The output of a thermocouple is typically measured in which electrical unit?

The output of a thermocouple is typically measured in millivolts due to the nature of how thermocouples work. A thermocouple generates a small voltage based on the temperature difference between two junctions made of different metals. This generated voltage is proportional to the temperature gradient and is often in the range of millivolts, which allows for accurate measurement and transmission of the temperature data in various industrial applications.

Using millivolts makes sense because the output is relatively small; voltages in the microvolt or volt ranges would either be too small for practical reading or too large for typical thermocouple applications, respectively. Watts, being a measure of power, also does not apply to the direct output of a thermocouple, as the primary function of a thermocouple is to measure temperature rather than power generation.