Three Professionals That Will Use A Clinometer

By Carey Bourdier


While you probably thought that you'd never really use your math skills, we actually use them every day to measure and calculate. For some jobs, honing your measurement skills is as essential as is learning how to use a myriad of helpful optical tools and mathematical devices. For instance, many people have to use a device called a clinometer or inclinometer to measure the elevation of angles. Angle measurement is important for all types of jobs, including the following professions.

1. Sailors Use Clinometers As A Meteorological Tool

If you are a sailor or operating a power boat, then you definitely understand the importance of understanding weather patterns and weather conditions. Professional or Naval ship captains, as well as those who sail for fun, all have to keep their eye on the weather. The clinometer can be a helpful device for those who are out on the sea. While you might have a plethora of technology on board your craft, the possibility of electrical failure or satellite problems do exist, so learning how to use a clinometer can be handy.

The clinometer can be used if your electronic devices, such as a weather radio, fail for some reason. You can take the clinometer and measure the height of clouds. Cloud height, as well as changes in height, can be an indicator of certain types of weather. For instance, you have probably seen the sky full of puffy white clouds. These are cumulus clouds, which can start to quickly rise up vertically. When cumulus clouds develop into cumulonimbus clouds, this means you might experience a thunderstorm in the near future with heavy rains and winds and even hail.

2. Forestry & Clinometers

If you have never heard about the job of a forester, you probably could at least guess that it must be in some way related to trees. A forester or forestry technician is a job concerned with the management of all types of forests. This includes protected forest lands as well as forests used for logging.

In order to manage a forest, these foresters have to collect plenty of information about the plant life and animals that live in the forest. Rather than study the entire forest, they will study sample areas, assuming that conditions are similar throughout the forest. The clinometer is an important tool for foresters because it allows them to be able to measure tree height. They stand 50 feet from the base of a tree and hold the clinometer at eye level, and the clinometer will tell them the angle of elevation. From there, simple calculations are used to understand tree height.

3. Geologists Rock Out With Clinometers

When you think about geologists, you probably simply think about rocks. But this is a much more complex profession, and geology is actually the study of the earth itself and the materials that make up the earth. The clinometer is used by geologists to help them calculate the height of large rocks as well as mountains and rock walls, which is similar to the way in which foresters use this optical instrument.




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