Wet-bulb temperature

Wet-bulb temperature is like playing outside in the sprinkler. When we are playing outside in the sprinkler, we are getting wet from the water. Similarly, wet-bulb temperature is a measurement of how much moisture or water is in the air.

You may have heard that the temperature outside is 80 degrees. But if it's a humid day, you might feel hotter than that because the air has a lot of moisture in it. Wet-bulb temperature is a way to measure how hot it feels outside, taking into account both the actual temperature and the amount of moisture in the air.

To measure wet-bulb temperature, you need a special tool called a psychrometer. A psychrometer looks like two thermometers stuck together. One thermometer measures the actual temperature (dry-bulb temperature), and the other thermometer has a wet wick around it. As the air passes over the wet wick, it evaporates some of the moisture, which makes that thermometer cooler than the other one. The difference in temperature between the two thermometers helps you calculate the wet-bulb temperature.

Wet-bulb temperature is important because it can affect how our bodies cool down. When we sweat, the moisture on our skin evaporates and cools us down. But if the air is already saturated with water (meaning it has a high humidity), our sweat doesn't evaporate as easily, so we don't feel as cool. This can be dangerous in very hot and humid weather, especially if we are outside for a long time or doing strenuous activity. That's why it's important to pay attention to both the actual temperature and the wet-bulb temperature when we're planning activities outside.