Monday, November 3, 2014

Measure A Rain Gauge

Rain gauges are used by scientists, engineers, meteorologists, and other professionals to predict patterns and gather relevant information about different areas and weather conditions all over the country. This powerful information is available to you through a rain gauge. You just need to know read the measurements. Does this Spark an idea?


Instructions


1. Start by studying the rain gauge. You want to be familiar with all its different parts. The funnel is located on the top. This is used to accurately collect the rain. The mounting bracket holds the rain gauge in place. The measuring tube is what you'll read when finding out the rain gauge's measurements, and finally, the overflow tube collects all rain over one inch.


2. Look at the inside measuring tube after it rains. The measuring tube is approximately one inch, and it contains a series of smaller measurements, such as one hundredth of an inch. Place your eyes directly in front of the line where the water stops.


3. Study the curve of the water. This is the meniscus. The rain gauge measurements will be at the base of the curve of the meniscus. This is the number that you should record. Record the amount of rainfall in either tenths or hundredths of an inch.


4. Record the measurement of rain in the inside measuring tube first. If there's any rain in the overflow tube, you need to measure that next. To do this, carefully empty the water in the measuring tube without emptying the overflow tube.


5. Move the rain gauge so that the water in the overflow tube pours into the measuring tube. Only pour in a little bit of this water at a time. You won't need to fill the measuring tube up all the way every time. Once you record the number, empty the measuring tube and continue the process until the overflow tube is empty.


6. Add up all your measurements from the initial measuring tube and the overflow tube. This is the amount you should record.

Tags: measuring tube, overflow tube, rain gauge, gauge measurements, inside measuring, inside measuring tube, rain gauge