In quantities it may be defined as referring to fixed units of quantity, and it is opposed to “relative,” which merely refers to the relation of several things to each other. Thus the relative resistance of one wire may be n times that of another; its absolute resistance might be 5 ohms,
when the absolute resistance of the second wire would be 5/n ohms.

A galvanometer gives absolute readings if it is graduated to read directly amperes or volts; if not so graduated, it may by “calibration”
q. v. be made to do practically the same thing.