Editing Inclinometer (section)

{{Short description|Instrument used to measure the inclination of a surface relative to local gravity}}
{{About|static measurement of tilt|dynamic measurement|Tiltmeter}}
[[File:Eclimetro (disegno) IF 24935.jpg|thumb|Drawing of an inclinometer, Museo Galileo, Florence]]
[[File:Measuring Slope With a Clinometer 2.svg|right|200px|thumb|Measuring slope with a clinometer]]
An '''inclinometer''' or '''clinometer''' is an [[measuring instrument|instrument]] used for measuring angles of [[slope]], [[elevation]], or [[depression (geology)|depression]] of an object with respect to [[gravity]]'s direction. It is also known as a ''tilt indicator'', ''tilt sensor'', [[tiltmeter|''tilt meter'']],  ''slope alert'', ''slope gauge'', ''gradient meter'', ''gradiometer'', ''level gauge'', ''level meter'', ''declinometer'', and ''pitch & roll indicator''. Clinometers measure both inclines and declines using three different units of measure: [[degree (angle)|degrees]], [[percentage point]]s, and topos. The [[Astrolabes|astrolabe]] is an example of an inclinometer that was used for [[celestial navigation]] and location of [[astronomical object]]s from [[ancient history|ancient times]] to the [[Renaissance]].

A ''tilt sensor'' can measure the [[wikt:tilt|tilting]] in often two axes of a reference plane in two axes.
In contrast, a full motion would use at least three axes and often additional sensors. One way to measure tilt angle with reference to the earth's ground plane, is to use an [[accelerometer]]. Typical applications can be found in the industry and in game controllers. In aircraft, the "ball" in [[turn coordinator]]s or [[turn and bank indicator]]s is sometimes referred to as an inclinometer.