A hypsometer is a device used to measure the height of an object, with three types: scale, pressure, and laser. Arborists use laser hypsometers to measure trees, while surveyors and construction workers use different types for various purposes.
The term hypsometer comes from two Greek words meaning “altitude meter” and typically refers to a device used to measure the height of an object. There are 3 types of hypsometer: scale, pressure and laser. The device is commonly used in the surveying and construction industries, as well as by arborists, who use hypsometers to measure the height of trees.
The hypsometer scale is the simplest form of this device. It consists of an L-shaped frame with a plumb line or level and an adjustable ruler. The user looks at the top of the object using the ruler and notices the angle formed between the bottom of the frame and the ruler. Using a trigonometry formula, the user can calculate the height of a building or other structure.
One can also use a yardstick as a scale hypsometer. Standing 25 feet (about 7.5 meters) from an object and holding the tape measure about 25 inches (about 64 centimeters) from the eye with the “0” down and aligned with the base of the tree or structure, you may notice where the top of the structure corresponds to the marking on the meter. 1 inch (about 2.5 centimeters) on a yardstick equals 1 foot (about 0.3 meters) in height.
A pressure hypsometer uses the principle that the boiling point of a liquid decreases with increasing height. It is constructed using a tank filled with liquid, typically water; a heating mechanism; and a thermometer. By comparing the temperature at which water boils with a data table, the height of the structure can be determined. The device is somewhat impractical for casual use; it requires that the hypsometer be used at the top of the object to be measured and that the height of that object be significant enough to produce an observable temperature difference in boiling point.
Arborists are the typical users of the laser hypsometer. These portable computer-equipped devices use emitted and reflected laser light to measure and perform calculations. The device measures the time required for the beam to return to it; using that data in conjunction with sensors to determine the angle, it calculates the height of the tree. It can also measure the diameter of the tree and calculate how much wood it will produce.
The hypsometer can also be used by other professionals. Surveyors can use the pressure manifold to determine the height above sea level of a parcel of land, for example. Construction and maintenance personnel can also use the scale or laser arrays of the device to help determine material or labor needs.
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