Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Major Tool of Science, that of Measurements
The process of obtaining numerical values representing physical properties is called measurement. These properties include such things as length, mass, or time, by way of a unit of measurement. A unit of measurement is a magnitude representing a physical quantity by use of a standard for measurement of that physical quantity. A measuring device is a piece of equipment used to measure a physical quantity based on a standard for measurement.
Measurement and Objectivity
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ReplyDeleteThe Importance of Accuracy: Measurements in Science
In science, everything exists in degrees of magnitude. It is important to compare things in standardized units. These are generally referred to as measurements. Everything from length to time is measured from Planck length to lightyear, from Planck time to millennia. The four dimensions of spacetime are joined by light to measure distances so far as to challenge credibility. Heat, a sibling of light, is measured from "Absolute zero" to the inferno inside the hottest stars.
Instruments for measuring length depended on limbs, appendages and even joints of the fingers of full grown men. Longer distances became the standard pace. Temperatures were based on the properties of water. Eventually, when accuracy mattered more, a system based on the mass of water was blended with a standard of length based on the size of the earth! This is the metric system used in science. In some places, mostly among non-scientists, the older systems are used.
With standard units, measurement is the most objective part of science. The numbers are undeniable. Relative heat, for example, is not dependent on human opinion when thermometers can give accuracy. Some measurements, like distances in space, are dependent on subjective theories based on relative brightness. Even these, are compared to standard stars that are dependable based on regular behavior.