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Calibrating Ocular Micrometer
Name: Marie T.
Status: Student
Age: 18
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: June 2003
Question:
Why is there a need to calibrate the ocular micrometer?
Replies:
Most any instrument from pH meters, electronic scales, to surveying transits, to clocks,
including ocular micrometers, require calibration for accurate measurements. The reason is
that there are inevitably some systematic errors in any measurements due to fluctuations in
the environment when the measurements are made, the electronic and/or mechanical components
in the instrument. Some instruments require a single point calibration, others require two
point calibrations, others even more. Calibration is just a way of improving accuracy. In
non-specific terms, when we calibrate an instrument, we say,"This instrument reading
corresponds to XYZ units of whatever." Our 'experimental' reading, X'Y'Z' equals:
X'Y'Z' = XYZ +/- xyz units where 'xyz' is presumably small. This tends to cancel
systematic errors.
Vince Calder
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Update: June 2012
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