Final answer:
Oral temperature is measured with a thermistor by calculating the temperature based on a change in resistance. Thermistors have a significant change in resistance with temperature, useful in digital medical thermometers for fast and accurate readings.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oral temperature is measured with a thermistor, which is used to calculate the temperature based on a change in resistance. A thermistor is a type of semiconductor that exhibits a significant change in resistance when exposed to different temperatures. In the context of a digital medical thermometer, the resistance of the thermistor decreases as the temperature increases, which is represented by the negative temperature coefficient (-0.0600/°C).
For example, if a patient's temperature causes the thermistor's resistance to be 82.0% of its value at 37.0°C (normal body temperature), we can calculate the patient's temperature by understanding the relationship between resistance and temperature for the thermistor. The strong temperature dependence of the thermistor makes it a quick and efficient tool for measuring body temperature. It's important to note that resistance cannot become negative, which implies there are limits to the temperature ranges over which a thermistor can operate effectively.