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Metrology
Overview
"There is a measure in every thing."
- William Shakespeare
Metrology is the science of measurement. It deals with physical measurement standards (not documentary standards). Measurements play a key role in modern life; in industry as well as in trade and in society in general, in assuring quality and safety. There is a growing need in science and technology for increasingly accurate and more complex measurements.
There are seven base units of measurement, which form the base of the International System of Measurement (SI). These include:
Meter (length)
Kilogram (mass)
Second (time)
Ampere (electric current)
Kelvin (temperature)
Mole (amount of substance)
Candela (luminous intensity)
Many derived units, such as force, pressure, watt, and volt can be formed by combining the base units.
Signed in 1875, the Treaty (or Convention) of the Meter remains the basis of all International agreement on units of measurement. Countries are represented in the treaty by their National Measurement Institutes (NMI) that have the responsibility for maintaining national measurement standards. In the United States, Congress gave this responsibility to NIST in 1901.
Learn More
+ Importance of Metrology in Everyday life
+ The United States and the Metric System
+ Measurement Services offered at NIST
+ Metrology for Non-Metrologists a publication by SIM
+ Metrology - In Short a publication by EURAMET