Notes

NOTE 1 Measurement uncertainty includes components arising from systematic effects, such as components associated with corrections and the assigned quantity values of measurement standards, as well as the definitional uncertainty. Sometimes estimated systematic effects are not corrected for but, instead, associated measurement uncertainty components are incorporated.

NOTE 2 The parameter may be, for example, a standard deviation called standard measurement uncertainty (or a specified multiple of it), or the half-width of an interval, having a stated coverage probability.

NOTE 3 Measurement uncertainty comprises, in general, many components. Some of these may be evaluated by Type A evaluation of measurement uncertainty from the statistical distribution of the quantity values from series of measurements and can be characterized by standard deviations. The other components, which may be evaluated by Type B evaluation of measurement uncertainty, can also be characterized by standard deviations, evaluated from probability density functions based on experience or other information.

NOTE 4 In general, for a given set of information, it is understood that the measurement uncertainty is associated with a stated quantity value attributed to the measurand. A modification of this value results in a modification of the associated uncertainty.

Annotations

ANNOTATION (informative) [5 December 2013] Measurement uncertainty is part of a measurement result, which is an outcome of a measurement. "non-negative" means "zero or positive". The "information used" in the definition is the information obtained from performing the measurement.

ANNOTATION (informative) [5 December 2013] A simplified equivalent wording of the definition is "non-negative parameter characterizing the dispersion of the values being attributed to a measurand, based on the information used."

1 Quantities and units

• 1.1 quantity
• 1.2 kind of quantity
• 1.3 system of quantities
• 1.4 base quantity
• 1.5 derived quantity
• 1.6 International System of Quantities
• 1.7 quantity dimension
• 1.8 quantity of dimension one
• 1.9 measurement unit
• 1.10 base unit
• 1.11 derived unit
• 1.12 coherent derived unit
• 1.13 system of units
• 1.14 coherent system of units
• 1.15 off-system measurement unit
• 1.16 International System of Units
• 1.17 multiple of a unit
• 1.18 submultiple of a unit
• 1.19 quantity value
• 1.20 numerical quantity value
• 1.21 quantity calculus
• 1.22 quantity equation
• 1.23 unit equation
• 1.24 conversion factor between units
• 1.25 numerical value equation
• 1.26 ordinal quantity
• 1.27 quantity-value scale
• 1.28 ordinal quantity-value scale
• 1.29 conventional reference scale
• 1.30 nominal property

2 Measurement

• 2.1 measurement
• 2.2 metrology
• 2.3 measurand
• 2.4 measurement principle
• 2.5 measurement method
• 2.6 measurement procedure
• 2.7 reference measurement procedure
• 2.8 primary reference measurement procedure
• 2.9 measurement result
• 2.10 measured quantity value
• 2.11 true quantity value
• 2.12 conventional quantity value
• 2.13 measurement accuracy
• 2.14 measurement trueness
• 2.15 measurement precision
• 2.16 measurement error
• 2.17 systematic measurement error
• 2.18 measurement bias
• 2.19 random measurement error
• 2.20 repeatability condition of measurement
• 2.21 measurement repeatability
• 2.22 intermediate precision condition of measurement
• 2.23 intermediate measurement precision
• 2.24 reproducibility condition of measurement
• 2.25 measurement reproducibility
• 2.26 measurement uncertainty
• 2.27 definitional uncertainty
• 2.28 Type A evaluation of measurement uncertainty
• 2.29 Type B evaluation of measurement uncertainty
• 2.30 standard measurement uncertainty
• 2.31 combined standard measurement uncertainty
• 2.32 relative standard measurement uncertainty
• 2.33 uncertainty budget
• 2.34 target measurement uncertainty
• 2.35 expanded measurement uncertainty
• 2.36 coverage interval
• 2.37 coverage probability
• 2.38 coverage factor
• 2.39 calibration
• 2.40 calibration hierarchy
• 2.41 metrological traceability
• 2.42 metrological traceability chain
• 2.43 metrological traceability to a measurement unit
• 2.44 verification
• 2.45 validation
• 2.46 metrological comparability of measurement results
• 2.47 metrological compatibility of measurement results
• 2.48 measurement model
• 2.49 measurement function
• 2.50 input quantity in a measurement model
• 2.51 output quantity in a measurement model
• 2.52 influence quantity
• 2.53 correction

3 Devices for measurement

• 3.1 measuring instrument
• 3.2 measuring system
• 3.3 indicating measuring instrument
• 3.4 displaying measuring instrument
• 3.5 scale of a displaying measuring instrument
• 3.6 material measure
• 3.7 measuring transducer
• 3.8 sensor
• 3.9 detector
• 3.10 measuring chain
• 3.11 adjustment of a measuring system
• 3.12 zero adjustment of a measuring system

4 Properties of measuring devices

• 4.1 indication
• 4.2 blank indication
• 4.3 indication interval
• 4.4 nominal indication interval
• 4.5 range of a nominal indication interval
• 4.6 nominal quantity value
• 4.7 measuring interval
• 4.8 steady-state operating condition
• 4.9 rated operating condition
• 4.10 limiting operating condition
• 4.11 reference operating condition
• 4.12 sensitivity of a measuring system
• 4.13 selectivity of a measuring system
• 4.14 resolution
• 4.15 resolution of a displaying device
• 4.16 discrimination threshold
• 4.17 dead band
• 4.18 detection limit
• 4.19 stability of a measuring instrument
• 4.20 instrumental bias
• 4.21 instrumental drift
• 4.22 variation due to an influence quantity
• 4.23 step response time
• 4.24 instrumental measurement uncertainty
• 4.25 accuracy class
• 4.26 maximum permissible measurement error
• 4.27 datum measurement error
• 4.28 zero error
• 4.29 null measurement uncertainty
• 4.30 calibration diagram
• 4.31 calibration curve

5 Measurement standards (Etalons)

• 5.1 measurement standard
• 5.2 international measurement standard
• 5.3 national measurement standard
• 5.4 primary measurement standard
• 5.5 secondary measurement standard
• 5.6 reference measurement standard
• 5.7 working measurement standard
• 5.8 travelling measurement standard
• 5.9 transfer measurement device
• 5.10 intrinsic measurement standard
• 5.11 conservation of a measurement standard
• 5.12 calibrator
• 5.13 reference material
• 5.14 certified reference material
• 5.15 commutability of a reference material
• 5.16 reference data
• 5.17 standard reference data
• 5.18 reference quantity value