Metrology and Meteorology Demystified

By Martin Masinde

Not many Kenyans understand technical terms which are used reservedly by the technical staff. A common mistaken and misunderstood word is metrology. It’s much often confused with Meteorology.

Let’s define the two: To help us define it best is none other than Dr. Henry Rotich, Director Metrology and Testing at the Kenya Bureau of Standards.

Dr. Rotich defines, “Metrology is “the science of measurement, embracing both experimental and theoretical determinations at any level of uncertainty in any field of science and technology,” as defined by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

Metrology can be divided into three subfields: scientific metrology, applied metrology, and legal metrology.

Legal metrology is the end of the line, concerning regulatory requirements of well established measurements and measuring instruments for the protection of consumers and fair trade.

In applied metrology, the measurement science is developed toward manufacturing and other processes, ensuring the suitability of measurement instruments, their calibration, and quality control.

Scientific metrology is the basis of all subfields, and concerns the development of new measurement methods, the realization of measurement standards, and the transfer of these standards to users.

The metrology activity is coordinated by national laboratories, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, USA) and the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (Inmetro, Brazil), which are internationally coordinated by the BIPM.

In parallel, standardization is coordinated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), together with other organizations like the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS), whose main objective is to support trade in high-technology products, through international collaborative projects aimed at providing the technical basis for drafting codes of practice and specifications for advanced materials.
Meteorology: the branch of science concerned with the processes and phenomena of the atmosphere, especially as a means of forecasting the weather.

“an induction course to learn basic meteorology” the climate and weather of a region.

“overwintering would allow the team to investigate the island’s meteorology”