Measuring Instruments - History and Etymology
The following information responds to the principle questions asked by our
clients. We hope that this paragraph will be useful to your technical directors as
well as your after sales service. Certainly, we remain at your disposal for every
information.
HYDROMETER
from Greek : "HUDÔR" = water and "METRON" = measure
An instrument of measurement which functions based on Archimede 's Principle.
The reading is determined at the surface level of a liquid when the hydrometer
floats freely. It is used for estimating the composition of a liquid or for preparing
an identified liquid. Among all of the units of measurement, the voluminous mass
is recommended by ISO.
ALCOHOLOMETER
from Latin :"ALKO(HO)L" and from Arabic : "AL-KUHL" = pulverized antimony
and
from
Greek
:
"METRON"
=
measure
Hydrometer measuring the alcohol content of liquids, specially calibrated for use
with water/ethanol solutions. The official unit of measure is the % of Volume at
20 °C. Other less commonly used units exist: Tralles, Cartier, Gay-Lussac,
Richter, which you will find, as well, in our website.
SACCHAROMETER
from Latin : "SACCARUM" and from Greek : "SAKKHAROS" = sugar
and
from
Greek
:
"METRON"
=
measure
Hydrometer used to determine or to measure the proportion of sugar
concentration in a solution. It is graduated in % MASS or weight of sugar in a
WATER/SUGAR solution.
THERMOMETER
from Greek : "THERMOS" = hot and "METRON" = measure
Instrument which measures temperature. There are a large number of
thermometers. The most simple rest on the fact that the substance dilates as the
temperature increases : liquid filled thermometers (mercury derived from oil
or alcohol),
or
gas
filled
thermometers
(helium).
These thermometers are composed of a liquid-filled glass reservoir linked with a
glass capillary tube. A variation in temperature provokes a variation in the
volume of the liquid, interpreted by a rise or descent of the liquid column inside
the capillary.
CALIBRATION
from
Arabic
:
"QÂLIB"
=
form,
mould
The set of operations which establish, under specified conditions, the relationship
between values indicated by a measuring instrument, and the corresponding
known values of a measurand.
Some names of interest ...
Archimedes
287
212
av.
J.C.
/
B.C.
the most well-known physicist in history who notably determined the push
that
a
surrounding
fluid
exerts
on
a
solid
Baumé
1728
1804
French chemist, the basis on which was formed the graduated hydrometers
in degrees Baumé. This unit of measure is no longer used in most countries
today.
Celcius
1701
1744
Swedish astronomist who made known the centesimal graduation of the
thermometer.
Degree Celsius = °C.
Fahrenheit
1686
1736
Prussian physicist who gave his name to a scale of temperature. This scale
is still used in Great Britain and North America. 0 °C corresponds to 32 °F
and 100 °C corresponds to 212 °F. You will find a conversion table of °C / °F
in our website (section: CONVERSION TABLE)
Galileo
1564
1642
Italian physicist, mathematician and astronomer, founder of experimental
science and inventor of the Thermometer.
Gay-Lussac
1778
1850
French physicist and chemist who discovered the law of expansion of gases
which holds his name.
Réaumur
1683
1757
French physicist and chemist, inventor of the alcohol thermometer (around
1730). The Réaumur thermometric scale has been replaced by the Celsius
scale.