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They are very cool, and they are used to see how hot or cold an object is, without any contact — they're called infrared temperature sensors. These sensors measure the temperature of an object using invisible light called infrared radiation. Let us discover how these sensors work in a third grade level simplified manner.
Infrared temperature sensors – What Are They?
Pretend you are outside playing on a beautiful sunny day. The sun casts a warm glow on your skin. That warmth is known as infrared radiation, a type of light we can’t see with our eyes. Infrared temperature sensors measure the amount of this same type of radiation to determine whether something is hot or cold.
How Do Infrared Sensors Work?
Infrared sensors are provided with a special lens which allows the sensor to detect the infrared light emitted by an object. The lens captures the infrared radiation and transducer it into an electrical signal when you look at something using sensor. This signal is sent to a computer inside the sensor, which calculates the object’s temperature depending on how much infrared radiation it detects.
What Are Infrared Thermometers?
Thus, infrared thermometers are a type of infrared sensor that temperature detection from a distance. These types of thermometers have a laser pointer that aids you to point to what you want to evaluate the temperature of. Pull the trigger, and the thermometer instantly registers the infrared radiation and gives you a digital reading of the temperature.
Why Is Emissivity Important?
Emissivity is a fancy term for how well something radiates infrared energy. Different emissivity values exist for different materials, altering the accuracy of the infrared temperature measurement. For instance, shiny items such as metal could bounce back more infrared, whereas dull objects such as wood may emit more. IF measures temperature indirectly, that means we need to know the emissivity of what we are measuring in order to obtain a true temperature value.
How Infrared Temperature Sensors Work: The Simple Science
Infrared temperature sensors may look like they use magic, but they use simple science. These kind of sensors for example used infrared radiation to detect temperature from the environment so that sense how hot or cold is something without touching it. And if you need to check the temperature of your food, your pet, or even a machine, an infrared sensor will help you do it in a quick and easy manner.
Infrared temperature sensors are simply amazing devices that use invisible light to detect temperature. Now, with a dash of science and technology you can measure the temperature without touching anything. So the next time you see an infrared thermometer, you will know the cool science behind it!