What is a thermocouple?
Let's split the word: 'thermo and couple'. This means that it has to do with temperature and a couple (two).
In the 19th century Mr Seebeck discovered that there was an electrical current flowing through a couple of metal wires (of different material) when they where joined at the two ends and if the two ends where at different temperature. This meant that if you could measure the current and the temperature of one end, you could calculate the temperature at the other end.
In earlier times the temperature of the first end (the reference junction) was kept at melting ice temperature (called the cold junction). Nowadays we measure the temperature of the reference junction electronically, do some calculations and display the result.
Two things on thermocouples must be said: first of all depends the relation between electrical current and temperature difference on the different metals used in the two wires and secondly it is absolutely non linear. From the first remark follows that there are different types of thermocouples (for different applications and ranges). So make sure that you have a thermocouple and an instrument for the same thermocouple type. Out of the second remark we learn that the mentionned calculations can compensate only partially with the linearity errors, which restricts the accuracy.
What is a Pt100?
As for the thermocouple, we split the word: Pt and 100. Pt is the chemical symbol for Platinum, 100 is the resistance in Ohm of the Pt100 at 0 °C. The resistance changes (fearly linear) with temperature are: 0.385 Ohm/°C for European and 0.392 Ohm/°C for American elements. So, by measuring the resistance we can calculate the temperature. Never use a European Pt100 with an American instrument unless you know that it is set for the right conversion factor (usually called 'alpha'). In english a Pt100 is also called a RTD element, meaning Resistance Temperature Detector.
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A Pt100 is a type of resistance temperature detector (RTD) that uses the resistance change of platinum to measure temperature accurately. A thermocouple, on the other hand, is a temperature sensor that uses the voltage generated by the junction of two different metals to measure temperature. Pt100 sensors are more stable and accurate but thermocouples have a wider temperature range and faster response time.
The balanced chemical equation between platinum nitrate (Pt(NO3)4) and silver (Ag) is: 2Ag + Pt(NO3)4 → Pt + 2AgNO3
The chemical symbol for gold is Au, silver is Ag, and platinum is Pt.
The chemical abbreviation of platinum is Pt.
An alpha particle is emitted when Pt-190 decays to Os-186. An alpha particle has a mass number of 4, and an atomic number of 2. When Pt-190 decays to Os-186, the mass number drops by 4, showing that an alpha particle is emitted, along with energy. The other form of particle that could be emitted is a beta particle, which has a mass number of 0. The difference between 190 and 186 is 4, thus showing the emission of an alpha particle. Source: High School Chemistry class
NO!!! Pt is platinum , which is a metal, found in the Transition Block of the Periodic Table.