Mætningen

Mätningen is the act of determining the magnitude of a quantity by comparison with a standard unit. It is central to metrology, science, engineering, industry, and everyday life. The term is formed from the verb mäta (to measure) with the nominal -ning.

In practice, a measurement involves defining the quantity and unit, choosing an instrument, performing the measurement, recording the result, and estimating its uncertainty. Measurements can be direct (measuring a quantity with a single instrument) or indirect (derived from other measured quantities or calculations). Units are often from the International System of Units (SI) and are linked to a chain of traceability.

Instrumentation ranges from simple rulers and thermometers to advanced sensors, calibrators, and metrology laboratories. Calibration against standards ensures accuracy and traceability to national or international references. Uncertainty sources include instrument limitations, environment, and operator effects. Repeated measurements and statistical analysis improve reliability and define precision.

The concept of measurement spans many fields: physics and engineering (quantities like length, mass, time, electrical quantities), geodesy and surveying (coordinates, elevations), medicine (vital signs), chemistry (concentrations), and social sciences (surveys, polling). In everyday life measuring informs cooking, construction, manufacturing, and quality control.

See also: Metrology, Calibration, SI units, Measurement uncertainty, Data quality.