Compare thermistor and RTD sensors in terms of temperature range, sensitivity, and linearity.

• A. Thermistors offer high sensitivity in a limited range with nonlinear response; RTDs offer wide temperature range, better linearity and stability, but higher cost and slower response.
• B. RTDs offer high sensitivity in a limited range with nonlinear response; Thermistors offer wide temperature range, better linearity and stability, but higher cost and slower response.
• C. Thermistors and RTDs have identical temperature ranges and linearity, differing only in size.
• D. RTDs are cheaper and faster than thermistors and have worse linearity.

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how sensor type affects sensitivity, temperature range, and linearity. Thermistors change resistance very quickly with temperature, giving high sensitivity, but their response is nonlinear and they work best over a limited temperature span. RTDs, usually platinum, change resistance more gradually but in a nearly linear way over a wide temperature range, offering better long-term stability. They also tend to cost more and respond more slowly because of their greater thermal mass and larger circuitry. So the description that thermistors have high sensitivity in a limited range with nonlinear response, while RTDs provide a wide temperature range with better linearity and stability, albeit at higher cost and slower response, captures the real trade-off well. The other statements either reverse these roles, claim identical ranges or linearity, or oversimplify cost and speed.