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Sensor Fundamentals
Publish Date: Mar 12, 2012
Overview
As part of the National Instruments , this set of tutorials helps you learn about a specific common measurement application topic through theory explanations Measurement Fundamentals Series
and practical examples.
What You Will Learn
Essential to any data acquisition is a transducer sensor that converts real-world phenomena, such as temperature and pressure, into measurable currents and voltages. This set of tutorials is
designed to provide you with essential information about using and understanding various types of sensors to acquire data.
To view the complete list of in-depth measurement tutorials, please return to the Measurement Fundamentals Main Page
Table of Contents
Sensor Terminology
Taking Thermocouple Temperature Measurements
Measuring Temperature with an RTD or Thermistor
Measuring Strain with Strain Gages
Measuring Pressure with Pressure Sensors
Accelerometer Principles
1. Sensor Terminology

Sensors, like other areas of technology, have a specific terminology that you must understand before you can apply them properly. Learn some of the most
common terms in this tutorial.
View comprehensive tutorial >>
2. Taking Thermocouple Temperature Measurements
Get an introduction to thermocouples, which are inexpensive sensing devices widely used with PC-based data acquisition systems. Also review some specific
thermocouple examples and learn how thermocouples work and ways to integrate them into a data acquisition measurement system.
See the how-to guide >>
3. Measuring Temperature with an RTD or Thermistor

Explore resistive temperature detectors (RTDs) and thermistors, which are both electrical resistors with resistance that changes with temperature. In this tutorial,
learn more about RTDs and thermistors as well as how to integrate them into a data acquisition measurement system.
View comprehensive tutorial >>
See the how-to guide >>
4. Measuring Strain with Strain Gages
Become familiar with the basics of strain gages, which are commonly used to measure the deformation of a body due to an applied force. Learn more about strain
itself, how strain gages work, and how to accurately measure strain with a strain gage.
View comprehensive tutorial >>
See the how-to guide >>
5. Measuring Pressure with Pressure Sensors
Review pressure measurement basics. Pressure is defined as the force per unit area that a fluid exerts on its surroundings, and pressure sensors measure this
force. Learn more about pressure itself, the different types of pressure sensors, how pressure sensors work, and how to integrate a pressure into a measurement
system.
View comprehensive tutorial >>
See the how-to guide >>
6. Accelerometer Principles

Explore the several physical processes that you can use to develop a sensor to measure acceleration. In applications that involve flight, such as aircraft and
satellites, accelerometers are based on rotating mass properties. In the industrial world, however, the most common design is based on a combination of Newton's
law of mass acceleration and Hooke's law of spring action.
View comprehensive tutorial >>
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See the how-to guide for sound and vibration measurements >>