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

Long and short scales The long and short scales are two power of 10, powers of ten number naming systems that are consistent with each other for smaller order of magnitude, numbers, but are contradictory for larger numbers. Other numbering systems, particularly ...

, 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 ...

, a description of the spread or dispersion of a probability distribution * Feature scaling, a method used to normalize the range of independent variables or features of data *

Scale (analytical tool) In the study of complex systems A complex system is a system composed of many components that may interact with one another. Examples of complex systems are Earth's global climate, organisms, the human brain, infrastructure such as power grid, ...

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 * Scale (geography) *

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, massometers, and weight balances. The traditional scale consists of two plates or bowls suspended at equal d ...

, 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 physics ...

, a classification of sizes * Scale ruler, 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, which increases resolution and reduces measurement un ...

, the scale on calipers

Music

Scale (music) In music theory, a scale is "any consecutive series of notes that form a progression between one note and its octave", typically by order of pitch or fundamental frequency. The word "scale" originates from the Latin ''scala'', which literal ...

, a sequence of ordered musical notes * Scale (string instruments), 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'' by Interpol

Film and television

* ''Scale'' (film), an animated short film directed by Joseph Pierce * ''Scales'' (film), a 2019 Saudi Arabian film * "Scales" (''The Cape''), a 2011 television episode

Science

Biology

Scale (zoology) In zoology, a scale (; ) is a small rigid plate (animal anatomy), plate made out of keratin that grows out of Vertebrate animals' skin to provide protection. In lepidopterans (butterflies and moths), scales are plates on the surface of the insec ...

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

Fish scale A fish scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of the skin of a fish. The skin of most jawed fishes is covered with these protective scales, which can also provide effective camouflage through the use of reflection and colouration, as w ...

Reptile scale Reptile skin is covered with scutes or Scale (anatomy), scales which, along with many other characteristics, distinguish reptiles from animals of other classes. They are made of Alpha-keratin, alpha and beta-keratin and are formed from the epiderm ...

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Snake scale Snakes, like other reptiles, have skin covered in scales.Boulenger, George A. 1890 The Fauna of British India. p. 1 Snakes are entirely covered with scales or scutes of various shapes and sizes, known as snakeskin as a whole. A scale protects t ...

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 sy ...

, 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 the Lepidoptera, the insect order comprising moths and butterflies, which have scales on their wings and on the head, parts of the thorax and abdomen, and parts of the genit ...

, 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 plant ...

, any flat epidermal outgrowth in botany *

Bulb In botany, a bulb is a short underground 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 (biology), order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient g ...

, 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, organic) or a non-living substance (inorganic). Fouling is usually distinguished from other surfac ...

, 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, the flaky surface on hot rolled steel, consisting of iron oxides * Scale (chemistry), the range of mass or volume of a chemical reaction or process

Social sciences

Rating scale A rating scale is a set of categories designed to obtain information about a quantitative property, quantitative or a Qualitative data, qualitative attribute. In the social sciences, particularly psychology, common examples are the Likert scale, L ...

, a type of informational measurement scale *

, 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 qu ...

, a tool for ordering entities by quantitative attributes

Places

* Scales, California, a community in the United States * Scales, Lancashire, part of the village of Newton-with-Scales * Scales, near Kirkoswald, Cumbria, a hamlet * Scales, Aldingham, Cumbria, England, a village * ''The Scales'', the initial climb of the Chilkoot Pass

Other uses

* Scales (surname) * Baron Scales, 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 apparent magnitude, first magnitude stars, ...

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

Mizan Mizan () is a concept in the Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is o ...

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

Pay scale 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 organization, the le ...

, a system or structure of compensation for work *

Scale armour Scale armour 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.

, an early form of armor * Southern California Linux Expo, an open-source software conference held in Los Angeles, California * ''Scale'' (novel), science fiction novel by

Greg Egan Greg Egan (born 20 August 1961) is an Australian science fiction writer and mathematician, best known for his works of hard science fiction. Egan has won multiple awards including the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, the Hugo Award, and the Lo ...