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1 Introduction to Metrology
In practice, the following various branches of metrology are distinguished:
• General metrology: dealing with all items related to measurements that are common to all fields; for example, the theory of the units of measurement and the
evaluation of the general properties of measuring devices.
• Scientific metrology: dealing with the definition of the units of measurement and
the development of standards and measuring tools at the highest metrological level.
• Theoretical metrology: dealing with theoretical questions of measurements (e.g.,
measuring errors) and measuring techniques.
• Industrial metrology: dealing with ensuring the proper functioning of measuring
devices used in the industry.
• Legal metrology
* : dealing with the issues of units of measurement, measuring
methods and tools from the perspective of the officially defined technical and
legal requirements.
• Military metrology: dealing with ensuring accuracy and reliability of measurements in all areas connected to the national defence.
* Legal metrology is the application of legal requirements to measurements and
measuring instruments. Legislation on measurements and measuring instruments is
required in many cases, as well as when there is a need to protect both the buyer
and the seller in a commercial transaction, or where measurements are used to apply
a sanction. Virtually all countries provide such protection by including metrology
in their legislation—hence the term ‘legal metrology.’ International Organization of
Legal Metrology (OIML; Organisation Internationale de Métrologie Légale).
The commonly used term ‘applied metrology’ refers to a specific kind of property
measurement or to measurements performed in specific areas. Applied metrology
is divided into areas related to the specific kind of measured values (e.g., electric
metrology, metrology of length, metrology of time) and to its various uses (e.g.,
workshop metrology, technical metrology, medical metrology, energetic metrology
or the abovementioned military metrology).
Apart from that, metrology is divided depending on the qualities that are measured. In the early period of development of general metrology, the measuring principles introduced applied only to physical properties, and with time those principles
were also applied to chemical properties. Those specific rules regarding conducting
measurements of chemical properties were referred to as ‘chemical metrology.’ The
metrology principle regarding measuring chemical properties obviously does not differ from those valid in measuring physical properties. The defining of the measuring
area stems largely from the specific nature of measurements in the given field and
from the fact that practical application of principles differers. Along with the development of other fields, the principles of measurements enter the area of microbiological
metrology, biological metrology, metrology of nanomaterials (nano-metrology), and
so on. Wherever measurements are carried out, the implementation of metrology
principles should be seen as legitimate, and so should the adoption of metrology
principles in practice in the given area.
1 Introduction to Metrology
In practice, the following various branches of metrology are distinguished:
• General metrology: dealing with all items related to measurements that are common to all fields; for example, the theory of the units of measurement and the
evaluation of the general properties of measuring devices.
• Scientific metrology: dealing with the definition of the units of measurement and
the development of standards and measuring tools at the highest metrological level.
• Theoretical metrology: dealing with theoretical questions of measurements (e.g.,
measuring errors) and measuring techniques.
• Industrial metrology: dealing with ensuring the proper functioning of measuring
devices used in the industry.
• Legal metrology
* : dealing with the issues of units of measurement, measuring
methods and tools from the perspective of the officially defined technical and
legal requirements.
• Military metrology: dealing with ensuring accuracy and reliability of measurements in all areas connected to the national defence.
* Legal metrology is the application of legal requirements to measurements and
measuring instruments. Legislation on measurements and measuring instruments is
required in many cases, as well as when there is a need to protect both the buyer
and the seller in a commercial transaction, or where measurements are used to apply
a sanction. Virtually all countries provide such protection by including metrology
in their legislation—hence the term ‘legal metrology.’ International Organization of
Legal Metrology (OIML; Organisation Internationale de Métrologie Légale).
The commonly used term ‘applied metrology’ refers to a specific kind of property
measurement or to measurements performed in specific areas. Applied metrology
is divided into areas related to the specific kind of measured values (e.g., electric
metrology, metrology of length, metrology of time) and to its various uses (e.g.,
workshop metrology, technical metrology, medical metrology, energetic metrology
or the abovementioned military metrology).
Apart from that, metrology is divided depending on the qualities that are measured. In the early period of development of general metrology, the measuring principles introduced applied only to physical properties, and with time those principles
were also applied to chemical properties. Those specific rules regarding conducting
measurements of chemical properties were referred to as ‘chemical metrology.’ The
metrology principle regarding measuring chemical properties obviously does not differ from those valid in measuring physical properties. The defining of the measuring
area stems largely from the specific nature of measurements in the given field and
from the fact that practical application of principles differers. Along with the development of other fields, the principles of measurements enter the area of microbiological
metrology, biological metrology, metrology of nanomaterials (nano-metrology), and
so on. Wherever measurements are carried out, the implementation of metrology
principles should be seen as legitimate, and so should the adoption of metrology
principles in practice in the given area.