Measurement Errors and Uncertainty

Semyon G. Rabinovich

• 15 augustus 2005
• 9780387253589

Samenvatting:

Therefore, to obtain realistic estimates of measurement uncertainties, mathematical methods must be supplemented with methods that make it possible to take into account data on properties of measuring instruments, the conditions under which measu- ments are performed, the measurement procedure, and other features of measu- ments.

Measurement Errors and Uncertainties addresses the most important problems that physicists and engineers encounter when estimating errors and uncertainty. Building from the fundamentals of measurement theory, the author develops the theory of accuracy of measurements and offers a wealth of practical recommendations and examples of applications.

This new edition covers a wide range of subjects, including:

- Basic concepts of metrology

- Measuring instruments characterization, standardization and calibration

-Estimation of errors and uncertainty of single and multiple measurements

- Modern probability-based methods of estimating measurement uncertainty

With this new edition, the author completes the development of the new theory of indirect measurements. This theory provides more accurate and efficient methods for processing indirect measurement data. It eliminates the need to calculate the correlation coefficient - a stumbling block in measurement data processing - and offers for the first time a way to obtain the confidence intervals. In other words, this new theory provides means to calculate a well-grounded estimate of measurement uncertainty for this complex but widely used type of measurements.

Acclaim for previous editions:

"Extremely useful to metrologists and to anyone interested in measurement errors"
(MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

"I suggest that every technical library should own a copy of Measurement Errors. Serious experimentalists whose interests are broad will surely want to examine the book with the intent of buying it".
(Applied Mechanics Review)

The major objective of this book is to give methods for estimating errors and uncertainties of real measurements: measurements that are performed in industry, commerce, and experimental research. This book is needed because the existing theory of measurement errors was historically developed as an abstract mathematical discipline. As a result, this theory allows estimation of uncertainties of some ideal measurements only and is not applicable to most practical cases. In particular, it is not applicable to single measurements. This situation did not bother mathematicians, whereas engineers, not being bold enough to assert that the mathematical theory of errors cannot satisfy their needs, solved their particular problems in one or another ad hoc manner. Actually, any measurement of a physical quantity is not abstract, but it involves an entirely concrete procedure that is always implemented with concrete te- nical devices—measuring instruments—under concrete conditions. Therefore, to obtain realistic estimates of measurement uncertainties, mathematical methods must be supplemented with methods that make it possible to take into account data on properties of measuring instruments, the conditions under which measu- ments are performed, the measurement procedure, and other features of measu- ments. The importance of the methods of estimating measurement inaccuracies for practice can scarcely be exaggerated. Indeed, in another stage of planning a m- surement or using a measurement result, one must know its error limits or unc- tainty. Inaccuracy of a measurement determines its quality and is related to its cost.