pyrometer

Term: pyrometer

Literally meaning: “meausure of fire”

Origin: Anc Greek

πυρ/pyr(=fire, redish)

+μέτρον/metron (=meausure)

Coined/History

The first pyrometer was invented by English potter Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) in order to measure the temprature inside the kilns.  Prior Wedgwood’s device the kiln men were based on their judgment that wares were successfully fired. Wedgwood matched fired clay cylindres with those fired at known temperature ranging in colour.

Definition

Pyrometer is a scientific instrument for measuring heat as thermometer, but pyrometer is usually used for extremely hot objects. There are radiation pyrometers that measure the radiation the objects give off and optical onew which measure visible light emitted by the hot objects.  The process of this measurement is called “pyrometry” .