The Application of Pyrometers for Education

Pyrometers are tools used to measure temperatures and maintain precise conditions necessary to achieve an end product. In teaching this technological use to students, it may be hard to find examples that can be duplicated under smaller conditions.

For example, pyrometers are used in the maintenance of kilns for pottery development, but the applications of these devices are also used in smelting. While some schools may have pottery kilns for art classes available to illustrate the use of such a device, some schools won't. It is also a pretty good bet that most schools do not have salt bath furnaces readily available to demonstrate the use of a pyrometer.

A good project to show the application of a pyrometer can be made with another demonstration that is both easy and fun for many school-age children. In the hot air balloon industry, care must be maintained to avoid destroying the fabric of a hot air balloon while maintaining a precise degree of heat inside the balloon to keep the air hot enough to lift the basket. This is where a pyrometer can be used to see the change in air temperature, which is invisible to the human eye.

Perhaps students might have fun making a smaller balloon to show the use of a pyrometer in application to heating the air. Another idea might be to have a fieldtrip or outing in which the students could take hot air balloon rides where they could have the unique experience of riding in a hot air balloon themselves and see the pyrometer used while the balloon is in operation.

Areas that hot air balloons might be found for the use of fieldtrips or school projects include hot air balloon festivals, fairs, a park or tourism operations. From the start of filling the balloon to the end of landing after the ride is over, it is sure to be memorable.

In any event, if an outing is not desired, the instructions for creating a hot air balloon can be easily found and perhaps illustrated on a display. Of course, even constructing a miniature model will require some supervision as the project will involve high temperatures in changing the air for the demonstration inside the balloon.

Pyrometers would be particularly useful in this project so that a child or student might be able to see the change taking place in heating the air. Having something tangible to measure change in a science project can add knowledge and wisdom to a child's learning experience.

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