Measure, Calculate, or Compute Quiz

Answer: Time

Invented in 1737, by British scientist John Harrison, the chronometer was created as an accurate timekeeper for sea travel. They are usually used for celestial navigation along with a sextant. These clocks are extremely precise and lives depend on their accuracy.

Answer: Manometer

A manometer is a scientific instrument that is used to measure the pressure of gas and/or vapor. It usually consists of a u-shaped tube that contains a fluid, often mercury. Pressure is measured by the difference in the levels of fluid between the two arms of the tube.

Answer: Surveyor

A theodolite is an optical instrument consisting of a small telescope mounted on a rotatable stand. Theodolites are usually used by surveyors to measure vertical and horizontal angles. In Canada, they are sometimes called a transit.

Answer: Earthquake

A seismograph, sometimes called a seismometer, is a measuring device that is used to measure the strength of an earthquake. It consists of a weight on a spring that is attached to fixed base. During earthquake activity, the base moves, but the weight does not.

The motion of the base is transformed into an electrical voltage. This electrical voltage is measured and using a mathematical formula provides the strength of the earthquake.

Answer: False

A caliper is a calibrated instrument that is used to measure thickness or internal/external diameters of an object. It does not measure if an object will float. A caliper generally consists of a pair of adjustable, pivoted legs that are joined at one end.

Answer: Wind speed

An anemometer is a common device, usually used in meteorology, for measuring wind speed. Anemometers are also used to determine wind direction and, using this data, a meteorologist can determine wind pressure. One of the most common anemometer designs consists of a vertical pole with horizontal arms. The anemometer measures the rotations and calculates the wind speed.

Answer: Steps taken

A pedometer is a simple device that is worn by a runner or walker to record the number of steps taken and the distance that was traveled. Worn on the hip, it measures the individual steps a person takes by using hip movement as an indicator. They are often used for exercise purposes to help the individual keep track of how far they went.

There are some with a built in clock to provide distance travelled and the length of time it took the person to get there.

Answer: Sundial

The style and the gnomon are the parts of a sundial. This simple, but accurate, device uses the sun and the shadows it produces to tell time. While there are quite a few different designs, they all use the same idea. Sundials have been used for thousands of years and they are even mentioned in the Holy Bible (2 Kings 20:10,11).

Answer: Metallurgist

A metallurgist would be the most likely occupation to use a sclerometer, which measures the hardness of a substance. It is an instrument used to scratch or pierce a mineral, often by using a diamond point. It was invented around 1896 by Professor Thomas Turner, who was the first British Professor of metallurgy at the University of Birmingham.

Answer: False

A dosimeter is a device that measures exposure to various things, usually radiation, vibration, chemicals or noise. It is a safety device often found in the medical field. There are half-a-dozen different types of dosimeters but all are used to check the dosage or exposure level a human has incurred, usually for diagnostic purposes or during product testing.