What is the tool?
Why is it important to measure?
How does it work?
Where should it be placed?
Precipitation Rain Gauge - cylinder with one inch markings that is open at the top
Too much rain - flooding
Too little rain - drought, plants die
Rain falls into cylinder from the top and rain collects to be measured
Place in open area (no trees) where the rain can fall into gauge
Air
Temperature
Thermometer - measured with *C or *F. Glass tube with alcohol marked with the temperature scale
Air temperature determines what clothes to wear and activities able to do. Plants need warm temperature, below freezing hurts plants.
The alcohol in the bottom reservoir of thermometer goes up to the point of the temperature outside in the environment.
Air Pressure Barometer - dish of mercury with a glass tube with markings placed into the liquid. Air pressure pushes mercury up into glass tube.
Note the difference in weather-sunny or cloudy/stormy.
Determines mass of the air.
Read the markings on the glass tube to measure the rise and fall of the liquid mercury.
Put thermometer in shelter to protect from wind and moisture
(cooler) and direct sunlight
(warmer).
We can place them inside or outside, but away from items so it won’t get knocked over. In an area where temperatures stay consistent.
Wind Speed Anemometer-this tool has cups that the wind pushes.
The cups move fast when it is windy, and slow when it is less windy.
To determine the speed of wind.
Might influence pilots and airplanes. High winds tell us that there is a change in weather.
Depends on how fast the cups move. If cups move fast, the wind is strong. If the cups moves slow, there is low wind.
In an outside area, preferably on top of a building or an open field.
Wind
Direction
A wind vane.
Looks similar to an arrow, with a point at the end.
Can recognize when severe weather is approaching and where it is moving to/from.
With the pointer at the end of the wind vane. It tells us where the wind is coming from. (Ex. If it is pointing north, wind is coming from the north)
Place it on top of a pole or house, in an open area.