Which statement about dry bulb temperature is correct?

• A. It includes radiant temperature
• B. It excludes radiant temperature
• C. It measures dew point
• D. It is influenced by humidity

Answer: (B)

Dry bulb temperature is the ambient air temperature read from a standard thermometer with the bulb kept dry and shielded from radiant heat. Because it’s protected from radiant heat sources, this reading reflects the air’s temperature alone rather than any radiant temperature from surrounding surfaces or the sun. That’s why the statement that it excludes radiant temperature is correct. It isn’t a measure of dew point, which is the temperature at which air becomes saturated and moisture condenses, and while humidity affects how we perceive warmth, the dry-bulb reading itself isn’t directly governed by humidity. To capture radiant heat, you’d use a globe thermometer, and dew point is determined through moisture content rather than the air’s straightforward temperature reading.