thermoelectric thermometer

thermocouple

 or thermal junction or thermoelectric thermometer

Temperature-measuring instrument consisting of two wires of different metals joined at each end. One junction is placed where the temperature is to be measured, and the other is kept at a constant lower (reference) temperature. A measuring instrument is connected in the electrical circuit. The temperature difference causes the development of an electromotive force that is approximately proportional to the difference between the temperatures of the two junctions. Temperature can be read from standard tables, or the instrument can be calibrated to display temperature directly.

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thermoelectric thermometer [¦thər·mō·i′lek·trik thər′mäm·əd·ər]

(engineering)

A type of electrical thermometer consisting of two thermocouples which are series-connected with a potentiometer and a constant-temperature bath; one couple, called the reference junction, is placed in a constant-temperature bath, while the other is used as the measuring junction.