The rain gauge measures the amount of liquid precipitation that falls. It can measure either rain or, with added steps, the liquid equivalent of snow. The rain gauge has an outer cylinder, a measuring tube, and a funnel. The measuring tube measures to a hundredth inch. When it is full, it contains one inch of rain. When more than an inch falls, the extra flows into the outer cylinder. By carefully pouring the rain from the outer cylinder back into the measuring tube, a total rainfall amount can be accurately measured.
Students will be able to measure rainfall to the nearest hundredth (.01) inch, understanding that rainfall is part of the water cycle and a necessity for life on earth.
The rain gauge measures the amount of rain (or snow as liquid) that falls to the earth as part of the water cycle. This is called precipitation. Too much or too little rain can cause problems for living things on earth. Scientists record the amount of rainfall both in a single rain event and over time to compare it to other times and other years.
