How We Measure Weather
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Basics on the topic How We Measure Weather
How do we measure weather? Join Uma and find out!
Transcript How We Measure Weather
Oh, what's blowing in the wind? Uma, it's a windsock! With this we can measure how strongly the wind is blowing! Hmm, how do we measure other types of weather? Let's learn all about how we measure the weather"! We measure the weather to help understand more about it and what could happen. There are many tools we use to measure it! First, we will look at the windsock. The windsock is a flag-like bag attached to a pole. If there is no wind, it hangs down. If it is slightly windy, then it flutters. In strong wind, it fills with air and blows horizontally. You can read the wind strength from the white and red rings on it. The more rings that fill with air, the stronger the wind is. The windsock has five rings which means that the wind is blowing a lot if they are all filled! The smaller end of the windsock points in the direction the wind is blowing. We can also use other devices to measure wind. This is an anemometer which is another instrument used to measure wind speed and direction. The cups turn with help from the wind. The faster they turn, the stronger the wind. Now let's learn about how we measure temperature. You can feel the temperature yourself and say it is hot or cold. But if you want to know the exact temperature, you need a thermometer. This thermometer shows degrees celsius which is represented by a C. In this kind of thermometer, the red line in the tube grows when the air around it heats up. It rises to the top. If the air around it cools down, the red line in the tube shrinks and falls down. To tell the exact temperature, read the number that the red line stops at on the scale. How many degrees does this thermometer show? It shows twenty degrees celsius. It is important to hang the thermometer in the shade because otherwise it will measure the heat of the sun and not the temperature of the air. There are also digital thermometers, like this one. They tell you the exact temperature by showing the number on the screen. Now let's measure the rainfall with a rain gauge! This tool lets you catch the rain in a kind of cylinder. You can measure the amount of rainfall by looking at the scale just like a measuring jug! Rain gauges come in many sizes, this is what a really big gauge looks like. Finally, what about air? We use a barometer to measure the force of air, or its pressure. Your ears may have felt this on an aeroplane or when driving through a tunnel. This tool helps us to predict the weather! If the air pressure goes down, this predicts poorer weather. If the air pressure goes up, this predicts good weather. These are all special tools that measure the weather! But what about Uma? Can she measure the weather without those tools? She could build a weather station. No, that would be too much. Ah yes, this will do just fine!
How We Measure Weather exercise
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Why do we measure the weather?
HintsHere are some of the tools that might be used to measure the weather.
A windsock is just one of the tools we use to measure the weather!
SolutionWhy do we measure the weather?
We measure the weather to understand more about it and what can happen. There are many different tools we use to do this!
It is important for us to understand weather and the effect it has on our planet and lives. A windsock is just one of the tools we use to measure weather!
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What does each tool measure?
HintsThe anemometer has cups that spin around at different speeds when blown.
The barometer measures air pressure.
Many of the tools have the name of the weather that they measure in the name of the tool as well!
SolutionLet's take a look at each of the tools shown.
A windsock and anemometer are used to measure the wind. The stronger the wind, the more the windsock will fill and the more the cups on an anemometer will spin.
We use a thermometer to measure temperature. The red line on the tube goes up and down as the temperature rises and falls. There are also digital thermometers that display the temperature in degrees on a screen.
A rain gauge measures the amount of rain that falls. Markings on the rain gauge show how much rain has fallen in a time period.
Finally, a barometer measures air pressure. When the air pressure goes up it usually means good weather. If the air pressure goes down, it usually means bad weather.
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Which tools are used to measure wind?
HintsThe name of one of the tools that measures wind has the word wind in it!
Remember that we are looking for tools that measure the wind, not rain.
There are two correct answers to select.
SolutionWe use an anemometer and windsock to measure wind.
A rain gauge measures how much rain has fallen, a thermometer measures the temperature and a barometer measures air pressure.
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What does each weather measuring tool do?
HintsThis is an image of a thermometer.
This is an image of an anemometer.
SolutionThermometer
- The red line on the glass tube goes up and down as the temperature rises and falls.
Windsock
- As the wind gets stronger, the cloth tube fills with air showing the strength and direction of the wind.
Anomometer
- This tool has cups that spin as it gets windier. The faster the wind, the faster the cups will move.
Rain gauge
- This tool has a cylinder that collects water and has markings showing ml.
Barometer
- This tool shows when air pressure goes up and down, predicting good or bad weather.
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What is the name of this device?
HintsA thermometer works by red liquid in a glass tube moving up as the temperature rises, and moving down as it gets colder. The degrees are marked on the side of the thermometer.
A barometer measures the air pressure and predicts good (sunny) or bad (rainy) weather.
SolutionA windsock and anemometer are used to measure the wind. The stronger the wind, the more the windsock will fill and the more the cups on an anemometer will spin.
We use a thermometer to measure temperature. The red line on the tube goes up and down as the temperature rises and falls. There are also digital thermometers that display the temperature in degrees on a screen.
A rain gauge measures the amount of rain that falls. Markings on the rain gauge show how much rain has fallen in a time period.
Finally, a barometer measures air pressure. When the air pressure going up there will usually be good weather. If the air pressure goes down, it usually means bad weather.
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Which tools would we need for this experiment?
HintsUma needs to know which direction the wind is blowing.
Uma will need a tool to measure the temperature.
It does not matter how strongly the wind is blowing, only the direction of the wind.
SolutionThe tools that Uma will need are a windsock and a thermometer.
The windsock will show her whether the wind is blowing from the sea or from the mainland.
The thermometer will allow her to accurately record whether the temperature is warmer on days when the wind blows from the mainland, or from the ocean.
