it.
- Visit the app store to download a thermometer app for iPhones.
- Use the Google Play Store to download the app if you have an Android device.
- Popular thermometer apps include My Thermometer, Smart Thermometer, and iThermometer.
Open the app. Once the app is downloaded, locate and tap its icon on your phone's screen to launch it. You may need to wait a few minutes for the app to update.
- Ensure the download is complete before attempting to open the app.
Select the ambient temperature measurement feature. Depending on the app, you may have various temperature measurement options. Many apps allow you to check your phone's battery temperature or the external temperature based on weather data. Choose the ambient temperature mode to measure the room temperature.
Tip: Most apps allow you to choose between measuring in Celsius or Fahrenheit. Additionally, you can convert the measurement results from Fahrenheit to Celsius or vice versa.
