Scale or scales may refer to:

Mathematics

Scale (descriptive set theory) In the mathematical discipline of descriptive set theory, a scale is a certain kind of object defined on a set (mathematics), set of point (mathematics), points in some Polish space (for example, a scale might be defined on a set of real numbers). ...

, an object defined on a set of points *

Scale (ratio) The scale ratio of a model represents the proportional ratio of a linear dimension of the model to the same feature of the original. Examples include a 3-dimensional scale model of a building or the scale drawings of the elevations or plans of a ...

, the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original *

Scale factor In affine geometry, uniform scaling (or isotropic scaling) is a linear transformation that enlarges (increases) or shrinks (diminishes) objects by a '' scale factor'' that is the same in all directions. The result of uniform scaling is similar ...

, a number which scales, or multiplies, some quantity *

Long and short scales The long and short scales are two of several naming systems for integer powers of ten which use some of the same terms for different magnitudes. For whole numbers smaller than 1,000,000,000 (109), such as one thousand or one million, the ...

, how powers of ten are named and grouped in large numbers *

Scale parameter In probability theory and statistics, a scale parameter is a special kind of numerical parameter of a parametric family of probability distributions. The larger the scale parameter, the more spread out the distribution. Definition If a family o ...

, a description of the spread or dispersion of a probability distribution *

Feature scaling Feature scaling is a method used to normalize the range of independent variables or features of data. In data processing, it is also known as data normalization and is generally performed during the data preprocessing step. Motivation Since the ...

, a method used to normalize the range of independent variables or features of data *

Scale (analytical tool) In the study of complex systems and hierarchy theory, the concept of scale refers to the combination of (1) the level of analysis (for example, analyzing the whole or a specific component of the system); and (2) the level of observation (for exampl ...

Measurements

Scale (map) The scale of a map is the ratio of a distance on the map to the corresponding distance on the ground. This simple concept is complicated by the curvature of the Earth's surface, which forces scale to vary across a map. Because of this variation, ...

, the ratio of the distance on a map to the corresponding actual distance *

Weighing scale A scale or balance is a device used to measure weight or mass. These are also known as mass scales, weight scales, mass balances, and weight balances. The traditional scale consists of two plates or bowls suspended at equal distances from a ...

, an instrument used to measure mass *

, the ratio of the linear dimension of the model to the same dimension of the original *

Spatial scale Spatial scale is a specific application of the term scale for describing or categorizing (e.g. into orders of magnitude) the size of a space (hence ''spatial''), or the extent of it at which a phenomenon or process occurs. For instance, in phy ...

, a classification of sizes *

Scale ruler Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original * Scale factor, a number w ...

, a tool for measuring lengths and transferring measurements at a fixed ratio of length *

Vernier scale A vernier scale, named after Pierre Vernier, is a visual aid to take an accurate measurement reading between two graduation markings on a linear scale by using mechanical interpolation, thereby increasing resolution and reducing measurement unc ...

, the scale on calipers

Music

Scale (music) In music theory, a scale is any set of musical notes ordered by fundamental frequency or pitch. A scale ordered by increasing pitch is an ascending scale, and a scale ordered by decreasing pitch is a descending scale. Often, especially in the ...

, a sequence of ordered musical notes *

Scale (string instruments) The scale length of a string instrument is the maximum vibrating length of the strings that produce sound, and determines the range of tones that string can produce at a given tension. It is also called string length. On instruments in which str ...

, the sounding length of the strings of an instrument * ''Scale'' (album), a 2006 album by electronic artist Matthew Herbert * "The Scale", a song from ''

Our Love to Admire ''Our Love to Admire'' is the third studio album by American rock band Interpol, released on July 10, 2007, through Capitol Records and Parlophone. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village and The Magic Shop in New York City, the a ...

'' by Interpol * Musicians scale, the

pay scale __NOTOC__ A pay scale (also known as a salary structure) is a system that determines how much an employee is to be paid as a wage or salary, based on one or more factors such as the employee's level, rank or status within the employer's organizat ...

set by unions of musicians

Science

Biology

Scale (anatomy) In most biological nomenclature, a scale ( grc, λεπίς, lepís; la, squāma) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran (butterfly and moth) species, scales are plates on the surface ...

, a rigid plate which grows out of the skin of various animals *

Scale (dermatology) A skin condition, also known as cutaneous condition, is any medical condition that affects the integumentary system—the organ system that encloses the body and includes skin, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of this ...

, a secondary skin lesion in humans that resembles animal scales *

Scale (insect anatomy) Scales are present on the bodies of various insects. A notable example are Lepidoptera, the insect order comprising moths and butterflies, which has scales on their wings and also on the head, parts of the thorax and abdomen as well as parts of the ...

, a feature of the wings of moths and butterflies * Scale, a type of

trichome Trichomes (); ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a pla ...

, any flat epidermal outgrowth in botany *

Bulb In botany, a bulb is structurally a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf basesBell, A.D. 1997. ''Plant form: an illustrated guide to flowering plant morphology''. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. that function as food storage organs duri ...

scale, the storage layers of a plant bulb *

Scale insect Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than the ...

, a waxy coated animal that resembles a fish scale

Chemistry and materials science

Fouling Fouling is the accumulation of unwanted material on solid surfaces. The fouling materials can consist of either living organisms (biofouling) or a non-living substance (inorganic or organic). Fouling is usually distinguished from other surf ...

, sometimes called , a buildup of unwanted substances on a submerged surface *

Limescale Limescale is a hard, chalky deposit, consisting mainly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It often builds up inside kettles, boilers, and pipework, especially that for hot water. It is also often found as a similar deposit on the inner surfaces of old ...

, a hard, chalky deposit that often builds up inside kettles, hot water boilers, and pipework *

Mill scale Mill scale, often shortened to just scale, is the flaky surface of hot rolled steel, consisting of the mixed iron oxides iron(II) oxide (FeO), iron(III) oxide (), and iron(II,III) oxide (, magnetite). Mill scale is formed on the outer surfaces o ...

, the flaky surface on hot rolled steel, consisting of iron oxides *

Scale (chemistry) The scale of a chemical process refers to the rough ranges in mass or volume of a chemical reaction or process that define the appropriate category of chemical apparatus and equipment required to accomplish it, and the concepts, priorities, and ec ...

, the range of mass or volume of a chemical reaction or process

Other sciences

, a concept in the study of complex systems and hierarchy theory *

Scale (social sciences) In the social sciences, scaling is the process of measuring or ordering entities with respect to quantitative attributes or traits. For example, a scaling technique might involve estimating individuals' levels of extraversion, or the perceived qual ...

, a tool for ordering entities by quantitative attributes

Places

Scales, California Scales is an unincorporated community in Sierra County, California, in the United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North ...

, a community in the United States *

Scales, Lancashire Newton-with-Scales is a village in the county of Lancashire and in the Borough of Fylde. It is situated on the A583 road, from Preston and from Blackpool, in the civil parish of Newton-with-Clifton. It has a park situated on School Lane, a ...

, part of the village of Newton-with-Scales *

Scales, near Kirkoswald Kirkoswald is a village, civil parish, and former market town located in the Lower Eden Valley of Cumbria, England, formerly in Cumberland, about from Penrith. The village, referred to colloquially as KO, had a population of 870 at the 2001 ...

, Cumbria, a hamlet *

Scales, South Lakeland Scales is a small village in south Cumbria, England, around 3.5 miles south of the town of Ulverston. The name Scales comes from the Old Norse ''skali'', with an Old English plural ''*Scalas'', meaning ''huts''. The village has a long history ...

, Cumbria, England, a village * ''The Scales'', the initial climb of the

Chilkoot Pass Chilkoot Pass (el. ) is a high mountain pass through the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the U.S. state of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. It is the highest point along the Chilkoot Trail that leads from Dyea, Alaska to Bennett La ...

Other uses

* Scales (surname) * ''Scales'' (film), a 2019 Saudi Arabian film *

Baron Scales Baron Scales is a title in the Peerage of England. Origin Robert de Scales The ancestors of the Baron Scales came into possession of the manors of Barkway, Newsells, Hertfordshire and Rivenhall, Essex in 1255 by the marriage of Sir Robert de Scale ...

, a title in the Peerage of England *

Libra (constellation) Libra is a constellation of the zodiac and is located in the Southern celestial hemisphere. Its name is Latin for weighing scales. Its old astronomical symbol is (♎︎). It is fairly faint, with no first magnitude stars, and lies between Vi ...

, also known as "the scales", or the namesake astrological sign * ''

Mizan Mizan ( ar, ميزان, lit=balance) is a concept in Quran, which has been described as "the principle of the middle path" and "the overarching divine principle for organizing our universe". Azizah Y. al-Hibri argues that ''Mizan'', as the "divine ...

'' (''Scale'' in English), a treatise on Islam by Javed Ahmed Ghamidi *

Pay scale __NOTOC__ A pay scale (also known as a salary structure) is a system that determines how much an employee is to be paid as a wage or salary, based on one or more factors such as the employee's level, rank or status within the employer's organizat ...

, a system or structure of compensation for work *

Scale armour Scale armour (or scale mail) is an early form of armour consisting of many individual small armour scales (plates) of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows.Southern California Linux Expo The Southern California Linux Expo (SCALE) is an annual Linux, open source and free software conference held in Los Angeles, California, since 2002. Despite having Linux in its name, SCALE covers all open source operating systems and software. It i ...

, an open-source software conference held in Los Angeles, California