measuring distance?

Question

what scientific ways are there of measuring distance e.g. ultrasound. no stupid answers like use a ruler please

Answer 1

A high powered laser can be used to measure distance very accurately by measuring the amount of time it takes to be reflected. Some specialist equipment will no doubt be needed though, as the time involved is likely to be very short.

Answer 2

There are many ways to measure distance and surveyors employ some technical methods to do so. When surveyors measure distance using surveying total stations instruments they are doing using instruments that send out radio, laser, and infrared beams to measure distance. The beams are directed at reflectors that return the signal, and the outgoing signal is compared with the returning signal, and the phase is evaluated, and a distance is returned with high precision and accuracy.
Another method surveyors use is GPS surveying. GPS stands for the Global Positioning System. Surveyors use this system to measure distance as well with high precision and accuracy. A base station receiver is set up to receive the satellite signals from space. Another receiver, commonly called a rover, receives the same satellite signals from space. Corrections from the base receiver are sent to the rover and evaluated, and a distance is reported to the data collector, or onboard computer. A more detailed explanation can be found on the Internet as this is just a summary of a very complicated process.
The newest methods are laser interferometers that are now being employed in satellite measurement systems and are returning precise and accurate results.
Good luck.

Answer 3

A ruler is not a stupid answer.
You have to start with an accepted standard
The distance you measure might be in microns,
I measured these in a machine shop when comparing ground finishes on metal with slips of metal which, because of their different finish standards could be compared by reflecting light from them.
I have measured rooms with an ultra sound device.
You measure the height of a tree with triangle gauge.
Over all you must consider the size of the measurement and the medium through which you are making it.

Answer 4

In a secondary school physics class I remember measuring distance using the speed of sound. I'll explain the experiment we did, which would need adjusting to different applications, but would work on the same principle for all.

We stood outside the school building on the playing fields. The teacher had a starting pistol and fired it. Using stopwatches, we timed how long it took to hear the ECHO of the sound made by the pistol. Then using Distance = Speed x Time we could work out how far the sound had travelled as we knew the speed of sound in air. The distance we worked out then had to be halved as we had listened to the ECHO of the sound which had therefore travelled to the school building and back to us.

The teacher measured the distance to confirm our calculations were correct.

In other systems you could use a similar process, provided the noise maker was suitable and you knew the speed of sound in the medium through which you were measuring.

Answer 5

There is nothing unscientific about using a ruler. What distances are you wanting to measure? Nuclear distances or interstellar distances? If ultrasound is a "way" so is sound, in general, and light of just about any frequency (radar, lasers), and properties of moving objects (e.g, the red-shift in star-light). Radiation of various kinds - x-rays, electrons, alpha particles, lasers, masers, etc. Triangulation, comparison (e.g., the ruler, interference patterns, feeler gauges, micrometers, etc.).

Answer 6

SONAR and RADAR are both used for measuring distance.

Sonar is like echo location that dolphins, whales and bats use - they can form a picture of what is around them by emitting a sound and seeing what reflected sound comes back.

Radar is used by aircraft and is very similar to Sonar, only that Radar uses radio waves instead of sound waves.

Answer 7

Use a tachimeter.