What does an anemometer measure?

An anemometer is an instrument specifically designed to measure wind speed. It typically consists of rotating cups or blades that spin in the wind, with the rate of rotation corresponding to the wind speed. As the wind blows, it causes the cups to rotate faster, which can be measured quantitatively to provide an accurate speed of the wind flow.

Understanding the mechanism of an anemometer reveals its primary purpose, which is centered around analyzing wind conditions essential for various applications such as meteorology, aviation, and environmental science. Therefore, it is not suited for measuring air temperature, precipitation, or wind direction, which are measured by different instruments such as thermometers, rain gauges, and wind vanes, respectively.