mittausalue

Mittausalue is a term used to describe the interval of values that a measuring instrument or sensor can measure or display reliably. It defines the span from the lower limit to the upper limit within which readings are considered valid. The mittausalue is determined by the instrument’s design, sensors, front-end electronics, and the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) used in the system.

In practice, an instrument may have a fixed mittausalue or multiple sub-ranges that can be selected manually or automatically. Some devices feature auto-ranging, which dynamically selects the most suitable sub-range to optimize resolution for the current measurement. When the value to be measured falls outside the mittausalue, the reading may saturate, clip, or become unreliable.

The mittausalue is closely linked to the device’s accuracy, resolution, and sensitivity within that range. Calibration and performance can vary across the range due to nonlinearity, temperature effects, or aging components. Outside the mittausalue, accuracy typically degrades, and readings lose meaning. The concept is distinct from measurement uncertainty and, in some contexts, from the broader notion of dynamic range, which describes the ratio between the largest and smallest measurable signals the system can handle.

Applications span laboratory instruments, field sensors, and consumer electronics. Clear specification of the mittausalue helps users understand what values can be trusted, how to operate the instrument within its limits, and how measurement quality may change across the range.