science

Lachter

Lachter is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lachter rather than just read about it. In short: The lachter (also Berglachter) was a common unit of length used in the mining industry in Europe, usually to measure depth, tunnel driving and the size of mining fields; it was also used for contract work. In most German-speaking mining fields it was the most important unit of length.

Key takeaways

Lachter belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lachter to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lachter from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The lachter (also Berglachter) was a common unit of length used in the mining industry in Europe, usually to measure depth, tunnel driving and the size of mining fields; it was also used for contract work. In most German-speaking mining fields it was the most important unit of length. A lachter was roughly equal to the amount which a man could contain within his outstretched arms. It was thus similar to the klafter (ca. 1.8 m or 5.91 ft), but was usually rather larger. The lachter was - with regional differences - subdivided into Achtel (also called a Spann, Gräpel or Gröbel), (Lachter)Zoll, Primen (or Prinen) and Sekunden:

1 lachter = 8 Spann = 80 (Lachter)Zoll = 800 Primen = 8,000 Sekunden In the 19th century a decimal system of subdivision was established:

1 lachter = 10 Lachterfuß = 100 Lachterzoll = 1,000 Lachterlinien Like other units of measure, the lachter varied in length depending on the region, but there could also be differences in length within the same region. In addition there could also be differences between various mining fields within a territory. The specification and use of conversion tables only makes sense if it is known for certain, where and at which times the values were valid. Some examples:

A Lachterschnur was an oiled, 10–12 Lachter long cord, used as a measuring device.

See also List of human-based units of measure List of obsolete units of measurement Obsolete Austrian units of measurement Obsolete German units of measurement

References

Sources Helmut Kahnt; Bernd Knorr (1986), Alte Maße, Münzen und Gewichte (in German), Leipzig: VEB Bibliographisches Institut, ISBN 3-323-00013-7 Bernd Leißring (1989), "Maßeinheiten des alten Bergbaus. Das Lachter", Erzgebirgische Heimatblätter (in German), no. 5, Olbernhau: Kulturbund, pp. 132–136, ISSN 0232-6078

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lachter

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lachter claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lachter before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lachter ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lachter

In research: Lachter appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lachter in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lachter is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics History of mining, Mining terminology, Obsolete units of measurement, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lachter outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Lachter in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lachter means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lachter out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lachter in simple terms?

Why does Lachter matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lachter?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lachter.