Subject & Code: Measurements and Instrumentation(19EEI373)

Unit-I: Basic Measurement Concepts

Topic for the class: Units and Standards of measurement
Date & Time: 28.07.2021 & 11:00-11:50am
Dr.S.Neeraja
Assistant Professor
Department of EECE
GITAM Institute of Technology (GIT)
Visakhapatnam – 530045
Email: nsajja@gitam.edu

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND

INSTRUMENTATION
Learning Outcome

By the end of this session,

Students will be able to understand the concept units and
various standards of measurement

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

20-07-2021 Department of EECE EEC451:Satellite Communications 2
 UNIT-I

Basic Measurement Concepts:

 measurement systems
 static and dynamic characteristics
 types of errors
 statistical analysis
 units and standards of measurements

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Topics to be covered

 Units
 Standards of measurement

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Units
 Measurement of any quantity requires units and standards. To measure any physical quantity a
standard of the same quantity is essential and that is called the UNIT. Measuring any thing is to
compare it with the standard. A standard is arbitrary and its virtue lies in its international
agreement.
 The fundamental unit is the unit of a physical quantity which is independent of any other quantity.
They are length, mass and time.
 The derived unit is the unit of a physical quantity which can be derived. They are
velocity(velocity=length/time), acceleration (velocity /time),force(mass x acceleration) ,
work(Force x length) etc.
 Three standardized systems of units were used to measure the fundamental quantities. They are
 (i) F.P.S. System UNITS
 (ii) C.G.S.
Length Mass Time
1. FPS Foot Pound Second
 (iii) M.K.S systems. 2. CGS Centimetre Gram Second
3. MKS Metre Kilogram Second

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

Dimension
 A derived unit is recognized by its dimension which can be defined as complete algebraic
formula for the derived units.
 The dimensional symbols of fundamental units of Length, Mass and time are, L, M and T
respectively.
 The dimensional symbol for derived units are,
 For Example, Velocity =[length]/[time] =[LT-1]
 Acceleration =[velocity] /[time]=[LT-2]
 Force=[mass] x [acceleration]=[MLT-2]
 Work=[Force] x [length]= [ML2T-2]
 Power= [Work]/[[Time]=[ML2T-3] etc.
 These equations are called dimensional equations which are helpful for the conversion of
one system of units. to another(ii)in the derivation of equations for physical quantitates and
(iii) in checking the accuracy of an equation.
28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION
 SI(System International d’Unites” Units

Fundamental Quantity Unit            Symbol

Length metre m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Thermodynamic kelvin K
temperature
Illuminating power candela cd
(luminous intensity)
Strength of electric ampere A
current
Amount of mole mol
substance(Quantity of
matter)
Plane angle radian rad
Solid angle steradian sr

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 DEFINITIONS OF FUNDAMENTAL UNITS IN SI SYSTEM

1. Metre: Metre is 1,650,763,73 times the wavelength of the orange light in vacuum emitted
by 36Kr86 (krypton) in the transition 2p10 to 5 d5.
In 1983 A.D. a new definition was given to metre. Metre is 1 in 299,762,458th parts of the distance travelled
by light in vacuum in 1 second.

2. Kilogram: Kilogram is the mass of a platinum-iridium cylinder preserved at the International Bureau of

Weights and Measures at Serves near Paris.

3. Second: One second is the time taken by 9, 192,631,770 cycles of radiation corresponding to transition of
cesium-133 atom.

4. Kelvin: This is 1/273.16 of temperature at the triple point of water measured on thermodynamic scale.

5. Candela: Candela is the luminous intensity in the perpendicular , of a surface of 1/6 x I0 5m2 of a black
body at the temperature of freezing platinum at a standard atmosphere pressure ( pressure of 101325 newton
per square metre).

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

6.Ampere: Ampere is the current which when flowing in each of two parallel conductors of
infinite length ,of negligible circular cross-section and placed one metre apart in vacuum,
would produce between these conductors a force of 2 x 10-7 newton per metre of length.

7. Mole: Mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary

entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon 12.

8. Radian: Radian is the angle projected at the centre of a circle by an arc whose length is
equivalent to the radius.
2*pi radians = 360° therefore
1 radian = 360/2*pi

9. Steradian: The solid angle projected at the centre of the sphere of radius 1 metre by its
surface of area 1 square metre.

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Electrical and magnetic units
Quantity and Symbol SI Unit
Name, Symbol
Electric current, I Ampere, A
Electromotive force, E Volt, V
Potential, V Volt, V
Resistance, R Ohm, Ω
Electric charge, Q Coulomb, C
Capacitance, C Farad F
Electric field strength. E V/m
Electric flux density, D C/m2
Permittivity, Ɛ F/m
Magnetic field strength, H A/m
Magnetic flux, Φ weber, wb
Magnetic flux density, B tesla, T
Inductance L, M henry, H
Permeability, μ H/m
28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION
 Calibration

 Calibration is the process of making an adjustment or marking a scale so that the

readings of an instrument agree with the accepted & the certified standard.
 In other words, it is the procedure for determining the correct values of measurand by
comparison with the measured or standard ones. The standard of device with which
comparison is made is called a standard instrument. The instrument which is
unknown & is to be calibrated is called test instrument. Thus in calibration, test
instrument is compared with standard instrument.
 The calibration offers a guarantee to the device or instrument that it is operating with
required accuracy, under stipulated environmental conditions.
 The calibration procedure involves the steps like visual inspection for various defects,
installation according to the specifications, zero adjustment etc.,

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Standard

 All the instruments are calibrated at the time of manufacturer

against measurement standards.
 A standard of measurement is a physical representation of a unit
of measurement. A known accurate measure of physical quantity
is termed as a standard.
 These standards are used to determine the values of other
physical quantities by comparison method.
 The different types of standards of measurement are classified
as
i) International standards
ii) Primary standards
iii) Secondary standards
iv) Working standards
28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION
 International Standards
 International standards are defined by the international agreement. These standards are
maintained at the international bureau of weights and measures.
 They are periodically evaluated and checked by absolute measurements in terms of
fundamental units. They represent certain units of measurement to the closest possible accuracy
attainable by the science and technology of measurement.
 These international standards are not available to the ordinary users for the measurement and
calibration purpose.
International ohm: It is defined as the resistance offered by a column of mercury having a mass
of 14.4521 gms, uniform cross sectional area and length of 106.300cm, to the flow of constant
current at the melting point of ice.
International Ampere: It is an unvarying current which when passed through a solution of silver
nitrate in water deposits silver at a rate of 0.00111800gm/sec.
 For the improvements in the accuracy of absolute measurements the international units are
replaced by the absolute units in 1948. Absolute units are more accurate than the international
units.
Ex: 1 international ohm = 1.00049 absolute ohm
1 international ampere = 0.99985 absolute ampere

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Primary Standards
 The principle function of primary standard is the calibration and verification
of secondary standards.
 These primary standards are Basic standards which are maintained at national
standards laboratories in different parts of the world. 
 These are not available for use outside the national laboratories.
 These standards are absolute standards for high accuracy that can be used as
ultimate reference standards.
 These are few in number. They have highest possible accuracy and highest
stability.

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Secondary Standards
 As mentioned above, the primary standards are not available for use
outside the national laboratories.
 Secondary standards are basic reference standards used by
measurement and calibration laboratories in industries and these
secondary standards are maintained by the particular industry to
which they belong.
 Each industry has its own standards. Each industry periodically sends
its secondary standard to the national standards laboratory for
calibration and comparison against the primary standard.
 After comparison and calibration, the national standards laboratory
returns the secondary standards to the particular industrial laboratory
with a certification of measuring accuracy in terms of a primary
standard.
28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION
 Working Standards

 Working standards are the principal tools of a measurement

laboratory.
 These standards used to check and calibrate laboratory instrument for
accuracy and performance.
 Ex: Manufacturers of electronic components such as capacitors,
resistors etc. use a standard called a working standard for checking
the component values being manufactured, e.g. a standard resistor for
checking of resistance value manufactured.

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Working standard resisters are constructed with manganium or
similar material which has low temperate coefficient
 The available range 0.01ohm to 1 M ohm with typical accuracy
of +/- 0.01% to +/- 0.1%.
 Working standard capacitors are constructed with silvered mica
or diectric type material.
 The Working standard inductors are available in the range
100µH to 10 µH ohm with typical accuracy of +/- 0.1%.

28/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Session Quiz

21/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION

 Thank you

21/07/2021 Department of EECE 19EEI373: MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION