measuring color temperature HELP !!!

[marluve]

My son is doing a science project about measuring the temperature of color ( red,blue white etc )he has been using a flashligt with different " lenses colors" and a thermometer to measured the heat but so far he has used different types of thermometer none works. The collected data is not accurate. Any suggestion ? Do he needs to uses a colorimetric ? what type or thermometer does he need to used?

[tdaly]

Hi marluve,

We will need some additional information before being able to help you effectively. Can you please provide more details about how your son has been measuring temperature--what kind of thermometer, how is the thermometer being placed in contact with the material you are measuring? In addition, I want to make sure I understand the setup your son is using - he is shining light from a flashlight onto a surface and measuring the temperature of the surface, correct? Is he always shining the light on the same surface? Finally, what data have you collected, and why do you think it is inaccurate?

We will be able to give you some more useful assistance once we know these additional details.

[marluve]

he has been using two digital thermometer and one stripe thermometer from the pet store. he is shining colors light from a flashlight onto a white posted board and using the thermometer to measur the temperature of the surface. He used the same surface. At first he collect a data from the color white and the color red but after we try the second , three time even four the thermometer did not read anything we have not data at all.

Do he has to try different surface? Do the surface can be any color? and exactly what type or thermometer do he need to used?

[marluve]

wondering if he need to used different surface and (put/paste) the strip thermometer onto the surface and shinning the flashlight color onto ?? also he do the experiment in a dark room with the lights off.

[tdaly]

Hi marluve,

A strip thermometer from the pet store will probably work better than a digital thermometer, if you are using a digital thermometer that is similar to this one:

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/vicks ... 61-product

I would firmly attach the strip thermometer to the piece of posterboard, and then place the posterboard on a sturdy surface in a cool, dark place. Let the posterboard sit for 30 minutes or so to let the temperature stabilize. Then read the temperature from the strip thermometer. This is the "starting temperature". Then shine the flashlight on the part of the posterboard that has the thermometer on it--it is important that the flashlight shine on the thermometer. Keep the flashlight turned on for about ten minutes, and see if the temperature of the thermometer rises.

If this still isn't working, then you might try a digital infrared thermometer, which you can buy for about $20 or $30.