pannatermometrar

Pannatermometrar is an obsolete measuring device that was used to assess the level of humidity in the air. The device was designed to indicate the relative humidity based on the expansion of a paraffin or wax substance in a sealed compartment. When the surrounding air was more humid, the wax would expand, and when it was less humid, the wax would contract.

The pannatermometrar consisted of a sealed glass tube filled with a small amount of wax, typically made of paraffin or a similar substance. As the temperature and humidity of the surrounding air changed, the wax would expand or contract accordingly. By observing the level of expansion or contraction of the wax, the user could estimate the relative humidity of the air.

Pannatermometers were widely used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in meteorological and medical applications. They were relatively simple and inexpensive devices, making them accessible to a wide range of users. However, with the development of more modern and accurate measuring devices, such as hygrometers and thermohygrometers, the use of pannatermometers gradually declined.

Today, pannatermometers are primarily of interest to historians of science and collectors of vintage scientific instruments. While they are no longer used in practical applications, they remain a curiosity and a reminder of the early days of humidity measurement. Despite their limitations, pannatermometers provided a useful starting point for the development of more accurate and reliable humidity-measuring devices.