This metric describes how intensely a measurement system reacts to a small shift in the measurand. A highly sensitive instrument produces a large change in output for a tiny change in input, which is essential for detecting minute differences. In uncertainty budgets, it also relates to sensitivity coefficients, which translate the units of various input quantities into the final units of the measurement result.
The new load cell has a sensitivity of two millivolts per volt, so we need to upgrade the amplifier to get a stable reading.
A highly sensitive instrument is often more susceptible to environmental noise, requiring stricter control of temperature and vibration.
Do not mix it up with
- Resolution: Sensitivity is the physical response to a change, while resolution is the smallest change the display can actually show.
Related terms
Sensitivity coefficient
The factor that converts an input's uncertainty into its effect on the output, the partial derivative of the model.
Resolution
The finest step an instrument can display, such as one count of the last digit on a digital readout.
Measurand
The exact quantity a measurement is aimed at, pinned down tightly enough that everyone measures the same thing.