LM35 as a room temperature sensor (any other good alternatives)?

Other Hardware Sensors
1

Hey people,
Im doing an academic project in which I need to make a room temperature sensor? After some hours research I have found LM35. I would like to know:

  • If LM35 is a good sensor for the mentioned purpose?
  • Also, whats the importance of the quiescent current in a sensor? From my understand its good to have a low quiescent current sensor to make project power efficient.
  • Importance of gain in a sensor? From my understand this will make the sensor more accurate by giving large output per variation of degree celcius.
  • Importance of output impedance in a sensor? Which I don't really know.
  • Also, is using a digital sensor or analogue sensor better for this application?
  • As LM35 doesn't use single supply according to datasheet, so what is single supply?
  • Is there an alternative sensor that could be easy to implement or better accuracy or requires low power?

Hope someone can give me genuine help to understand the mentioned questions.

Thanks.

2

The LM35 is single supply, if the temperature range in question is 2-150C.

With a 9V battery and a simple voltmeter (moving-magnet, the kind with a scale and a pointer) you'll be reading room temperature/s in a snap.

A lot of your questions sound like they're from an assignment.

3

runaway_pancake:
A lot of your questions sound like they're from an assignment.

Like I have mentioned I am doing a project for my diploma, and I have to give reasons to why I use each component. So, its just terms that I need to understand in order to explain why I choose the component and also to find a better component than the one already proposed. I have tried on google and I wasn't able to find the answer I am looking for (maybe I don't know how to search).

runaway_pancake:
The LM35 is single supply, if the temperature range in question is 2-150C.

Ok, but the datasheet didn't mention it. Are you sure of this, and can I have a reference on where you got this information. thanks.

4

Here is a link to the datasheet -- http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/Products/ProdDS/155740.pdf

See Figure1 on page 1 of the datasheet (there's a title page.)

5

If LM35 is a good sensor for the mentioned purpose?

Hard to say - what is the requirement? What precision do you need? What accuracy? Is low power consumption a concern? Cost? What will you do with the data? What will read it? - I assume an Arduino, since you're asking here. How many sensors will you need to read?

Having said all that, for digital readings of (possibly) multiple sensors in a room temperature range, the DS18B20 is a popular choice - search the forums, it comes up often.

6

It just needs to sense the room temperature no special requirement. A +/- 2 Degree Celsius is exceptable. Cost is should be less since this is a project for my diploma. I use an arduino uno. The data received is sent wirelessly to a display. This project is to learn to interface sensors, to make a display and to send data wirelessly. Its just for learning.