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The primary function of a thermocouple is to measure temperature.
It does this by generating a small electrical voltage (known as the
Seebeck voltage or thermoelectric EMF) that is directly
proportional to the temperature difference between its two ends.
This voltage is then measured and converted into a temperature
reading by a connected instrument.
A thermocouple consists of two wires made of dissimilar metals
joined together at one end (called the measuring junction or hot
junction). The other ends are connected to a measuring instrument
(forming the reference junction or cold junction).
1. When the measuring junction is exposed to heat, a voltage is
generated due to the Seebeck effect.
2. This millivolt-level voltage is measured at the reference
junction.
3. Since the voltage depends on the difference in temperature
between the two junctions, the temperature of the reference
junction must be known (usually through automatic compensation in
the measuring device) to accurately determine the temperature at
the measuring junction.
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