Surface roughness

<p>Surface roughness or simply roughness is the quality of a surface of not being smooth and it is hence linked to human (<a href="/facts/Haptic_perception/HjD4T34m">haptic</a>) perception of the surface texture. From a mathematical perspective it is related to the spatial variability structure of surfaces, and inherently it is a multiscale property. It has different interpretations and definitions depending on the disciplines considered.
</p><p>In <a href="/facts/Surface_metrology/lElAyfKF">surface metrology</a>, surface roughness is a component of <a href="/facts/Surface_finish/URUzkL9u">surface finish (surface texture)</a>. It is quantified by the deviations in the direction of the <a href="/facts/Normal_(geometry)/jhtLIhcu">normal vector</a> of a real surface from its ideal form. If these deviations are large, the surface is rough; if they are small, the surface is smooth. Roughness is typically assumed to be the high-frequency, short-wavelength component of a measured surface. However, in practice it is often necessary to know both the amplitude and frequency to ensure that a surface is fit for a purpose.
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Surface roughness open-in-new

Surface roughness