Square Root Extraction

Square Root Extraction is a mathematical process which is applied to a linear measurement scale to convert it to a non-linear square root scale.

The square root scale is generated by taking the square root of the ratio between measurement reading and full span.

Over a fixed measurement range with a square root extraction applied, the square root measurement will rise faster than the linear measurement at first, and then steadily slow down as measurement readings approach 100% full scale.

For example the flow of a gas or liquid through a closed pipe is proportional to the square root of the differential pressure. Therefore you can use a differential pressure sensor to measure flow by applying a square root extraction to the linear output.