CST Level 1 Land Surveyor Certification Practice

Which of the following would be considered a source of instrumental error?

1. Temperature changes

2. Reading errors

3. Kinks in equipment

4. Magnetic variation

The correct answer is: Kinks in equipment

Instrumental errors are inaccuracies that arise from the tools and equipment used in surveying rather than from external conditions or human mistakes. Kinks in equipment directly affect the performance and accuracy of measuring devices. For example, if a tape measure or a total station has a physical deformation, such as a kink, it can lead to incorrect readings due to distortion in the measuring apparatus. Temperature changes, reading errors, and magnetic variation are generally categorized differently. Temperature changes can affect the calibration of instruments but are often considered environmental or operational instead of instrumental. Reading errors specifically relate to human interpretation of measurements, and magnetic variation is related to the Earth's magnetic field affecting compass readings rather than any defect in the instrument itself. Therefore, kinks in equipment are a clear example of an instrumental error because they directly compromise the integrity of the measurements taken.