Dictionary · Instruments
Detector
A device or substance that indicates the presence of a phenomenon, body, or substance when a threshold of an associated quantity is exceeded — presence, not magnitude.
Related terms
More from Instruments
Sensitivity of a measuring system
The quotient of the change in an indication and the corresponding change in the value of the quantity being measured.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 4.12
Instrumental drift
A continuous or incremental change of an indication over time, due neither to a change in the quantity being measured nor to a recognized influence quantity — a key input to calibration-interval decisions.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 4.21
Measuring transducer
A device, used in measurement, that provides an output quantity having a specified relation to the input quantity — a thermocouple, a load cell, a pressure-to-current converter.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 3.7
Variation due to an influence quantity
The difference in indication, or in the supplied quantity value of a material measure, when an influence quantity assumes two different specified values — the temperature coefficient on a datasheet is one of these.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 4.22
Material measure
A device reproducing or supplying, in a permanent manner during its use, quantities of given values — gauge blocks, standard weights, volumetric flasks, standard resistors.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 3.6
Resolution of a displaying device
The smallest difference between displayed indications that can be meaningfully distinguished — for a digital display, one count of the least significant digit.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 4.15