A measuring device is used for measuring the physical quantities. There are different types of tools that can be used for measuring. Following is the list of different measuring devices.

Micrometre

A micrometre is also known as micrometre screw gauge that finds application in mechanical engineering. You must be amazed to know that micrometer was also used in the telescopes and microscopes for measuring the apparent diameter of the celestial bodies. William Gascoigne invented micrometre in the year 1638. 

 

Following are the two basic operating principles of a micrometre:

• A screw’s lead is considered to be a precise way to describe the axial movement of the screw. It is the distance moved axially forward to complete one full turn.
• The circumferential movement of the screw is amplified when the lead and major of the diameter of the screw completes one complete axial movement.

Thermometer

Thermometers are used to measure temperature. There are two important elements of a thermometer and they are:

• Temperature sensor in which the change in temperature is indicated
• A means to convert the change in temperature sensor into a numerical value

Thermometer finds application in various fields such as in medicine, food industry, and environmental application such as to measure the rate of heat flow in the heat meter.

The calibration of a thermometer is done in two ways:

• By comparing the thermometer with other calibrated thermometers
• By checking the thermometer with the fixed points that are with the boiling and melting points of the pure water

Calorimeter

A calorimeter is used to measure heat flow in a chemical reaction. The process of measuring the heat with the help of a calorimeter is known as calorimetry. The term calorimeter was coined by Antoine Lavoisier in the year 1780 where he used the apparatus to measure the heat from a guinea pig respiration which was further used in melting snow. There are different types of calorimeters and they are:

• Adiabatic calorimeter: This calorimeter finds application in the study of runaway reactions. There are times when the heat is lost to the container in an adiabatic calorimeter which is corrected with the help of a correction factor.
• Reaction calorimeter: An insulated closed container is for carrying out the chemical reaction. 
• Constant pressure calorimeter: The enthalpy change of a reaction is measured with the help of a constant-pressure calorimeter. 

Learn more about other measuring devices with BYJU’S and understand their working with the help of relevant videos that are available on our YouTube channel.