2060: Hygrometer

2018-10-18T00:17:53Z

Skizzaz: /* Explanation */ The explanation states that it always belongs to the first term, which is incorrect for a speedometer. Speedometers are not measuring speedos, and the O is just to sound greek.

{{comic
| number = 2060
| date = October 17, 2018
| title = Hygrometer
| image = hygrometer.png
| titletext = I'm working on assembling a combination declinometer, sclerometer, viscometer, aleurometer, stalagmometer, and hypsometer. I'm making good progress according to my ometerometer, a device which shows the rate at which I'm acquiring measurement devices.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Please edit the explanation below and only mention here why it isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Here, [[Megan]] is talking to [[Cueball]] about hygrometers. But before she can even finish explaining what it does, Cueball has looked up, found, and purchased the product. A {{w|hygrometer}} is an instrument for measuring the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, or the amount of water in solids such as soil or wood.

It seems Cueball loves being able to measure things and therefore finds instruments or measurement tools that end in ''-ometer'' very interesting, and wishes to own all of them. Many {{w|Measuring instrument|measuring instruments}} use the suffix ''-meter'' which is derived from the Greek noun ''μέτρον'' for "measure". The character "o" always belongs to the first term, but it also belongs to old Greek words like ''thermo''-meter, ''micro''-meter, or even ''hygro''-meter. Other measurement devices such as speedometer use an English word with an "o" appended to mimic the Greek derived terms, purportedly for easier marketing. Because themes in science often based on Greek terminology that ending at the first part appears often. Nonetheless Cueball believes that this "o" belongs to the general term for measuring devices.

Below is a list of instruments mentioned in the title text that the author [[Randall]] states he is working on:

* A {{w|Declinometer|declinometer}} is an instrument to measure {{w|magnetic declination}}.

*A {{w|sclerometer}} is an instrument to measure {{w|scratch hardness}} of a solid by scratching it under some standard conditions and measuring the scratch. Instruments used to measure the elastic properties of concrete surfaces, like the {{w|Schmidt hammer}}, [https://www.pce-instruments.com/english/measuring-instruments/test-meters/concrete-test-hammer-sclerometer-kat_162426_1.htm are also often known as sclerometers].

*A {{w|viscometer}} is an instrument to test the viscosity (ease of pouring) of a liquid. For example, honey has high viscosity while water has low viscosity.

*An [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aleurometer aleurometer] is an instrument to evaluate the quality of flour for baking by measuring how much a wet mass of wheat can expand when heated, while keeping its adhesivity.[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleurometer]

*A {{w|Stalagmometric method|stalagmometer}} is an instrument to measure {{w|surface tension}} of fluids by producing a drop and weighing it - the bigger the drop is, the larger surface tension the fluid has.

*The word {{w|hypsometer}} can mean [https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hypsometer two unrelated instruments] to measure height. One measures heights of a building or a tree by triangulation. The other measures altitude by measuring air pressure through its effect on the boiling temperature of water. It should not be confused with the {{w|altimeter}} which measures altitude by mechanically measuring air pressure (and which also does not follow the -ometer rule and might therefore be of less interest to Cueball?).

*An ometerometer, being a concatenation of ''-ometer'' with itself, would be a device for measuring measuring devices.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Cueball are walking and talking. Cueball is holding his phone with one hand, looking at it.]
:Megan: ...A hygrometer is a device for measuring—
:Cueball: ''I want one!'' Ooh, found one for $7.99 with free shipping! I'm buying it.
:Megan: —Humidity.
:Cueball: Oh, cool!

:[Caption below the frame:]
:For some reason, I feel a powerful compulsion to own any device whose name ends in "-ometer."

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

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2060: Hygrometer