Which term describes the ability to detect a small change in a measurement?

Which term describes the ability to detect a small change in a measurement?

• A. Resolution
• B. Precision
• C. Sensitivity
• D. Tolerance

Answer: (C)

When we talk about detecting a small change in a measurement, the focus is on how much the instrument’s output responds to a tiny change in the input. That responsiveness is called sensitivity. It describes the change in output per unit change in input, so a more sensitive instrument shows a larger reading shift for the same small input variation, making small changes easier to notice and quantify. This differs from resolution, which is about the smallest increment in input that can be distinguished in the output; you can have good resolution but still miss tiny changes if the sensitivity is low. Precision is about how repeatable measurements are, not how responsive the reading is to an input change, and tolerance relates to allowable deviation in a part or measurement. So sensitivity best captures the ability to detect small changes.

When we talk about detecting a small change in a measurement, the focus is on how much the instrument’s output responds to a tiny change in the input. That responsiveness is called sensitivity. It describes the change in output per unit change in input, so a more sensitive instrument shows a larger reading shift for the same small input variation, making small changes easier to notice and quantify. This differs from resolution, which is about the smallest increment in input that can be distinguished in the output; you can have good resolution but still miss tiny changes if the sensitivity is low. Precision is about how repeatable measurements are, not how responsive the reading is to an input change, and tolerance relates to allowable deviation in a part or measurement. So sensitivity best captures the ability to detect small changes.