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Measuring Volume

How to measure volume using glasswares

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47 views

Measuring Volume

How to measure volume using glasswares

Uploaded by

guilt.mare771
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Activity 5:

Volume Measurements with a Graduated Cylinder

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this activity is to learn how make volume measurements with a
graduated cylinder.

THEORY:

Volume is the amount of space an object takes up. It is


measured in liters (L), milliliters (mL) or cubic centimeters (cm3
or cc). A cc is exactly the same volume as an mL and a liter is
exactly the same volume as 1,000 mL.

Graduated cylinders are the tools commonly used to make


measurements of volumes in the laboratory. The cylinders come
in a variety of sizes. Common sense and availability dictate which
size to use.

The graduation (i.e., divisions) on different sized cylinders have different values.
Here are drawings of segments of two cylinders. The larger one (shown with liquid in it)
has 1 ml divisions, the smaller one has 0.1 ml divisions.

Reading the volume measurements with a graduated cylinder is essentially the


same as reading length measurements with a meter stick: the reading will always be
comprised of digits that can be read with certainty (because of the graduations) plus an
estimated digit based on the fractional part of the smallest division.
However, unlike meter stick, reading graduated
cylinder can be tricky. This is because the liquid in the
graduated cylinder may be attracted to the walls of the
cylinder by molecular forces which results into the
formation of what is known as the meniscus. The
meniscus is the curve in the upper surface of the liquid
close to the surface of the cylinder. The curvature of a
meniscus is related to the surface tension of the liquid and A: The bottom of a concave meniscus.
B: The top of a convex meniscus.
inversely related to the diameter of the tubing in which it
is formed. It can be either concave (shown in Fig. A on the right) or convex (shown in Fig.
B on the right), depending on the liquid and the material used for the cylinder.

The meniscus of most liquids is concave-up, with the lowest point in the center that
is used to determine the meniscus reading. Your eye must be on the same level as the
bottom of the meniscus to read the volume correctly.

The meniscus formed by a non-wetting liquid, such as


mercury (Hg), is convex with the highest point in the center. In the
case of a convex meniscus, the highest point is used to make the
reading. The reading of a mercury barometer or thermometer is a
classic example of this kind.

When reading any meniscus, it is important to ascertain that


it is in an equilibrium position. Tapping of sight glasses and/or
small motions of containers may be used to induce slight Reading a mercury
displacements of the meniscus. Return to the same reading is barometer
evidence of a stable meniscus.

Keep in mind that when reading the measurement, you


need to keep the graduated cylinder on a level desk, lower your
eyes to the level of the meniscus, and you read the volume
accordingly. Be sure to include one point of estimation in your
reading (see sample reading shown on the left).

Volume measurement with a graduated cylinder is


Example of a volume practically used to get the volume of irregularly shaped objects
measurement using a where the volume is found by water displacement. Volume
graduated cylinder which measurement with a graduated cylinder is likewise used in
has the proper number of
significant figures measuring the amount of liquid precipitation over a set period of
time using a rain gauge.
PROCEDURE:

1. Given the following graduated cylinders (calibrated in mL), determine the smallest
scale division (that is, the value for the minor grids) and the smallest fractional part of
the scale division that can be reasonably estimated.

Volume Measurement

Smallest scale division

Smallest fractional part of


the scale division that can
be reasonably estimated

2. Measure the volume of each liquid sample shown in the figures below. The graduated
cylinders is calibrated in mL. Don’t forget to use significant figures.

Volume Measurement

Reading
(with proper number of
significant figures)

3. Draw in the meniscus for the following readings.

Reading 49.21 mL 18.2 mL 27.7 mL 63.8 mL

Volume Measurement
4. Pictured below are volume measurements using graduated cylinders. What is the
volume of liquid shown in graduated cylinders A-D? What is the total volume in
graduated cylinder E? Write your answers in the spaces provided.

(A) _____ mL (B) _____ mL (C) _____ mL (D) _____ mL (E) _____ mL

5. If the graduated cylinders D and E show the same cylinder before and after the rock
was added, what is the volume of the rock? __________ mL

6. Given below are the data of liquid precipitation collected overnight in 4-cm-diameter
rain gauges at different locations. The rain gauges are calibrated in cm. Determine
the height of the liquid precipitation then compute for the collected volume. Use
significant figures. (Hint: volume of a cylinder = 𝜋 𝑟 2 ℎ )

(A) h=______ (B) h=______ (C) h=______ (D) h=______ (E) h=_____
(A) V=______ (B) V=______ (C) V=______ (D) V=______ (E) V=_____

(F) h=______ (G) h=______ (H) h=______ (I) h=______ (J) h=_____
(A) V=______ (B) V=______ (C) V=______ (D) V=______ (E) V=_____
EXERCISES:

1. Measure the amount of liquid in each graduated cylinder below, using the bottom of
the meniscus. Record the measurements on the line below each graduated cylinder,
making sure use one decimal place and label your units in mL.
2. What is the reading in milliliters for each graduated cylinder?
3. What is the height of liquid precipitation in centimeters for each rain gauge below?
GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR ANALYSIS:

1. Explain the steps that you would use to determine estimated digit in your volume
measurement using a graduated cylinder.

2. How can you say that your volume measurements with a graduated cylinder is precise?

3. How can you say that your volume measurements with a graduated cylinder is
accurate?

4. In this activity, graduated cylinders were used as opposed to a meter stick. When a
meter stick is used, parallax influences the precision. Other than taking into account
the meniscus, what techniques were necessary to optimize the precision of the
measurement?

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