AY Honors/Forestry/Answer Key

2011-10-05T15:32:26Z

59.92.239.250:

[[Image:Stanley compass 1.jpg|thumb|Compass with inclinometer]]
[[Image:Sitometer Kern 2.jpg|thumb|Military model]]
An '''inclinometer''' or '''clinometer''' is an instrument for measuring angles of [[slope]] (or [[tilt]]), [[elevation]] or [[depression (mood)|depression]] of an object with respect to gravity. It is also known as a ''tilt meter'', ''tilt indicator'', ''slope alert'', ''slope gauge'', ''gradient meter'', ''gradiometer'', ''level gauge'', ''level meter'', ''declinometer'', and ''pitch & roll indicator''.

==Accuracy==
[[File:Vickers Clino R.JPG|thumb|Clinometer designed to enable [[indirect fire]] capability with a [[Vickers machine gun]] circa 1918]]
Certain highly sensitive electronic inclinometer sensors can achieve an output resolution to 0.0001 degrees - depending on the technology and angle range, it may be limited to 0.01º. An inclinometer sensor's true or absolute accuracy (which is the combined total error), however, is a combination of initial sets of sensor zero offset and sensitivity, sensor linearity, hysteresis, repeatability, and the temperature drifts of zero and sensitivity - electronic inclinometers accuracy can typically range from .01º to ±2º depending on the sensor and situation. Typically in room ambient conditions the accuracy is limited to the sensor linearity specification.

[[Image:Well's Clinometer - Project Gutenberg eText 19465.png|thumb|The Well's clinometer]]
[[Image:Clinometerlow.jpg|thumb|A simple clinometer]]

==Sensor technology==

[[Tilt sensor]]s and inclinometers generate an [[artificial horizon]] and measure angular tilt with respect to this horizon. They are used in cameras, aircraft flight controls, automobile security systems, and speciality switches and are also used for platform leveling, boom angle indication, indeed anywhere tilt requires measuring.

Important specifications to consider when searching for tilt sensors and inclinometers are the tilt angle range and number of axes (which are usually, but not always, [[orthogonal]]). The tilt angle range is the range of desired linear output. 

Common sensor technologies for tilt sensors and inclinometers are accelerometer, [[Liquid capacitive inclinometers|Liquid Capacitive]], electrolytic, gas bubble in liquid, and pendulum.

Tilt sensor technology has also been implemented in video games. ''[[Yoshi's Universal Gravitation]]'' and ''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble]]'' are both built around a tilt sensor mechanism, which is built into the cartridge. The [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Wii]] game controllers also use tilt as a means to play video games.

Inclinometers are also used in [[civil engineering]], for example to measure the inclination of land to be built upon.

Some inclinometers provide an electronic interface based on [[Controller_area_network|CAN (Controller Area Network)]]. In addition, those inclinometers may support the standardized [[Canopen|CANopen]] profile (CiA 410). In this case, these inclinometers are compatible and partly interchangeable.

==Uses==
Inclinometers are used for:
* Determining latitude using [[Polaris]] (in the Northern Hemisphere) or the two stars of the constellation [[Crux]] (in the Southern Hemisphere).
* Determining the angle of the Earth's magnetic field with respect to the horizontal plane.
* Showing a deviation from the true vertical or horizontal.
* [[Surveying]], to measure an angle of inclination or elevation.
* Alerting an equipment operator that it may tip over.[http://www.riekerinc.com/TiltIndicators.htm]
* Measuring angles of elevation, slope, or incline, e.g. of an embankment.
* Measuring slight differences in slopes, particularly for [[geophysics]]. Such inclinometers are, for instance, used for monitoring [[volcano]]es, or for measuring the depth and rate of landslide movement.
* Measuring movements in walls or the ground in civil engineering projects.[http://www.slopeindicator.com/instruments/inclin-intro.html]
* Determining the dip of beds or strata, or the slope of an embankment or cutting; a kind of plumb level.
* Some automotive [[safety]] systems.
* Indicating pitch and roll of vehicles, nautical craft, and aircraft. See [[turn coordinator]] and [[slip indicator]].[http://www.riekerinc.com/SlipIndicators.htm]
* Monitoring the boom angle of cranes and material handlers.
* Measuring the "look angle" of a satellite antenna towards a satellite.
* Adjusting a [[solar panel]] to the optimal angle to maximize its output.
* Measuring the slope angle of a tape or chain during distance measurement.
* Measuring the height of a building, tree, or other feature using a vertical angle and a distance (determined by taping or pacing), using [[trigonometry]].
* Measuring the angle of drilling in [[well logging]].
* Measuring the [[List (watercraft)|list]] of a [[ship]] in still water and the roll in rough water.
* Measuring steepness of a [[ski slope]].
* Measuring the orientation of [[plane (mathematics)|plane]]s and [[lineation]]s in rocks, in combination with a [[compass]], in [[structural geology]].
* Measuring [[Range of Motion]] in the joints of the body
* Measuring the inclination angle of the [[human pelvis|pelvis]].
* Measuring the angles of elevation to, and ultimately computing the altitudes of, many things otherwise inaccessible for direct measurement.

== See also ==
* [[Theodolite]]
* [[Clinometer (forestry)]]
* [[Tiltmeter]]
* [[Liquid capacitive inclinometers]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.inclinometer.blogspot.com Inclinometer Blog - General Inclinometer Information]

[[Category:Surveying instruments]]
[[Category:Dimensional instruments]]
[[Category:Inclinometers]]
[[Category:Measuring instruments]]

[[ar:مميال]]
[[ca:Clinòmetre]]
[[da:Inklinometer]]
[[de:Neigungsmesser]]
[[et:Inklinomeeter]]
[[es:Clinómetro]]
[[fa:شیب‌سنج]]
[[fr:Inclinomètre]]
[[hi:नतिमापी]]
[[io:Klinometro]]
[[id:Inklinometer]]
[[it:Clinometro]]
[[nl:Hoekmeter]]
[[ja:クリノメーター]]
[[no:Klinometer]]
[[pl:Inklinometr]]
[[pt:Inclinômetro]]
[[ru:Инклинометр]]
[[sl:Klinometer]]
[[sv:Inklinometer]]
[[uk:Екліметр]]

Pathfinder Wiki - User contributions [en]

AY Honors/Forestry/Answer Key