Anemometer

An anemometer is an instrument that is used to measure wind speed, they can also be used to measure wind pressure, wind flow and wind direction. They are a common component part of weather stations and sometimes seen on rooftops or high buildings.

The simplest type of anemometer has a spinning wheel, which spins faster as the wind blows stronger the number and speed of rotations, is used to calculate wind speed. There are however many different types of anemometer which include the afore mentioned cup anemometers, vane anemometers, hot-wire anemometers, ping-pong ball anemometers as well as laser doppler, ultrasonic and acoustic resonance anemometers.

The term anemometer is taken from Greek; anemos for wind, and is used to define any wind-speed device, originally called an anemoscope. Leon Battista Alberti (1404 - 1472) from Genoa, Italy, is generally credited with having invented the pressure plate anemometer for measuring wind speed in 1450. Though Leonardo da Vinci further developed the device to support his passion for flying, giving an indication also of wind direction.

See also:

• Air capture hood.
• Pilot tube.
• Rotating vane anemometer.
• Differential pressure anemometer.
• Powered flow hood.
• Thermal anemometer.

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