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thermocouple
thermocouple An instrument that turns heat into an electric current. It consists of two wires of different metals joined together at their ends. When heat falls on one of the junctions while the other junction is kept cold, an electric current is produced. A thermocouple thus acts as a thermometer for radiant heat. Thermocouples are of low sensitivity but can be used from the microwave region to the ultraviolet. They are used in astronomy mainly to calibrate more sensitive detectors operating in different parts of the spectrum.
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"thermocouple." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "thermocouple." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-thermocouple.html "thermocouple." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-thermocouple.html |
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thermocouple
ther·mo·cou·ple / ˈ[unvoicedth]ərmōˌkəpəl/ • n. a thermoelectric device for measuring temperature, consisting of two wires of different metals connected at two points, a voltage being developed between the two junctions in proportion to the temperature difference. |
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"thermocouple." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "thermocouple." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-thermocouple.html "thermocouple." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-thermocouple.html |
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thermocouple
thermocouple see thermometer ; thermoelectricity . |
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Cite this article
"thermocouple." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "thermocouple." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-thermoco.html "thermocouple." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-thermoco.html |
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