EXPERIMENT 1 : PHYSICAL QUANTITIES AND MEASUREMENT

OBJECTIVES

1. To expose students to use measurement equipment and right measurement techniques

2. To obtain derived quantities from base quantities.

INFERENCES

1. Base quantities are the quantities that cannot be defined in terms of other quantities

2. Derived quantities are physical quantities derived from the base quantities through multiplication,
division or both.

HYPOTHESIS

1. Measuring physical quantities precisely.

2. Differentiate between base and derived quantities.

EXPERIMENT 1a

APPARATUS

1. Wodden Block -1

2. Ruler -1

3. Vernier Caliper -1

4. Electronic Balance -1

PROCEDURERS

1. The dimension of the wooden block are measured by using ruler and Vernier Caliper.

2. The mass of the wooden block are weighted by using electronic balance.

3. All the data in Table 1a are recorded.

4. The density are calculated by using formula;

mass m
P = volume = V
DATA

DIMENSION READING
Ruler Vernier Caliper
ZERO ERROR

Height, h mm mm

m m

Width, w mm mm

m m

Length, l mm mm

m m

g
Mass, m kg

Volume, V mm3 mm3

m3 m3

mass kg kg
Density, p =
volume m3 m3

Table 1a
EXPERIMENT 1b

APPARATUS

1. Coin 20 cent -1

2. Micrometer Screw Gauge -1

PROCEDURES

1. The dimension of the coin 20 cent are measured by using Micrometer Screw Gauge.

2. All the data are recorded in Table 1b.

3. The volume of the glass rod are calculated by using the formula below

π d2 l
V=
4

DATA

MICROMETER SCREW GAUGE

Diameter, d

Thickness, l

π d2
Volume, V =
4

Table 1b
ANALYSIS

Result from measurement taken show various reading achieve although the measurement is done with
constancy which give a reading that is too high, sometimes a reading that is too low. The differences
result is caused by error when measurement is done. The error can be reduced by repeated readings
being taken and calculating the mean (or average) value. When we write down the result of a
measurement we only write it to the number of figures the accuracy will allow , these being termed the
significant figures. If we write 12.0g for the mass of some object then there are three significant figures.
However, if we quoted the number as 12, there are only two significant figures and the mass is less
accurately known.

QUESTION

1. State the precautionary steps to avoid errors in the experiment.

Avoid parallax error by placing the eye such that line of view is perpendicular to the scale read.

2. From the experiment 1(a), is there any difference between using ruler and Vernier Caliper? Give your
reason.

Yes. Ruler can measure longer or larger objects while Vernier Caliper can measure small object with
more precision and accuracy.

3. What do you understand with consistency and accuracy from experiment 1(b)?

The measuring instruments used in the experiment are meter ruler, vernier caliper and micrometer
screw gauge. Each of this instruments have their own consistency, accuracy and sensitivity which are
used based on purpose for measurement needed. Meter ruler, the measurement is accurate up to
0.1cm , vernier calipers measure length accurately up to 0.10cm and micrometer measure up to an
accuracy of 0.01mm or 0.001cm.

CONCLUSION

Three measuring instruments, meter ruler, vernier caliper and micrometer screw gauge are used for
measurement. Each instruments give different consistency, accuracy, and sensitivity. Common sources
of error with measurements also important to be known, avoiding error reading. Repeating
measurement is done to get average/mean for more accurate measurement.