Measuring instruments

Relative density, or specific gravity, is the ratio of the density (mass of a unit volume) of a substance to the density of a given reference material.

A caliper (British spelling also calliper, or in plurale tantum sense a pair of calipers) is a device used to measure the distance between two opposite sides of an object.

A hydrometer or areometer is an instrument that measures the specific gravity (relative density) of liquids—the ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water.

A measuring instrument is a device for measuring a physical quantity.

A micrometer (/maɪˈkrɒmᵻtər/ US dict: mī·krŏm′·ĭ·tər), sometimes known as a micrometer screw gauge, is a device incorporating a calibrated screw widely used for precise measurement of components in mechanical engineering and machining as well as most mechanical trades, along with other metrological instruments such as dial, vernier, and digital calipers.

A pair of compasses, also known simply as a compass, is a technical drawing instrument that can be used for inscribing circles or arcs.

A multimeter or a multitester, also known as a VOM (Volt-Ohm-Milliammeter), is an electronic measuring instrument that combines several measurement functions in one unit.

An oscilloscope, previously called an oscillograph, and informally known as a scope, CRO (for cathode-ray oscilloscope), or DSO (for the more modern digital storage oscilloscope), is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional plot of one or more signals as a function of time.

Seismometers are instruments that measure motion of the ground, including those of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other seismic sources.

In physics, a spectrometer is an apparatus to measure a spectrum.

The timing functions are traditionally controlled by two buttons on the case.

A laser rangefinder is a rangefinder which uses a laser beam to determine the distance to an object.

Lidar (also called LIDAR, LiDAR, and LADAR) is a surveying method that measures distance to a target by illuminating that target with a laser light.

A stroboscope also known as a strobe, is an instrument used to make a cyclically moving object appear to be slow-moving, or stationary.

Flight instruments are the instruments in the cockpit of an aircraft that provide the pilot with information about the flight situation of that aircraft, such as altitude, airspeed and direction.

A Kelvin bridge, also called a Kelvin double bridge and in some countries a Thomson bridge, is a measuring instrument used to measure unknown electrical resistors below 1 ohm.

An alidade (archaic forms include alhidade, alhidad, alidad) or a turning board is a device that allows one to sight a distant object and use the line of sight to perform a task.

The VXI bus architecture is an open standard platform for automated test based upon VMEbus.

A radiosonde is a battery-powered telemetry instrument package carried into the atmosphere usually by a weather balloon that measures various atmospheric parameters and transmits them by radio to a ground receiver.

A calorimeter is an object used for calorimetry, or the process of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity.

A gas meter is a specialized flow meter, used to measure the volume of fuel gases such as natural gas and propane.

A speedometer or a speed meter is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a vehicle.

The E-meter is a device for displaying and/or recording the electrodermal activity (EDA) of a human being.

A surface plate is a solid, flat plate used as the main horizontal reference plane for precision inspection, marking out (layout), and tooling setup.

A millimeter wave scanner is a whole-body imaging device used for detecting objects concealed underneath a person’s clothing using a form of electromagnetic radiation.

A saccharimeter is an instrument for measuring the concentration of sugar solutions.

The backstaff is a navigational instrument that was used to measure the altitude of a celestial body, in particular the sun or moon.

In telecommunications, field strength meter is a measuring device which measures the signal strength caused by a transmitter.

The Gouy balance, invented by Louis Georges Gouy, is a device for measuring the magnetic susceptibility of a sample.

A dynameter is an instrument that measures the magnification of a telescope.

A density meter, also known as a densometer, is a device that measures the density.

Acoustic location is the science of using sound to determine the distance and direction of its source or reflector.

A quadrupole ion trap is a type of ion trap that uses dynamic electric fields to trap charged particles.

A tensometer is a device used to evaluate the tensile properties of materials such as their Young's modulus (i.e. the degree to which they stretch under stress) and tensile strength.

The aviation transponder interrogation modes are the standard formats of pulses sequences from an interrogating Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) or similar Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system.

A chronograph is a specific type of watch that is used as a stopwatch combined with a display watch.

A full-body scanner is a device that detects objects on a person's body for security screening purposes, without physically removing clothes or making physical contact.

An aerometer is an instrument designed to measure the density (among other parameters) of the air and some gases.

An oscillograph is an instrument for measuring alternating or varying electric current in terms of current and voltage.

A network analyzer is an instrument that measures the network parameters of electrical networks.

A tell-tale or telltale is an indicator, signal, or sign that conveys the status of a situation, mechanism, or system.

The Versatile Laboratory Aid (VELA) is a 4-channel data logging tool that was created as part of a joint venture by Ashley Clarke and David Binney of Leeds University and Educational Electronics.

A laser beam profiler captures, displays, and records the spatial intensity profile of a laser beam at a particular plane transverse to the beam propagation path.