Dont know if I asked the question right but here goes…. There are times where the temperature is 75F and it’s cloudy and feels cool. There are other times where it’s 75F and sunny and I’m sweating outside. Obviously the sun right? But the temperature is the same? Does the sun not affect the temperature all the time. Also I’ve been in 50 degrees in a humid climate and it feels a lot colder than 30 in a dry climate. I always thought temperature was hot or cold but I feel like sometimes there’s more to it than that. Also I’m well aware of humidity and heat and also wind chill. I’m not referring to those things
In: Planetary Science
I like to think of *felt* temperature as how well/fast what you are touching (whether it’s solid or a gas like air) can conduct heat to you or from you.
That in turns depends on the property of that material. That’s why you can stick your hands in to the oven to grab the tray of chicken, but burn your hands if you grab the tray with your bare hands. Even though the air and metal inside the oven are at the same temperature.
As for the sun, it radiates heat directly. You can absorbs that heat and feel it. But it doesn’t make sense to measure temperature of air in sun because a temperature sensor will react to both the ambient temperature of the air and the heat the sun radiates and hits the temp sensor with directly, and how much the sensor reacts to the latter depends on the material and the surface color of the sensor.
Therefore, the only temperature of any outside that can be compared and referenced and quoted is the ambient temperature of the air, which has to be measured in sun shadow.
Latest Answers