Kalibrointinäyte

Kalibrointinäyte, known in English as a calibration standard or reference material, is a substance or object with precisely known properties that is used to calibrate measuring instruments or to validate analytical methods. The accuracy of measurements relies heavily on the quality and traceability of the calibration standards used.

These standards are crucial in various scientific and industrial fields, including chemistry, physics, environmental monitoring, and manufacturing. For example, in a chemistry laboratory, a calibration standard for a spectrometer would be a solution with a known concentration of a specific chemical. By measuring the response of the instrument to this standard, scientists can create a calibration curve, which allows them to determine the concentration of unknown samples.

Kalibrointinäyte must be stable, homogeneous, and have a clearly defined value with associated uncertainty. Its traceability to national or international standards is also a key characteristic, ensuring that measurements made using it are comparable across different laboratories and over time. The preparation and certification of calibration standards are often governed by strict protocols and standards organizations to guarantee their reliability. Incorrect or poorly characterized calibration standards can lead to significant errors in measurements, with potentially serious consequences in areas like medical diagnostics, product quality control, and environmental safety.