Scientific Instruments

1) Altimeter:
It is also known as altitude meter. It is used to measure the altitude or distance of an
object above a fixed level such as the earth' surface, water surface, etc. For example, it
can measure the altitude of an airplane, spacecraft, etc., from the earth or sea surface.

2) Ammeter:
This scientific instrument is used to measure the electric current. The electric
current is a flow of electrons that is measured in ampere. So, it is the instrument
that measures the current in ampere, so it is called an ammeter or ampere
meter.

3) Anemometer:
It is used to measure the speed, direction and pressure of wind in the
atmosphere, in wind tunnels, houses, and more. It is provided with a spinning
wheel. The stronger the wind blows, the faster the wheel rotates. The
instrument counts the number of rotations and based on the count of rotations it
calculates the wind speed. It is widely used by meteorologists to study weather
patterns, and by physicists to study the movement of air.

4) Audiometer:
It is designed to measure the intensity of sound while evaluating hearing acuity.
It is widely used by audiologists and other trained medical practitioners to check
the hearing threshold of a person and to identify and quantify the degree of
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It is designed to measure the intensity of sound while evaluating hearing acuity.
It is widely used by audiologists and other trained medical practitioners to check
the hearing threshold of a person and to identify and quantify the degree of
hearing loss in a person. From the findings and readings obtained using this
device, appropriate medical treatment and hearing aid fitting can be prescribed.

5) Barometer:
It measures the atmospheric pressure, the pressure exerted by the air on the
Earth's surface. Our atmosphere comprises different layers of air wrapped
around the Earth. Due to gravitational pull towards Earth, the air presses
against everything it touches, this pressure of air is called atmospheric pressure
and is measured by a barometer. Atmospheric pressure changes with distance
above or below sea level.

6) Electron microscope:
It is used to see extremely small objects such as atoms, bacteria or viruses. It
uses electrons to create an image of an object or specimen under observation.
Its magnification or resolving power is very high as compared to ordinary
microscopes. The electron microscopes can magnify an object up to two million
times as compared to a light microscope which can magnify only up to 2000
times. The first electron microscope was invented in 1931 by German engineers
Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska.

7) Endoscope:
This instrument is used to examine or view the internal organs inside our body

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This instrument is used to examine or view the internal organs inside our body
without performing surgery. It is a long, thin tube which is flexible enough to
move inside our body. It has a light and a camera that allows us to see the
inside of our body on a television screen. It is used to examine organs such as
throat, oesophagus, stomach, etc.

) Fathometer:
It is a scientific instrument that is used to measure the depth of water, e.g.
ocean depth. It is mostly used by ships to find out the depth of water below the
ships. Fathometer is an echo-sounding instrument that uses sound waves to
calculate the depth of water. It sends the sound waves to the ocean's floor then
calculates the time taken by the sound waves to reach the ocean's floor and
return back to the source. The main components of a fathometer include a
transmitting and receiving oscillators, recorder unit and a power unit. The first
practical fathometer was invented by Herbert Grove Dorsey, an American
engineer.

9) Galvanometer:
It is used to detect or measure the presence of small electric current and
voltage. It also detects the direction of the current flowing in the circuit and the
null point of the circuit. The null point refers to the time when no current is
flowing in the circuit. It also tells about the voltage between any two points of
the circuit. The first galvanometer was invented by Johann Schweigger in 1820.

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10) Hydrometer:
It is a scientific instrument that is designed to measure the relative density or
specific gravity of different types of liquids. This instrument is a sealed glass
tube which has a wider bottom portion that contains a heavy ballast such as
lead or mercury for stability or to make the hydrometer float upright. The narrow
upper stem is calibrated to take the measurements.

11) Hydrophone:
This scientific instrument is an underwater device designed to detect, monitor
and record underwater sounds coming from different directions. Just like a
microphone receives sounds in the air, it receives acoustic signals in the water.
Sound is like a pressure wave that can move particles physically. So, the sound
produces a mechanical force when it touches a hydrophone. The hydrophone
converts a sound wave or acoustic energy into electrical energy based on the
changes detected in the pressure in the surrounding environment. It just listens
to the sounds in the sea but does not transmit any sound.

12) Hygrometer:
It is used as a weather instrument as it is designed to measure the humidity in
the air or atmosphere. Humidity is the amount of water vapour present in the
atmosphere. The uncomfortable sticky feeling in summers is due to the high
humidity in the air. Different types of hygrometers have been developed over
the centuries. The most commonly used hygrometer is called a psychrometer. It
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the air or atmosphere. Humidity is the amount of water vapour present in the
atmosphere. The uncomfortable sticky feeling in summers is due to the high
humidity in the air. Different types of hygrometers have been developed over
the centuries. The most commonly used hygrometer is called a psychrometer. It
is provided with two mercury thermometers one has a dry bulb and another one
with a wet bulb. Horace Benedict de Saussure had designed one of the first
hydrometers in 1783.

13) Hypsometer:
It is used to measure the height or elevation of an object such as a building,
tree, etc. A hypsometer can be of different types based on the principles it uses
to measure the height. Such as scale hypsometer that uses trigonometry and
pressure hypsometer that uses the concept of atmospheric pressure. It is most
often used for survey and by the construction industries to measure the height
of buildings and by arborists to measure the heights of trees.

14) Machmeter:
It is a scientific instrument that measures the ratio of the speed of the aircraft to
the speed of the sound, this ratio is called Mach Number (M). When M is equal
to one, the speed of the aircraft is equal to the speed of the sound. This
instrument is very important for the aircraft that fly at high speed. The pilot can
easily understand whether he is flying within the safe speed limits or not.

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5) Odometer:
It is a scientific instrument that indicates the distance travelled by a vehicle such
as a car, motorcycle, etc. It can a mechanical or electronic device or a
combination of both, e.g., electromechanical odometer. It is generally located in
the dashboard of a vehicle.

Gold-leaf electroscope

16) Ohmmeter:
It is used to measure or calculate the electrical resistance of a circuit. The unit
of resistance is ohm, so it is measured in ohm. The electrical resistance of a
circuit or conductor indicates how much it resists the flow of current through it.

17) Cathetometer:
It is a scientific instrument which is used to measure the minute differences in
the levels of surfaces of liquids with great accuracy. E.g., the distance between
the levels of the mercury in the tube of a barometer and in any other container
such as a cistern, glass tube, etc.

18) Colorimeter:
Calorimeter is used to measure the absorbency of light waves. It is a light-
sensitive device that is used for measuring the absorbance of light passing
through a liquid sample. Absorbance is the amount of light absorbed by a
solution containing a solute.

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through a liquid sample. Absorbance is the amount of light absorbed by a
solution containing a solute.

19) Crescograph:
It is a device that is used to measure the growth in plants. It was invented by Sir
Jagadish Chandra Bose at the beginning of the 20th century. This main
components of this instrument include a smoked glass plate and clockwise
gears. The plate is calibrated at regular distance intervals to measure the
growth or movement of the tip or roots of a plant under observation at a
magnification of up to 10,000 times. And, the role of clockwise gears is to
measure the influence on growth under different circumstances, under varying
stimuli such as temperature, gases, chemicals, electricity.

20) Cryometer:
It is a type of thermometer that is used to measure very low temperatures of
objects. There are lots of devices that can be used as Cryometers. These
devices are mostly used to measure low temperature in space. For example:

21) Dilatometer:
It is a scientific instrument that is developed to measure the changes in the
volume or length of a material that occurs as a result of a change in
temperature. These materials can be ceramics, glasses, polymers, and metals.
These changes in the dimension of material are measured on the basis of
dilatometry. There can be many reasons for volume changes apart from
temperature such as absorption of fluids, chemical reactions, or mechanical
stress such as pressure on a solid object.

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22) Electroscope:
It is an instrument used to detect the presence of an electric charge on a body.
The first electroscope was developed by a British physician William Gilbert in
1600. It had a pivoted needle a
nd was called versorium.

Pith-ball electroscope:

23) Ondometer:
It is used to measure the wavelength and nature of the electromagnetic
radiations or waves. It is sometimes also called wavemeter. The
electromagnetic radiation is comprised of many radiations of different
wavelengths known as the electromagnetic spectrum.

24) Optometer:
It is a device that tracks the path travelled by the light after it enters the eye. It is
called eye refraction. If the path travelled by light is not normal then it is known
as a refractive error that may be corrected using eyeglasses or contact lenses.
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24) Optometer:
It is a device that tracks the path travelled by the light after it enters the eye. It is
called eye refraction. If the path travelled by light is not normal then it is known
as a refractive error that may be corrected using eyeglasses or contact lenses.

25) Otoscope:
It is a specialized hand-held instrument used by physicians to examine the ear
more specifically the ear canal and eardrum. Its name is derived from two
words "Oto" means Ear and "scope" means to view. However, it can also be
used to examine the nose and throat passages in the body.

26) Periscope:
It is a device that is designed to observe over, or around an obstacle that
prevents the direct line of sight. It works on the principle of laws of reflection of
light. So, an object that is placed in the line of sight reflects the light towards the
eyepiece making the target visible in the periscope.

27) Phonograph:
It is a device that is developed to reproduce the sound recorded on a grooved
disc. It is provided with a stylus or needle that vibrates while following a spiral
groove on the revolving disc to reproduce sound. It is also known as a
gramophone or disc player or a record player.

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28) Polygraph:
It is sometimes known as a lie-detector device. It is typically used to test the
physiological responses of a person while replying to a set of yes or no
questions related to a crime, incident, and any other sensitive purpose.

29) Pyrometer:
It is a scientific device that is designed to measure relatively high temperature
such as in furnaces without touching and where we cannot use ordinary
thermometers. It is based on the fact that every hot object emits heat or thermal
radiations. So, most of the pyrometers work by measuring heat radiations
emitted from the objects.

29) Pyrometer:
It is a scientific device that is designed to measure relatively high temperature
such as in furnaces without touching and where we cannot use ordinary
thermometers. It is based on the fact that every hot object emits heat or thermal
radiations. So, most of the pyrometers work by measuring heat radiations
emitted from the objects.

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31) Rain Gauge:
It is a simple scientific instrument that is used to measure the amount of rain
during a particular interval of time per unit area. It is also known as ombrometer.

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32) Refractometer:
It is a scientific instrument that is used to measure the refractive index of a
liquid or solid substance. It measures how much the light bents or refracted
when it enters into a substance from the air. It is based on the fact that light
travels at different velocities in different mediums such as solids, liquids, gases,
etc.

33) Sextant:
It is used to find out the angle between the horizon and a celestial body such
as Stars, Moon, Sun, etc. It is a navigation instrument that helps determine
longitude and latitude, more specifically the altitude of the sun, stars above
the horizon. So, it helps a navigator to find his position on the earth while
travelling in a ship.

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34) Seismograph:
It is a scientific instrument developed to detect, measure or record
earthquakes. It is capable of recording the motion of the ground during an
earthquake. Sometimes, it is also called a seismometer. During an
earthquake, seismic waves are produced. These propagating vibrations
travel outward to all directions carrying energy from the origin of an
earthquake. The record of vibrations produced by a seismograph on a
screen or a paper is called a seismogram. Using a seismograph, you can
find out, the magnitude, depth and location of the earthquake.

35) Speedometer:
It is a device installed in the vehicles to measure their speed while moving on
the roads. It allows drivers to maintain a sensible and safe pace. It indicates
the speed in miles per hour, kilometres per hour or both. Josip Belusic
invented the first speedometer in 1888.

36) Spherometer:
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36) Spherometer:
A Spherometer is a scientific device that is developed to measure the radius
of curvature of spherical surfaces with great precision. The radius of
curvature of a curved mirror is the radius of the sphere that was used to
make the curved mirror.

37) Sphygmomanometer:
It is used to measure blood pressure in humans.

he blood pressure reading obtained by using a sphygmomanometer is composed of

two numbers that indicate systolic and diastolic pressures. E.g. 120/80 mm Hg

38) Stethoscope:
It is a scientific instrument that is used by doctors to detect or listen to the
sounds produced in the body such as heartbeats and sounds produced in
lungs, intestinal tract including the sound of blood flow in the peripheral
vessels and the heart sounds of the foetus in the womb of pregnant women.
It is used for the proper diagnosis of a patient's condition or illness. It is a
binaural device, so it is used with both the ears.

39) Tachometer:
It is used to measure the rotation speed of a rotating object such as
crankshaft of an engine. It measures revolutions per minute performed by

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 crankshaft of an engine. It measures revolutions per minute performed by
the object. A tachometer is also known as a revolution counter. In general, it
comprises a dial and a needle to display the readings related to safe and
dangerous limits.

40) Telemeter:
It is used to measure the distance between two objects, which may be
moving or only one of them is moving and another one is stationary.

41) Thermometer:
It is a scientific device that is used to measure temperature. It can be of
different types as it can be used to measure the temperature of a wide range of
substances such as food, liquids, gases, air and human body temperature. The
commonly used measurement units for the measurement of temperature
include Kelvin, Fahrenheit and Celsius.

42) Tonometer:
Tonometer is used to measure the pressure inside the eyes of a person. This

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Tonometer is used to measure the pressure inside the eyes of a person. This
internal pressure of the eye is known as the intraocular pressure (IOP).

43) Venturimeter:
It is a scientific device that is used to measure the speed and rate of flow of a
fluid that is flowing in a pipe. It works on the principle of Bernoulli's equation that
says as the velocity increases pressure decreases.

44) Vernier Caliper:

It is used to measure linear dimensions such as distance or straight line
between two points. It is an ideal measuring tool to measure the diameter of
spherical objects like pipes, cylinders as the jaws of the caliper can be
positioned on both the sides of the circumference. It was invented by Pierre
Vernier in 1631.

45) Viscometer:
It is an instrument which is used to measure the viscosity of a fluid and semi-
solid including the solid food products. Viscosity is the fluid's resistance to flow.

46) Wattmeter:
It is a professional, electric instrument that is used to measure the flow of
current or electricity or electric power through high-voltage electricity lines.
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current or electricity or electric power through high-voltage electricity lines.
Along with the flow of current, it also measures the voltage and current values
which can be used to calculate power in watts.

47) Wavemeter:
Wavemeter, which is also known as wavelength meter, is a scientific instrument
that is used to measure the wavelength of laser beams with great precision.
There are many types of wavemeter such as scanning wavemeters, and static
instruments without any moving parts.

48) Bolometer:
It is a device used to detect and measure heat or electromagnetic radiations of
microwave energy.

49) Fluxmeter:
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49) Fluxmeter:
It is a scientific instrument that is used to measure the flux of a permanent
magnet. In fact, this device is an advanced version of the ballistic galvanometer
with certain benefits like heavy electromagnetic damping and low controlling
torque.

Q1. Which device is used to measure the depth of seas and oceans?
A. Gravometer
B. Fathometer
C. Gyroscope
D. Dilatometers
Ans. B
Q2. Name a devise used to measure the sharpness of the electric current?
A. Gravometer
B. Electrometer
C. Galvanometer
D. Dynamometer
Ans. C
Q3. Name an instrument used to measure the sound waves inside the
water?
A. Comograph
B. Dictaphone
C. Crescograph
D. Hydrophone
Ans. D
Q4. Name a device used to measure atmospheric humidity?
A. Hygrometer
B. Gravometer
C. Avometer
D. Calorimeter
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D. Calorimeter
Ans. A
Q5. Which device is used to detect and measure the purification of the
milk?
A. Microphone
B. Heart Lungs Machine
C. Ganong Respiratory
D. Lactometer
Ans. D
Q6. The equipment through which any substance be cut into very small
pieces:
A. Manometer
B. Microtome
C. Micrometer
D. Machmeter
Ans. B
Q7. Through which device the illumination and intensity of two light
sources are compared?
A. Pyrometer
B. Phototeligraphic
C. Photometer
D. Periscope
Ans. C
Q8. Name a device through which the truthness of the human being is
examined?
A. Paicnometer
B. Quadrant
C. Polygraph
D. Radiometer
Ans. C
Q9. Which devise is used to measure the intensity of the earthquake?
A. Seismograph
B. Oscilliograph
C. Comograph
D. Cardiograph
Ans. A
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C. Comograph
D. Cardiograph
Ans. A
Q10. Which device is used to listen the vibrations of the heart and lungs?
A. Spectroscope
B. Stethoscope
C. Stereoscope
D. None of the above
Ans. B

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