Question 19

Describe the methods of temperature measurement.

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College Answer

A good answer included a definition of temperature and a classification of the methods of 
measuring temperature such as electrical, non-electrical and infrared. There followed a brief 
description of the physical principles of thermistors, thermocouples and resistance 
thermometers; mercury and alcohol thermometers, bimetallic strips; and of infrared methods. 
Candidates who did well reproduced the content of the chapter on temperature measurement 
in the recommended text book. Candidates who were not familiar with this material attempted 
to answer the question by falling back on clinical experience of measuring temperature in 
different sites or occasionally referring to concepts of thermoregulation. Neither approach 
gained credit. 
Some candidates interpreted “methods” incorrectly as "site of measurement" so scored poorly.