Vernier caliper

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Vernier caliper is a precision instrument used for measuring internal and external distances accurately. It may also be used to measure internal and external radii. The instrument consists of a main scale and a sliding vernier scale. As the vernier slides along the main scale, readings can be taken off the vernier scale. The vernier caliper has both metric and imperial measurements.

History[edit | edit source]

The vernier caliper was invented by Pierre Vernier, a French scientist. Vernier was inspired by the caliper, an ancient instrument used for measuring distances. He improved upon the design and accuracy of the caliper by adding a movable scale that could be used to read measurements to a higher degree of precision.

Design[edit | edit source]

The vernier caliper consists of a main scale and a sliding vernier scale. The main scale is marked with a linear series of measurements, while the vernier scale is a smaller, movable scale that slides along the main scale. The vernier scale is designed to increase the precision of the measurements taken with the caliper.

Usage[edit | edit source]

To use a vernier caliper, the object to be measured is placed between the jaws of the caliper. The vernier scale is then slid along the main scale until the object is securely held between the jaws. The measurement can then be read off the vernier scale.

Types of Vernier Calipers[edit | edit source]

There are several types of vernier calipers, including digital vernier calipers, dial vernier calipers, and traditional vernier calipers. Digital vernier calipers display the measurement on a digital screen, while dial vernier calipers use a dial to display the measurement. Traditional vernier calipers, on the other hand, require the user to read the measurement off the vernier scale.

See also[edit | edit source]

Vernier caliper Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD