Research Catalog

Title

The physics of metrology : all about instruments : from trundle wheels to atomic clocks / Alexius J. Hebra.

Author

Hebra, Alex, 1919-

Publication

Wien ; New York : Springer, c2010.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xxi, 383 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

Conceived as a reference manual for practicing engineers, instrument designers, service technicians and engineering students. The related fields of physics, mechanics and mathematics are frequently incorporated to enhance the understanding of the subject matter. Historical anecdotes as far back as Hellenistic times to modern scientists help illustrate in an entertaining manner ideas ranging from impractical inventions in history to those that have changed our lives.

Subjects

• History
• Control , Robotics, Mechatronics
• Engineering, general
• Electronics and Microelectronics, Instrumentation
• Engineering Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer
• Mechanical Engineering
• Measurement Science and Instrumentation
• Electronics
• Control engineering systems
• Mechanical engineering
• Engineering
• Physics
• Weights and measures > History
• Metrology > History

Genre/Form

History

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

• 1. The measurement of length -- Trundle wheel -- Chains and tape measures -- Distance measurement -- Triangulation -- Theodolites -- Optical distance meters -- Reflective distance meters -- Beam-modulation telemetry -- Global positioning system -- Ruler and gage blocks -- Caliper -- Micrometers -- Dial indicators -- 2. Angles and arcs -- Cross staff angle measurement -- Astrolabe and quadrant -- Sextant -- Levels --Inclinometers and laser levelers -- Protractor and the carpenter's bevel -- Sine-bar -- Digital theodolites and encoders -- 3. Clocks and the measurement of time -- Water clocks -- Gravity-driven timepieces -- Candle clocks -- Sandglasses -- Mechanical clockworks -- The foliot escapement -- Pendulum escapement -- Spring-driven clockworks -- Electric clock -- Tuning fork ratchet control -- Crystal-controlled watches -- Clocks and the atom -- A truly nature-based frequency standard -- Building an atomic clock -- 4. Velocity and acceleration -- Tachometer -- Pickups --^
• Sound and ultrasound -- Echo sounding -- Piezoelectric probes -- Radar -- Doppler shift radar -- A glimpse at relativity -- Velocity and acceleration -- Liquid flow metering -- Orifice flowmeters -- Variable-area flowmeter -- Variable-area flowmeter -- Positive displacement meters -- Gasometers -- 5. Force, mass, weight, and torque -- Strain gages and the Wheatstone bridge -- Measuring deflection -- Crystal strain gauges -- From levers to scales and balances -- Scales and weights -- Torque -- Motor torque and de Prony's brake -- Eddy current dynamometer -- 6. Vibrations -- Aeolian harp -- the dawn of music -- The omnipresent vortex -- Waves and the sine line -- String theories --Aeolian vibrations -- Practice meets theory -- III winds -- Wind power of the nasty kind -- Controlling aeolian vibrations -- Vibration dampers -- Monitoring vibration damping -- Terra not so firma -- Earthquake detection -- Vibration sensors -- Displaying signals -- Frequency measurement instrumentation --^
• Forced oscillations -- Crank mechanics -- Some fascinating crank-driven machinery -- Analog frequency meters -- Digital metering -- In comes the computer! -- Noncontact measurements -- Doppler vibrometer -- 7. Thermodynamics -- Six's thermometer -- Gas thermometer -- Thermoelectric temperature sensors -- Resistance thermometry -- Radiation pyrometry -- Thermistors -- Calorimetry -- Berthelot's bomb calorimeter -- Specific heat capacity -- Nernst calorimeter -- Thermophore -- Specific heat energy of gases -- Apparatus of Clément and Desormes -- Entropy and the heat-death -- 8. Pressure -- Mercury barometer -- Dial barometer -- Low and rough grade vacuum -- Once upon a time -- Bourdon tube manometer -- Membrane-actuated manometers.
• Energy via airmail -- The "incompressible" fluids -- Hydraulic ram -- Down and under -- Diamond anvil cell -- The other face of the coin -- Capacitance manometer -- McLoid vacuum meter -- Pirani heat transfer manometer -- New age machine design -- Ladder diagram -- The not so missing link -- Typical applications of pneumatic cylinders -- Valves, the gray eminence -- Pneumatics and hydraulics -- Pressure sensors -- The atmosphere and the cosmos -- 9. Density of solids, liquids, and gases -- Density and atomic mass -- Measurements of gas density -- Effusiometer -- Hydrogen and helium -- Acoustic gas density meter -- Density of solids -- Density of liquids -- Pycnometer -- Nicholson's hydrometer -- Mohr (Westphal) balance -- Hydrometer -- Hare's apparatus -- Oscillating tube densitometer -- Density of extrasolar objects -- 10. Light and radiation -- Vanishing grease blot -- Clap hands -- here comes the semiconductor! -- The finite velocity of propagation of light --^
• I see the light! -- The enchanted land of lenses -- Binoculars -- The roots of white light -- Reflecting telescopes -- Newtonian reflectors -- Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes -- From extreme to extreme -- Electron microscope -- Spectrometry -- Prism spectroscope -- Diffraction grating spectroscope -- 11. Acoustics -- The symphony orchestra in the living room -- Sound propagation -- The wave nature of sound -- Audio systems -- The two faces of the dynamic speaker -- Piezoelectric transducers -- Technology of piezoelectrics -- An application of piezoelectric transducers -- Ribbon microphone -- Condenser microphones -- Electrostatic speakers -- Sound tracking -- Echo sounding -- Ultra- and hypersound -- Sonography -- Sonoluminescence -- Addendum -- 12. Electrical and electronic instruments -- Volt and ampere -- D'Arsonval galvanometer -- Transistorized multimeter -- Iron-vane instrument -- Bimetal ammeter -- Power meters -- Resistance meters -- Cross coil instruments --^
• Tenacious oddball -- Let's get digitized! -- The LED at the end of the tunnel -- Digital measurement of analog magnitudes -- Analog-to-digital conversion -- Successive-approximation converter -- Slope integrating ADC -- 13. Automation : instruments that think -- Thermostats -- Electronic temperature controllers -- Operation of on/off mode controllers -- Luminosity control -- CO₂ control in exhaust gases -- Sulfur dioxide measurement -- Humidity control -- Moisture control -- Conductivity of fluids and liquids -- Some control theory -- Proportional control -- Pneumatic control systems -- Flashback to the roots of automation.

ISBN

• 9783211783801 (hbk.)
• 3211783806 (hbk.)

OCLC

• 233552249
• SCSB-11999438

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library