Measuring Temperature with a Thermometer — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 4 energy, light, sound & electricity worksheet.
Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheetYear 4 · Science · Energy, Light, Sound & ElectricityMeasuring Temperature with a Thermometer — Answers
Part A: What is temperature?
Read the passage. Then circle the best answer.
Temperature tells us how hot or cold something is. We measure it with a thermometer. Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius, written °C.
Many thermometers have a thin tube of coloured liquid. When it gets warmer, the liquid expands (spreads out) and rises up the tube. When it gets colder, the liquid shrinks and goes down. Digital thermometers show the number on a screen.
Some useful temperatures to remember: water freezes at 0 °C; a cool day is about 10 °C; a warm room is about 22 °C; your body is about 37 °C; water boils at 100 °C. Temperatures colder than 0 °C have a minus sign, like −5 °C.
To read a thermometer, keep your eyes level with the top of the liquid and read the number on the scale next to it.
- Ahow heavy something is
- Bhow hot or cold something is
- Chow long something is
- Dhow much light there is
Answer: how hot or cold something is
A thermometer measures temperature: how hot or cold something is.
- A0 °C
- B10 °C
- C37 °C
- D100 °C
Answer: 0 °C
Pure water freezes at 0 °C.
- A37 °C
- B50 °C
- C100 °C
- D200 °C
Answer: 100 °C
Water boils at 100 °C at sea level.
- A0 °C
- B20 °C
- C37 °C
- D100 °C
Answer: 37 °C
A healthy body is about 37 °C.
- A5 °C
- B18 °C
- C26 °C
- D−3 °C
Answer: 26 °C
The highest number of degrees is the warmest: 26 °C.
Part B: Reading and ordering temperatures
- ice cubes in a freezer
- a warm classroom
- a healthy person
- boiling water
- 37 °C
- 100 °C
- −18 °C
- 22 °C
Answer: ice cubes in a freezer → −18 °C; a warm classroom → 22 °C; a healthy person → 37 °C; boiling water → 100 °C
Answer: Celsius
Answer: up
The liquid expands and rises.
Answer: −2 °C, 0 °C, 12 °C, 30 °C.
Part C: True or false?
Write True or False.
Answer: True
Temperatures below zero are colder than freezing.
Answer: False
Keep your eyes level with the top of the liquid to read it accurately.
Answer: False
Hands can only tell warm or cold. A thermometer gives an exact number.
Part D: Working scientifically: cooling water
Use Ravi's results to answer. Only use warm tap water if you try this — never boiling water.
Ravi measured the temperature of a cup of warm water every 10 minutes. The room was 22 °C.
0 min: 50 °C. 10 min: 36 °C. 20 min: 28 °C. 30 min: 24 °C. 40 min: 22 °C. 50 min: 22 °C.
Answer: 50 °C.
Answer: 14 degrees (from 50 °C to 36 °C).
Model answer: The water cooled quickly at first, then more slowly, and then stayed at 22 °C. It stopped cooling because it had reached the same temperature as the room, so no more heat moved out of it.
Success criteria:
- Describes cooling fast then slow
- Says it levels off
- Links 22 °C to room temperature
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.
Great work. Here's what to try next: