| Instrument | Use | Inventor |
|---|---|---|
| Ruler | Measuring length | Unknown, Ancient Egyptians |
| Thermometer | Measuring temperature | Galileo Galilei (first crude version), Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (modern version) |
| Barometer | Measuring atmospheric pressure | Evangelista Torricelli |
| Microscope | Magnifying objects for observation | Zacharias Janssen (credited with first compound microscope) |
| Telescope | Observing distant objects | Hans Lippershey or Zacharias Janssen (credited with the first telescope) |
| Stopwatch | Measuring time intervals | Unknown, likely developed in 16th century |
| Chronometer | Keeping accurate time at sea | John Harrison |
| Odometer | Measuring distance travelled | Vitruvius (ancient Roman engineer) |
| Weighing scale | Measuring mass | Unknown, ancient Egypt |
| Voltmeter | Measuring electrical potential difference | Alessandro Volta |
| Ammeter | Measuring electric current | André-Marie Ampère |
| Ohmmeter | Measuring electrical resistance | Georg Simon Ohm |
| Hydrometer | Measuring the specific gravity of liquids | Hypatia of Alexandria (credited with the first hydrometer) |
| Anemometer | Measuring wind speed | Leon Battista Alberti (credited with the first anemometer) |
| Rain gauge | Measuring rainfall | Unknown, likely developed in ancient India |
| Seismograph | Measuring earthquake intensity | Zhang Heng (first seismometer) |
| Spectrometer | Analyzing light by separating it into its different wavelengths | Isaac Newton (credited with the first spectrometer) |
| pH meter | Measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a solution | Arnold Orville Beckman |
| Sound level meter | Measuring sound pressure levels | Unknown, developed in the early 20th century |
| Sextant | Measuring angles, particularly for navigation | John Hadley and Thomas Godfrey |
| Goniometer | Measuring angles in objects or between surfaces | Unknown, likely developed in ancient Greece |
| Caliper | Measuring the thickness or diameter of objects | Unknown, likely developed in ancient Greece |
| Vernier caliper | Measuring objects with greater precision than a standard caliper | Pierre Vernier |
| Micrometer | Measuring very small distances with high precision | William Gascoigne |
Note: This is not an exhaustive list and there are many other measuring instruments. Also, the origins of some instruments are debated, and multiple inventors may have contributed to their development.
