What is the standard against which other parts of the lab are measured? I'm currently learning about matter, but this is for a maintenance so I'm not sure.

"The _____ is the standard against which other parts of the lab are measured."

I'm sorry but I don't know what you asking. Matter is a step in the right direction but what kind of maintenance. Maintaining generators, or burets, or balances, or whatever? Don't know the connection? Is that a chemistry lab, a physics lab, a biology lab, an engineering lab, a paint lab, what kind of lab?