Practical 1

Topic

: Measurement in everyday life

Purpose

: To take and compare measurements using different types of

instruments.

Theoretical
Knowledge :

Units of measurement were among the earliest tools invented by

humans. Primitive societies needed rudimentary measures for many

tasks such as constructing dwellings of an appropriate size and shape,
fashioning clothing, or bartering food or raw materials.
Like the numeration system, the measurement of length and
mass differ from one place to the other. However, those units of
measurement evolved and became one standard system. The metric
system is internationally used now.
One of the earliest types of measurement concerned that of
length. These measurements were usually based on parts of body. It
has been developed to be more accurate. As more accurate
instruments became available so the exactness of the standard was
called into question. And now, it has developed into the S.I unit.
Nevertheless, the grain was the earliest unit of mass and is the
smallest unit in the apothecary, avoirdupois, Tower and Troy system.
The early unit was a grain of wheat or barleycorn used to weigh the
precious metals silver and gold. Larger units preserved in stone
standards were developed that were used as both units of mass and of
monetary currency.
Hypothesis : The more significant figures a value carries, the higher is the degree of
accurate.
Variable

:
(a) Fixed

: The amount of the materials that has been used

(using the same materials)

Materials

(b) Manipulated

: Types of measuring apparatus

(c) Responding

: The accurate of the reading

: A piece of copper wire, pencil, hair, sand

Apparatus : Meter rule, vernier calipers, micrometer screw- gauge, beam balance,
electronic balance, and a teaspoon.

Activity 1

: Measuring length

Procedures :
1. The diameter of a pencil, piece of copper wire, and a strand of our
own hair are measured by using the meter rule, vernier calipers, and
micrometer screw- gauge.
2. The measurements were repeated.
3. The result is tabulated like in the table below.

Meter rule

Micrometer Screw- gauge

Vernier calipers
Result

:
Micrometer screw-

Material

Meter rule

Vernier calipers

gauge (zero error

(cm)

(cm)

reading = -0.02)

s
Diameter
of pencil
Diameter
of wire
Diameter
of hair

Avg

7.20

7.10

7.45

7.23

0.089

1.37

1.38

1.38

1.36

0.000

0.04

0.04

0.03

0.02

2nd

3rd

Avg

1st

2nd

3rd

Avg

1st

0.007

0.007

0.007

0.007

0.706

0.706

0.708

0.707

0.001

0.001

0.001

0.001

0.090

0.090

0.088

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.000

0.000

0.000

(a) Meter rule:

i.

Pencil = 0.007 +/- 0.000

ii.

Wire = 0.001 +/- 0.000

iii.

Hair = 0.00 +/- 0.00

(b) Vernier calipers:

i.

(mm)
2nd
3rd

1st

Pencil = 0.707 +/- 110-3

(d)
(e)
(f)
(g) Activity 2

: Measuring mass

ii.

Wire = 0.089 +/- 110-3

iii.

Hair = 0.000 m+/- 0.00

(c) Micrometer screw- gauge:

i.

Pencil = 7.23 +/- 0.11

ii.

Wire = 1.36 +/- 0.02

iii.

Hair = 0.02 +/- 0.02

(h)

Procedures :
1. The mass of a piece of pencil and a teaspoon of sand is measured
by using the beam and the electronic balance.
2. The measurements have been repeated.
3. The result is tabulated in the table below.

(i)

(j)
(k)
(l)
(m)

Beam balance

Electronic balance
(n)
(o) Results
(p) M
at

:
(q) Beam balance (g)
(t) 1
(u) 2
(v) 3
(w)A

(r) Electronic balance (g)

(x) 1
(y) 2
(z) 3
(aa)

(ab)

(ac)

(ad)

(ae)

(af)

(ag)

(ah)

(ai)3

(aj)3

Penci

1.5

1.7

1.7

1.6

3.7

3.7

eri
al

Av
g

(ak)
Sand

(al)5
.
2

(at)

1
0
(as)
5.1

(am)

(an)

(ao)

(ap)

(aq)

4
(ar)

5.1

5.2

5.2

5.1

5.1

5.1

(a) Beam balance:

i.

Pencil = 3.7410 +/- 4104

i.

Pencil = 1.6 +/- 0.1

ii.

Sand = 5.2 +/- 0.03

(b) Electronic balance:

ii.

Sand

5.666710-4

5.1941

+/-

(c)

Conclusion : Yes, the hypothesis was accepted. This is because the

more significant figures a value carries, the higher is the degree of the
accurate of the reading (measurement).
(d) Discussion :
1. After doing the experiment, I found that it is more accurate or precise
by using the instrument of measurement that has the higher
significant figures.
2. This is because it can measure the smaller quantity and this can
make it more accurate.
3. The uncertainty in a measured value can be reduced if we use a
more sensitive instrument to measure the quantity.
4. A measured value having lesser uncertainty than another value
(which is recorded using a less sensitive instrument) is said to be
more precise.
5. As we can see, in Activity 1, the higher precision is the meter rule
while the most accurate is the micrometer screw- gauge. Micrometer
screw- gauge is more sensitive than the other measure instruments.
Besides that, it was read with the unit of mm (10 -3 m).
6. We can calculate the reading by using this formulae:
i.

First, you need to find the uncertainty of the instrument.

ii.

After you get the reading, you must plus with the uncertainty
reading.

iii.

For example:
(e) The uncertainty reading: -0.02 mm
(f) The reading that you got: 1.546 mm
(g) So,

1.546 + (-0.02) = 1.526 mm

(h)

After that, you will need to find the uncertainty from the

reading that you got after you repeated the experiment for three
times.
(i)

For example:

(j)

1.546 (the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reading)

(k)

1.234+1.334+1.254 / 3

(l)

= +/- 1.254

7. While in the Activity 2, the most precision instrument is the beam

balance while the electronic balance is accurate. Electronic balance
is so sensitive until it cannot be disturbed by the air and anything
else.
8. The electronic balance also has the higher number of significant
figures. So, it can read the smallest reading that the other instrument
cannot.
9. You also can see that my friends and I have repeated each
experiment for three times so that we will get the precise reading for
our result.
10. A measured value of a physical quantity is not exact because it has
some uncertainty.
11. A value is more precise than another value if its uncertainty is lesser.
12. We must have the precaution in this experiment. They are:
a) We must prevent the air from disturb the beam balance
especially the electronic balance by doing the measurement work
at the place that did not have this problems.
b) Our eyes must be parallel to the reading that we want to take to
prevent the systematic uncertainty.

c) We should repeat the experiment at least for three times to

prevent the random uncertainty.
d) We also must estimate the random uncertainty in single
measurement so that we will get the right reading.
e) We should prevent the systematic uncertainty by read the
measure of the apparatus first before us doing the experiment.
(m)
(n)

Questions for activity 1

1. Of the three measuring instruments used to measure length, which is the

most precise? Which is the most accurate?
(o)
(p) The most precise is the meter rule other whiles micrometer screwgauge is the most accurate instruments. More micrometer screwgauge has the finest divition on its scale which is 0.01mm compare to
vernier caliper (0.1mm) and meter rule (1.0mm).
(q)
2. If a student uses a meter rule to measure the thickness of an object, it is
not realistic for him to record the reading as 4.32 cm. Explain why?
(r)
(s) This is because the meter rule has the small significant figures.
So, it cannot measure thickness of anything that below the significant
figures of the meter rule.
(t)
3. What instrument would you use to measure the thickness of a piece of
paper? Explain.
(u) I would use the micrometer screw- gauge. This is because it can
measure the smaller quantity which has higher number of significant
figures. So, it should be no problems for me to measure the thickness
of a piece of paper. Besides that, I would get the precise data too.
(v)
(w)

(x)
(y)

Questions for activity 2:

1. Of the two measuring instruments used to measure mass, which is the

most precise? Which is the most accurate? Explain.
(z) The beam balance is the most precise instrument other whiles
electronic balance is the most accurate instrument is the
(aa)
2. Name another balance which can be use to measure mass in everyday life.
(ab)
Weight scale
(ac)
(ad)
(ae)

Mastery of Knowledge and Skills Questions:

1. At the end of the practical, answer the following questions:

a) What have you learnt from the practical?
(af)
I have learnt about the S.I unit. I also knew how to convert
the unit to the other unit. Nevertheless, I have learnt about the
precise and the accurate of the instruments and which is suitable
to use to measure them. This is very important for me so that I can
apply it in the future.
(ag)
b) Which part of the primary science curriculum teaches this particular
topic?
(ah) Materials and Properties in Standard 5
(ai)
c) Discuss how you can use the above practical in your teaching and
learning?
(aj)
As we all know that this topic is very important for us so
that we can apply it in our daily life. There are many knowledge
that I have got from doing this experiment such as how to convert
the S.I unit and many else. I will use it in my teaching process so
that

my

students

also

can

understand

the

concept

of

measurement. This is because it is easy for them to understand

this topic. So, I can use it to teach them about the measurement in
their experiment by also let them doing this experiment. The
purpose of I doing this is it is a hands- on activity. So, they can
easily understand it and also remember the topic.
(ak)

(al)
(am)
d) What was the role of the teacher in the above practical?
(an)

In this practical, they were student centered which means

that the teacher just act like a facilitator to help them whenever
they have any problems.
(ao)

Note:

1. The accuracy of a measured value: how close it is likely to be to the true

value.
2. Precision is not the same as accuracy. A cheap digital watch that says the
time is 9:34:45 a.m. is very precise (the time is given to the second) but if
the watch runs several minutes slow, then this value isnt very accurate.
3. A grandfather clock might be very accurate (i.e. it displays the correct time)
but if the clock has no second hand, it isnt very precise.
(ap)

References:

1. The accuracy of a measured value: Glenco PHYSICS, principle and

problems by Paul w. Zitzewitz, Ph. D
2. Tracking
the
esterification
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurement
(aq)
(ar)
(as)
(at)

Web

site.

(2009).