It is the closeness with which an instrument reading approaches the true value of the quantity being measured.

Point Accuracy Accuracy as Percentage of Scale Range

Accuracy as Percentage of True Value

It is a measure of the reproducibility of the measurements.

Precision

Accuracy

Precise but not accurate

Accurate but not precise

Not accurate or precise

Accurate and precise

Drift
Zero drift is variation in the output of an instrument which is not caused by any change in the input; it is commonly caused by internal temperature changes and component instability.

Characteristics with Zero drift Output sensitivity drift Nominal Characteristics zero drift Input

Zero Drift

Span Drift or Sensitivity drift defines the amount by which instruments sensitivity varies as ambient conditions change.

Output

Characteristics with Zero drift and Span drift

sensitivity drift

Characteristics with Span drift

Output sensitivity drift

zero drift

Nominal Characteristics

Nominal Characteristics

Input

Input

Zero Drift and Span Drift

Span Drift

Zonal drift
In case the drift occurs only over a portion of span of an instrument.