MEASUREMENT OF MASS & TIME

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
The digits in a measured quantity which are reliable and confidence
UNITS & MEASUREMENTS
in our measurement + the digit which is uncertain.
MASS
•Unified atomic mass unit(amu) is used to measure ERRORS IN MEASUREMENT
mass of atoms & molecules RULES FOR SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
Dimensional Analysis
•1amu =(1/12)th mass of 1. All non-zero digits are significant. For example, 42.3 has three Difference between true value
one C12 atom significant figures; 243.4 has four significant figures; and 24.123 has & measured value of a quantity
five significant figures. Dimensions of a physical quantity are power to which units of base quantity
•1amu = 1.66×10-27 kg
•Electron mass- 10-30 kg 2. A zero becomes significant figure if it appears between two are raised. Eg: [M]a [L]b [T]c [A]d [K]e
non-zero digits. For example, 5.03 has three significant figures; Systematic Errors Random Errors
•Earth mass : 1025 kg 5.604 has four significant figures; and 4.004 has four significant Errors which tend to occur Irregular and at random

APPLICATIONS
only in one direction, in magnitude & direction
figures. either positive or negative
•Observable Universe 1055 kg
3. Leading zeros or the zeros placed to the left of the number are
TIME never significant. For example,0.543 has three significant figures;
Instrumental Personal
0.045 has two significant figures; and 0.006 has one significant checking the correctness of conversion of one system Deducing relation
Experimental
•SI unit is second (based on caesium clock with an figure. Due to inbuilt defect Limitations in Due to individual

uncertainity less than 1 part in 10-13 various formulae of unit into another among physical of measuring instrument experimental bias,Lack of proper
technique
ie,3μs loss every year) 4. Trailing zeros or the zeros placed to the right of the number are Eg: If Z=A+B,[Z]=[A]=[B] n1u1=n2u2 quantity
setting of apparatus

significant. For example, 4.330 has four significant figures; 433.00 Eg: n1[M1A L1B T1C] = n2[M2A L2B T2C] • Least count error is the smallest value that can be measured by
•Timespan of unstable particle: 10 -24
s has five significant figures; and 343.000 has six significant figures. instrument (occurs with random & systematic errors)
•Age of universe: 10 s 17 M A L B T C
5. In exponential notation, the numerical portion gives the number of n1= n2 [ 2 ] [ 2 ] [ 2 ] • Absolute Error :- Δa = |ai-amean|, amean=
a1+a2+a3+ ....+an
significant figures. For example,1.32 x 10-² has three significant M1 L1 T1 n
figures and 1.32 x 104 has three significant figures. • Relative Error:-
Δamean
; Δamean= Δa1+Δa2+Δa3+ ....+Δan
amean n
MEASUREMENT OF LENGTH
RULES FOR ROUNDING OF A MEASUREMENT Δamean
•Large distance is measured by p DIMENSIONAL FORMULA INSTRUMENTS • Percentage Error:-
amean
x 100

parallax method 1. If the digit to be dropped is less than 5, then the preceding digit is
left unchanged. For example,x = 7.82 is rounded off to 7.8 and Least Count:
BASIS b
•Parallax angle= DISTANCE
=x x x
x = 3.94 is rounded off to 3.9.
1) Pressure=stress=Young‛s modulus=ML T -1 -2 Smallest quantity an instrument can
2. If the digit to be dropped is more than 5, then the preceding digit
measure COMBINATION OF ERRORS
•1 =1.745 x 10 rad
O -2
is raised by one. For example, x = 6.87 is rounded off to 6.9 and 2) Work=Energy=Torque=M L2 T-2
•1‛=2.91×10­4 rad. x = 12.78 is rounded off to 12.8.
3) Power P=M L2 T-3
b mm scale vernier scale screw gauge
•1"=4.85×10­6 rad. 3. If the digit to be dropped is 5 followed by digits other than zero, 4) Gravitational constant G=M-1 L3 T-2 ↓ ↓ ↓ Absolute
1mm
Relative Percentage error
•For very small sizes, optical microscope, then the preceding digit is raised by one. For example, x = 16.351 is 0.1mm 0.01mm
Operations Formula Z
error Δ Z error ΔZ/Z 100 x Δ Z / Z
rounded off to 16.4 and x = 6.758 is rounded off to 6.8. 5) Force constant=Spring constant=M T-2
tunneling microscope, electron microscope ΔA+ΔB ΔA+ΔB
ΔA+ ΔB
were used. 4. If the digit to be dropped is 5 or 5 followed by zeros, then the 6) Coefficient of viscosity=M L-1 T-1 Sum A+B
A+B A+B
x 100

•1 AU = 1.496×1011 m preceding digit, if it is even, is left unchanged. For example,

x = 3.250 becomes 3.2 on rounding off and x = 12.650 becomes 12.6
7) Latent heat L=L2 T-2 VERNIER CALIPERS Difference A-B ΔA+ ΔB ΔA+ΔB ΔA+ΔB
x 100
A-B A-B
•1 ly = 9.46 × 1015 m on rounding off. 8 Least Count = 1 MSD - 1VSD
I Multiplication AxB AΔB+ BΔA
ΔA
+
ΔB
( A + B ( x 100
ΔA ΔB

•1parsec= 3.08 x 1016 m 5. If the digit to be dropped is 5 or 5 followed by zeros, then the μ0 If n VSD Coincides with (n-1)
A B
A
9 =M L2 T-3 A-2 BΔA+ AΔB ΔA ΔB
( AA+ BB(x 100
ε
Δ Δ
preceding digit, if it is odd, is raised by one. For example, MSD, Division +
•Size of proton: 10-15 m x = 3.750 is rounded off to 3.8, again x = 16.150 is rounded off 0 then (n-1) MSD= n VSD
B
B2 A B
ΔA ΔA x 100
•Radius Of Earth: 107m to 16.2. Power An n A n - 1 ΔA n n
10) Capacitance=M-1 L-2 T-4 A2 1VSD = n-1 MSD
n
A A

11) Permittivity ε0=M-1 L-3 T4 A2

1 A 1/n-1 ΔA
•Distance to Boundary Of RULES FOR ROUNDING OF A MEASUREMENT Root A 1/n 1 ΔA 1 ΔA x 100
n-1 n n A n A
Observable Universe : 1026 m 12) Angular momentum = planck‛s constant Least Count = 1MSD - n MSD = 1MSD
n
ADDITION & SUBTRACTION =M1 L2 T-1 Total Reading = Main Scale Reading + coinciding General rule:
In addition or subtraction, the final result should be reported Vernier Scale division x least count If Z = APBq

SI SYSTEM to the same number of decimal Places as that of the original ,Then the maximum fractional relative
Cr error in Z will be:
number with minimum number of decimal places
ΔZ =p ΔA +q ΔB
In a vernier calipers, one main scale division is x cm +r ΔC
3.1421
7 Base units and 2 supplementary units l m R & n division of vernier scale coincide with n-1 divisions Z A B C
0.241 Tα g
α k
α g of the main scale. the least count (in cm) of the
Base Units +0.09 (has two decimal places)
NO. Quantity Unit Symbol (Answer should be reported to two decimal
Time period L
= RC = LC
calipers is.
3.4731 n-1 nx x x
places after rounding off) R a) ( n ) x b) c) d) n
1 Length meter m (n-1) (n-1)
2 Mass kilogram kg In an expirement four quantities a,b,c
Answer = 3.47
3 Time second s and d are measured with percentage
4 Temperature kelvin K
MULTIPLICATION & DIVISION DIMENSIONLESS SCREW GAUGE error1%, 2%, 3% and 4% respectievely.
5 Electric current ampere A Quantity P is calculated as follows:
6 Luminous intensity candela cd When numbers are multiplied or divided, the number of QUANTITIES
7 Amount of mole mol significant figures in the answer equals the smallest number Main Scale Reading
substance
of significant figures in any of the original numbers 1) Strain Pitch = a2b2
No.of rotations P= then percentage error in P is
NO.
Quantity
Supplementary Units
Unit Symbol
51.028 2) Refractive index cd
x 1.31 (Three significant figures)
1 Plane angle radian rad 3) Relative density pitch
Solid angle steradian sr 66.84668 (Answer should have three significant figures Least Count =
Total no.of divisions on
(a) 14% (b) 10%
2
after rounding off) 4) Plane angle
circlular scale (c) 7% (d) 4%
Answer = 66.8 5) Solid angle Total Reading = Linear Scale Reading + circular scale
reading x least count

Q. Unit of permittivity of free space ε0 is In SI Units, the dimensions of ε 0

If L=2.331cm, B= 2.1cm,then L+B = ? μ0

The least count of the main scale of a screw gauge
(a) coloumb/newton-metre is 1mm the minimum no.of divisions on its circular
is:
(b) newton-metre2 /coloumb² (a) 4.431 cm (b) 4.43 cm a)A-1 T M L3 b)A T2 M-1L-1 scale required to measure 5μm diameter of wire is
(c) coloumb²/newton-metre2 (c) 4.4 cm (d) 4 cm c)A T-3 M L3/2 d)A2 T3 M-1 L-2 a) 200 b) 50 c) 400 d) 100
(d) coloumb2/(newton-metre)2