English

Alternative forms

• Kata factor

Noun

kata factor ‎(plural kata factors)

1. A conversion factor, constant for a given kata thermometer, used to convert the measured time for a standardised drop in temperature into the environmental cooling rate.
   • 1929, American Association of Industrial Physicians and Surgeons, The Journal of Industrial Hygiene, Volume 11, page 282,

     These workers believe that on account of these convection currents the kata factor varies with the temperature. In our opinion, the kata factor cannot vary; it is the coefficient of heat transmission — heat transmission per unit of time […] .

   • 2006, G. M. Dhaar, I. Robbani, Foundations of Community Medicine, page 41,

     Each type of thermometer has a specific kata factor inscribed on its stem.

   • 2007, David Vincent Chadderton, Building Services Engineering, page 17,

     A Kata factor, which is the amount of heat lost from the bulb surface during cooling (typically 475 mcal/cm² of bulb surface as the thermometer cools through 2.8°C), is inscribed on the stem.

Related terms

• kata thermometer