Theodolite

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/theodolite

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the instrument classification?Optical instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles
2. What is the measurement precision?Can measure angles to fractions of an arcsecond in high-precision models
3. How does a theodolite help build big structures?Surveyors use theodolites to measure angles between points on a site. This ensures that parts of a bridge or building line up exactly, keeping the structure safe.
4. Why does a theodolite have a rotating telescope?The rotating telescope lets the user look at many different directions. By measuring angles in all directions, the instrument can map the shape of the land or a building.

Arcsecond: A unit of angular measurement, equal to 1/3600th of a degree.
Azimuth: The horizontal angle measured clockwise from a reference direction (usually North).
Least Count: The smallest angle that can be accurately measured by an instrument.
Trunnion Axis: The horizontal axis around which the telescope pivots for vertical angle measurement.