Metrology

Metrology is the study of measurement. There are various components that make up metrology, such as the theory and units of measurement, the procedures, process, and methods of measurement, and instruments used in measurement. There are also three categories of metrology. The first one is scientific metrology, which deals with the development and management of measurements. The second is industrial metrology, which deals with the instruments that measure items. This branch of metrology makes sure that those instruments function properly. The third category is called legal metrology, which deals with the accuracy of measurement and the transparency of economic transactions. Metrology is important because societies need to be consistent when it comes to measurement, because the economy is based on weights and measures. There are some industries in which measurement is very important, such as engineering and manufacturing, and measurement is a basic requirement in any field of science and technology. Worldwide, May 20 is known as World Metrology Day, a day that is set aside for people to celebrate metrology and its importance to global society.

Brief History

The word metrology comes from the Greek word meaning "metron," which means to measure. The concept of measuring things was prevalent in China even before cuneiform writing was. The earliest recognized form of measurement was the Egyptian cubit. It measured about a forearm, or between 16 and 20 inches (43 and 53 centimeters). Another ancient measurement was the Roman Mile, which totaled 1,000 paces at two steps apiece. It was not until 1959 that 1 mile was determined to be exactly 1.609 kilometers.

Body parts were often used in the early forms of measurement. A foot, span, furlough, and thumb were all used as early measurements, and people would use their body parts as estimations. During the Middle Ages, there was no agreed-upon way to measure things. Because there was no effective way to measure, it became very difficult for scientists, mathematicians, chemists, and physicists to cooperate and advance society. Nevertheless, as time advanced, a coherent system of units and measurement was required.

Even up to the seventeenth century, there was no unified measurement system, even on national levels. France, an important nation during the scientific revolution, recorded seven hundred different units of measurement being used in the country in 1795. Eventually, France settled on the metric system; the metric system then became mandatory in the Netherlands in 1816 and was adopted by Spain in 1849.

In 1875, world leaders decided they needed to have an internationally agreed-upon measurement system. In that year, during the Metre Convention, an international treaty was signed by leaders of seventeen countries; all agreed on the metric system as their standard system for weights and measurement. The Metre Convention established three international organizations to oversee the standardization of weights and measures. The General Conference on Weights and Measures, the International Committee for Weights and Measures, and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures were all created to oversee and promote different aspects of international weights and measurements.

Metrology has evolved even more to meet the changing world in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries so that agreements can be negotiated in science, trade, and commerce on a global scale.

Overview

Metrology is the study of measurement, and determines how weights and measurements affect the world. Humans use metrology every day. People use it when they fill their gas tanks, when they purchase produce by the pound at the grocery store, and when they take medication. Metrology is especially important for the economy. Almost every country has a national measurement system that has a network of workshops, calibration facilities, and accreditation bodies that administer, execute, and maintain its metrology framework. The Legal Metrology Service helps to protect consumers and makes sure that fair trading takes place throughout the world. For this to happen, there needs to be trust in measuring instruments and in the units of measurement that are decided upon between both parties.

In metrology, calibration of measurement instruments is very important. It ensures traceability, or the ability to verify a measurement. Measurement instruments should be calibrated so that readings from the instruments are consistent with other measurements. Calibration determines the accuracy of the instrument's readings and shows that the instrument is reliable. Countries need to have confidence in the established measurement and trade results so they can strengthen and enlarge export opportunities for products from developing countries.

For metrology to work, there needs to be standards. A standard is an object or experiment with a defined relationship to a unit of measurement. Certified reference materials are good examples of standards. These can provide straightforward traceability. Certified reference materials can also be used for direct associations to other materials or to calibrate measuring devices.

The International System of Units (SI), adopted by the General Conference on Weights and Measures in 1960, has seven internationally known base units: length, mass, time, electric current, thermodynamic temperature, amount of substance, and luminous intensity. In the International System, the base unit for length is a meter, kilogram for mass, second for time, ampere for electric current, Kelvin for temperature, mole for amount of substance, and candela for luminous intensity. These are the systems of measurement that most countries have adopted.

Metrology has wide-ranging effects on many sectors, including economics, energy, health and health care, the environment, manufacturing, and consumer confidence. Accurate measurement of water, fuel, food, and electricity are important to protect consumers and to promote the movement of goods and services between people. Several studies have pointed to increases in measurement standardization as a reason for the growth of the gross domestic product, which is the total dollar value of goods and services over a period. Because there is legal regulation of measuring devices, the efficiency and reliability of economic systems have improved. Accurate measurements are important for accessing climate change information and for helping to ensure environmental regulations are followed. Innovation and new ideas are important and rely on metrology.

Bibliography

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