Definitions

Calibration*                                 
Interlaboratory Comparisons**
International (measurement) standard**
Laboratory/calibration laboratory**
Limits of permissible error**
Measurand** 
Measurement**
Measurement standard**
Measuring and Test Equipment**
Proficiency testing**
Quality manual**
Test*
Traceability**
Uncertainty of measurement**

*   ISO/IEC Guide 25:1990 (E)
** NCSL Handbook for Z540-1-1994

  1. Calibration - A set of operations which established, under specified conditions, the relationship between values indicated by a measuring instrument or measuring system, or values represented by a material measure, and the corresponding known values of a measurand. *  

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  2. Interlaboratory comparisons - Organization, performance and evaluation of calibrations  on the same or similar items by two or more laboratories in accordance with predetermined conditions. **  

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  3. International (measurement) standard - A standard recognized by an international agreement to serve internationally as the basis for fixing the value of all other standards of the quantity concerned. **  

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  4. Laboratory/calibration laboratory - Body that calibrates or performs calibrations and verifications. **  

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  5. Limits of permissible error (of a measuring instrument) - The extreme values of an error permitted by specifications, regulations, etc. for a given measuring instrument. **  

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  6. Measurand - A quantity subjected to measurement. **  

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  7. Measurement - A set of operations having the object of determining the value of a measurand. **  

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  8. Measurement standard - A material measure, measuring instrument, reference material or system intended to define, realize, conserve or reproduce a unit or on or more known values of a quantity to serve as a reference. **  

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  9. Measuring and test equipment - All of the measuring instruments, measurement standards, reference materials, and auxiliary apparatus that are necessary to perform a measurement.  This term includes measuring equipment used in the course of testing and inspection, as well as that used in calibration. **  

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  10. Proficiency testing - Determination of the laboratory calibration performance by interlaboratory comparisons or other means. **  

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  11. Quality manual - A document stating the quality policy, quality system and quality practices of an organization. **  

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  12. Test - A technical operation that consists of the determination of one or more characteristics of performance of a given product, material, equipment, organism, physical phenomenon, process or service, according to a specified procedure. *  

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  13. Traceability - The property of a result of a measurement whereby it can be related to appropriate standards, generally national or international standards, through an unbroken chain of comparisons. **0  

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  14. Uncertainty of measurement - parameter, associated with the result of a measurement, that characterizes the dispersion of the values that could reasonably be attributed to the measurand. **  

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