Measurements: A Major Tool of Science

Measurement is the process of obtaining numerical values representing physical properties, such as length, mass, or time, by way of a unit of measurement. A unit of measurement is a magnitude representing a physical quantity by use of a standard for measurement of that physical quantity. A measuring device is a piece of equipment used to measure a physical quantity based on a standard for measurement.

Measurement and Objectivity

Measurement is the most objective part of science since the resulting numbers are what they are. The use mechanical devices for measurement aide thus objectivity by removing human subjectivity. The validity of a measurement is only as valid as the theory behind it.