Key Stage 4
Meaning
Calibrating is when a scientist checks an instrument against a known value to see that it reads the correct value.
About Calibration
- Calibration is used to correct for a zero error in which an instrument reads the wrong number.
Examples
- To check a thermometer is calibrated a scientist could place it in boiling water to check that it reads 100°C and in freezing water to check that it reads 0°C.
- To check an analogue ammeter is calibrated the dial can be read before a current is passed through it to see that it says zero.