(based on A Beginner’s Guide to Uncertainty of Measurement, Stephanie Bell)
What is a measurement?
A measurement tells us about a property of something. It might tell us how heavy an object or how hot, or how long it is. A measurement gives a number to that property. Measurements are always made using an instrument of some kind. Rulers, stopwatches, weighing scales, and thermometers are all measuring instruments.The result of a measurement is normally in two parts: a number and a unit of measurement, e.g. ‘How long is it? … 2 000 millimeters.’