calibrate

Calibrate means to make sure that a measuring tool is giving accurate readings. This is done by comparing the tool's readings to known standards. For example, you could calibrate a thermometer by putting it in ice water and making sure that it reads 0 degrees Celsius.

In science, calibration is important because it ensures that your measurements are accurate. This is especially important when you are doing experiments because you want to be sure that your results are reliable.

Imagine that you have a new ruler, and you want to make sure that it is accurate. You could do this by measuring the length of a few objects that you know the length of, such as a pencil or a book. If the ruler's readings match the known lengths of the objects, then you know that the ruler is accurate.

Calibration is a bit like this, but instead of measuring the length of objects, you are measuring the accuracy of a measuring tool.

The results of the experiment were not accurate because the instrument was not calibrated correctly.