Chapter 1- Making Measurements

Syllabus
Examples : Area, Volume, speed, Density
Length Conversions

Mass Conversions
 Let’s Review !
1) 50 g = ______ kg
2) 250 mg = ______ kg
3)0.50 hr = ______ s
4)40 min = _____ s
5)45 cm = ______ m
6)150 mm = ____ m
 Let’s Review !
1) 50 g = ______ kg ( 0.05)
2) 250 mg = ______ kg ( 0.00025 or 2.5 x10^-4)
3)0.50 hr = ______ s (1800)
4)40 min = _____ s (2400)
5)45 cm = ______ m ( 0.45)
6)150 mm = ____ m ( 0.15)
 Let’s have a think now
about what we might Measuring
use to measure length
length
• Tape measure/measuring tape
- used to measure longer lengths ( more than a meter)
• Ruler/rule
- used to measure lengths of a few cms ( upto 100cm)
• Vernier calipers –to measure diameter of a coin, bottle
• Micrometer screw gauge
- used to measure very small lengths like the diameter of a wire, thickness of a
sheet of paper
Measuring length

• Very small lengths like diameter of a wire, thickness of paper

or a metal sheet can be measured precisely with the help of
vernier calipers or a micrometer screw gauge.
 SI units 1 kilometre (km) = 1 000m

1 metre (m)

1 centimetre (cm) =
Mass  kilogram
1/100 m

1 millimetre (mm) =
1/1000 m = m
Time  second

1 micrometre (μm) =
1/1000000 m= m

Length  metre m 1 nanometre (nm) =

1/1000000000 m= m
Let’s Review !

1) 100 mm = ______ m
2) 350 µm = _____ m

1) 100 ms = ______ s ( 0.1)

2) 350 µm = _____ m
(0.00035 or 3.5x10^-
4)
Measurement of length
Possible errors :
- end error : end of the rule is worn out
- Parallax error

To avoid parallax error,

the line of sight should
be directly
above/perpendicular to
the scale
Average value of length/distance

If you have multiple measurements,

Average length = L1+L2+L3+..

No. of measurements
Other methods of measuring
lengths
Measure the thickness of a sheet of paper:
Take a stack of known number of sheets ( 100/200).
Measure the thickness of the stack using a suitable
instrument.
Thickness of 1 sheet = Total thickness÷ no. of sheets
To improve accuracy, repeat the procedure many
times and take the average
Other methods of measuring lengths
Curved lengths can be measured using a thread.
• The thread is laid along the curve. The thread is marked at
either end and then laid along a rule for measurement.
• To measure circumference of a cylinder, a thread is closely
wrapped around it a number of times. The length of the
thread between the marked ends is measured. The total
length is divided by the number of turns to get the
circumference.

To improve accuracy, the procedure is repeated at

different cross sections and the average is calculated.
Let’s practice
 Volume
1m
Volume is the amount of space
occupied by a body.

SI unit for Volume  cubic metre

(m3)
1m

1m
 Volume
1m

Volume  cubic metre

(m3)

1m
1 cubic metre (1m )
3
1 cubic metre = 1m x 1m x 1m
1 m3 = 100cm x 100cm x 100 cm
1 m3 = 1000000 cm3 = 1000000 cm3

1m
1 cm3 = 1/1000000 m3
 1) Measuring volume of a
liquid
Use a Measuring
cylinder

Measuring cylinder
Read off the level on the scale
to get the volume of liquid , V
 1) Measuring volume of a
liquid

For all liquids , except

mercury, take the
reading from the lower
end of meniscus
Avoid parallax error by keeping your
line of sight perpendicular to the scale
 2) Measuring volume of a regular
solid

Length

Volume V, of a regular solid

is calculated using formulas
Height
after measuring dimensions
like length, width and height
Width using rulers

Volume of rectangular block = length x width x

height
 2) Measuring volume of a regular
solid

Radius

Height

Volume of a cylinder= π x radius2 x height

3) Measuring volume of an irregular
solid
Displacement method
Pour liquid into a measuring
cylinder. Note down the reading
V1.
Put the irregular solid and again
record the volume reading, V2,
after the solid has been put into
the measuring cylinder.

Volume of irregular solid =

Volume after – volume before

V = V2-V1
Ex 5
 SI units

Mass  kilogram kg 1 kilogram (1kg)

1 kg = 1000 g
1 gram (g) = 1/1000kg
Time  second

1 g = 1000 mg
1 milligram (mg) =
Length  metre
1/1000g
= 1/1000000kg
 Mass
Mass is the amount of matter in a body
SI unit for Mass  kg

Mass is measured using beam balance, top

pan balance.
 Mass

For measuring mass of a solid

Mass m, is measured using

balance
 Mass
For measuring mass of a liquid , an empty
beaker can be used.
1) Place the empty beaker on the balance.
Let the reading be m1.
2) Pour the liquid into the beaker and place
it on the balance. Let the reading be m2.
3) Mass of the liquid :
m = m2 – m1
DENSITY (ρ)

DENSITY = Mass
Volume

• Density is defined as ratio of mass to volume.

• SI unit for density is kg/m3
• Density of a substance is constant for the given
substance.
 DENSITY = Mass
Volume

Water has
a density
of Substance Density (g/cm3)
1 g/cm3 Wood 0.75

Ice 0.92

Water 1.00

Aluminium 2.70

1 cm3 of water therefore has a mass of 1g Copper 8.90

1000cm3 of water therefore has a mass of 1000g Lead 11.4
Calculating density

In the density
equation, density is
shown by the Greek
letter ‘rho’ =

DENSITY = Mass
= m
Volume
V
m
V = m m = V
x
V
 Calculating
1.What is the density of a density Practice
block of steel if it has a mass
of 9.36 kg and a volume of
0.0012 m3? m

= 9. 36 = 7800 kg/m3 V
0.0012

2. What is the mass of a block of 3. What is the volume of a block of

gold if it has a density of 19.3 g/cm3 ice if it has a density of 920 kg/m3
and a volume of 540 cm3? and a mass of 12500 g?

m = 540 x 19.3 = V = 12.5 = 0.0136 m3

10,422g 920
 DENSITY = Mass

Volume = m
V
For the same mass, density is inversely proportional to
volume.
1 kg of paper and 1 kg of iron will have different volume.
1 kg of paper has more volume than 1 kg of iron so density of
paper is less than density of iron

For the same volume, density is directly proportional to

mass.
1 cm3 of paper and 1 cm3 of iron will have different mass.
1 cm3 of paper will have much less mass than 1 cm3 of iron,
so density of paper is less than density of iron
Density and floatation

A substance floats if its density is less than that of the liquid .

Arrange in order of density :

Generally,
Density of gases < Density of liquids < Density of solids
Density and floatation

A substance floats if its density is less than that of the liquid .

The density of steel is more than the density of water.
Why does a ship made of steel float on water ?
The ship has hollow parts with air- the average/overall
density of the ship( metal and air) is less than the density of
water and that is why it floats.
 Measuring Density
involves:
1) Measuring 3) Calculating
mass Density

2) Measuring
Volume

Measuring Density

of Solids of liquids

of regular of irregular
solids solids
 Measuring Density of a liquid

1) Measuring mass

Use a balance to measure mass of an empty measuring

cylinder, m1.
Pour the liquid into the cylinder and measure the total
mass of the beaker and liquid, m2
Mass of the liquid m = m2 - m1
Measuring Density of a liquid

2) Measuring
Volume

Measuring cylinder
Read off the level on the scale
to get the volume of liquid , V
Measuring Density of a liquid

3) Calculate density using Density = Mass m/

Volume V
 Measuring density of a regular
solid
1) Measuring mass

Mass m, is measured using

balance
 Measuring density of a regular
solid
2) Measuring Volume of a
regular solid
Length

Volume V, of a regular solid

is calculated using formulas
Height
after measuring dimensions
like length, width and height
Width
using rulers

Volume of rectangular block = length x width x

height
 Volume and
Density
2) Measuring Volume of a
regular solid

Length Radius

Height
Height

Width

Volume of rectangular block = length x width x Volume of a cylinder= π x radius2 x height

height
3) Density is calculated using Density =
Mass/Volume
 Measuring density of an irregular
solid
1) Measuring
mass

Mass m, is measured using

balance
 Measuring Density of an irregular
solid
2) Measuring Volume

Read off the level on the scale

before adding the irregular
solid V1, and again after the
solid has been put into the
measuring cylinder V2.

Volume of irregular solid =

Volume after – volume before

V = V2-V1
 Measuring Density of an
irregular solid
3) Calculate density using
Density = Mass m/ Volume V
 Let’s have a thought
now about what we
might use to measure
Measuring
time.
TIME

Stopwatch Stopclock

Analogue Digital Analogue Digital

Digital stopwatches / clocks are very accurate and they measure to 0.01 seconds
 1 millisecond (ms)
SI units = 1/1000s

1 microsecond (µs)

Mass  kilogram = 1/1 000 000 s

1 nanosecond (ns)
Time  second s
= 1/1 000 000 000 s

1 hour = 3600 s
Length  metre

1 minute= 60 s
Useful conversions
Measurement of time
 Let’s have a thought
now about what we
might use to measure
Measuring
time.
TIME
Measuring
time using a
pendulum

B C
A
 Let’s have a thought
now about what we
might use to measure
Measuring
time.
TIME
A pendulum is a
small mass A pendulum always
attached to the takes the same time
end of a string. to complete one
A pendulum oscillation
moves back and
forth about its
rest position (A)
when displaced One complete
Time taken to swing =
complete one C
ABACA
B
A Or
swing/vibration is
BACAB
called the Period
 Let’s have a thought
now about what we
might use to measure
Measuring
time.
TIME
Measuring How can we measure
period of a the time taken for
pendulum one complete swing
swing of the pendulum (=
Period)?
Measure the time
One complete for 15-20 swings
swing = using a stopwatch
ABACA Divide the total
Or measured time by
BACAB no. of swings to
get the period
B C
A Take multiple
readings and find
the average
 If you have multiple measurements,

Period of the pendulum= Total measured

time
No. of swings
 Average value of time

If you have multiple measurements,

Average time = T1+T2+T3+..

No. of measurements
SCALARS AND
VECTORS
Scalar

Think about
some Scalar - a quantity
examples!! that has
magnitude but no
What is direction
Examples: mass, time,
Scalar? temperature, distance,
speed, energy.
Vector
Vector - a quantity
Think about
some
that has both
examples!! magnitude and
direction
Examples: displacement,
What is velocity, force,
momentum, weight,
vector? gravitational field
strength, electric field
strength, acceleration.
01
Vectors
Vectors:

Vectors are generally

drawn as arrows.

Vectors
Length represents the
magnitude
Arrow shows the direction

Resultant - the sum of two or

more vectors
02
Vector Addition
Vector Addition

For parallel vectors , simple addition and

subtraction are all that is needed.
- For vectors in the same direction, the
resultant is obtained by adding their
magnitudes
- For vectors in the opposite direction, the
resultant is obtained by subtracting their
magnitudes.
Direction will be along the longer
vector.
Vectors and Scalars
Resultant vector is a vector that you get
by adding two or more vectors together.
It is a single vector that has the same
effect as all the others put together.
- For vectors at right angles, the
resultant is obtained by using
Pythagorean theorem

Direction : The resultant is θ⁰ from

the horizontal towards North-east
direction.
Sample
Resultant
Calculations
A toy car moves with a velocity of
.80 m/s across a moving walkway
that travels at 1.5 m/s. Find the
resultant velocity of the car.
Thank you