In physics and engineering, measurement is the activity of comparing physical quantities of real-world objects and events. Established standard objects and events are used as units, and the measurement results in a given number for the relationship between the item under study and the referenced unit of measurement. Measuring instruments are the means by which this translation is made.

Physicists use a vast range of instruments to perform their measurements. These range from simple objects such as rulers and stopwatches to electron microscopes and particle accelerators.

Mass

• balance
• weighing scales
• mass spectrometer
• katharometer
• colorimeter

History of Weights and Measures

Time

• calendar
• chronometer
• clock
• atomic clock
• radiometric dating

Timeline of time measurement technology

Length

• altimeter
• interferometer
• micrometer
• odometer
• opisometer
• ruler
• tape measure
• laser range-finder
• ultrasound distance measure

Area

• planimeter

Angles

• sextant
• theodolite
• protractor

Temperature

• thermometer
• thermocouples
• thermistors
• pyrometers
• electromagnetic spectroscopy

Pressure

• Barometer
• Manometer
• Pitot tube (used to determine speed)
• anemometer (used to determine wind speed)
• tire-pressure gauge

Flow

pH

Level

Timeline of temperature and pressure measurement technology

Electrical Properties

• electrometer (Measures charge)
• Ammeter (Measures electrical current)
• Galvanometer (Measures current)
• Ohmeter (Measures resistance)
• Voltmeter (Measures voltage)
• Wheatstone bridge
• multimeter (Measures all of the above)
• Oscilloscope
• Watt meter (measures power)
• electric energy meter (Measures energy)

uncategorized

• Spectroscopy is an important tool used by physicists.
• Microscope
• Spectrometer
• geiger counter
• Nichols radiometer
• radiometry