Reference Standard
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Definition
A measurement standard with the highest metrological quality available at a given location, used to calibrate working standards and other instruments in that organization.
Explanation
A national metrology institute maintains primary reference standards — for example, NIST’s primary mass standard is a platinum-iridium kilogram prototype traceable to the 2019 SI redefinition via Kibble balance. Laboratories maintain secondary reference standards calibrated against primary ones: a 1 kg stainless steel reference weight with uncertainty of ±0.05 mg might serve as the reference for an entire factory’s weighing instruments.
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Conversion Factor
A numerical multiplier used to convert a quantity from one unit to another.
Precision
The degree of refinement in a measurement, indicated by the number of significant digits.
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How close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured.
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A method of converting units by multiplying by conversion factors that equal 1.
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A unit of distance used in sea and air navigation, equal to 1,852 meters.