Units of Measurement Metric System (SI)

MEASUREMENT  Is a decimal system based on 10

You are making a measurement when you:  Used in most of the world
 Check your weight  Used by scientists and hospitals
 Read your watch
 Take your temperature Units in the Metric System
 Weigh a cantaloupe Length meter m
Volume liter L
What kinds of measurements did you make today? Mass gram g
Temperature Celsius °C
Standards of Measurement
When we measure, we use a measuring tool to Stating a Measurement
compare some dimension of an object to a standard. In every measurement there is a Number followed by a
Unit from measuring device.
Some Tools for Measurement
Learning Check
Learning Check What is the unit of measurement in each of the
From the previous slide, state the tool (s) you would use following examples?
to measure
A. temperature A. The patient’s temperature is 102°F.
B. volume B. The sack holds 5 lbs of potatoes.
C. time C. It is 8 miles from your house to school.
D. weigh D. The bottle holds 2 L of orange soda.

Solution Solution
From the previous slide, state the tool (s) you would use A. °F (degrees Fahrenheit)
to measure B. lbs (pounds)
A. temperature thermometer C. miles
B. volume measuring cup, D. L (liters)
graduated cylinder
C. time watch Learning Check
D. weight scale Identify the measurement in metric units.
A. John’s height is
Measurement in Chemistry 1) 1.5 yards 2) 6 feet 3) 2 meters
In chemistry we do experiments measure quantities and
use numbers to report measurements B. The volume of saline in the IV bottle is
1) 1 liters 2) 1 quart 3) 2 pints
Learning Check
What are some U.S. units that are used to measure each C. The mass of a lemon is
of the following? 1) 12 ounces 2) 145 grams 3) 0.6 pounds
A. length
B. volume Solution
C. weight A. John’s height is
D. temperature 3) 2 meters

Solution B. The volume of saline in the IV bottle is

Some possible answers are 1) 1 liter
A. length inch, foot, yard, mile
B. volume cup, teaspoon, gallon, pint, C. The mass of a lemon is
quart 2) 145 grams
C. weight ounce, pound (lb), ton
D. temperature °C, °F, K
SCIENTIFIC METHOD The factor that is measured or observed is called the
Steps in the Scientific Method dependent variable.
 Observation
 Hypothesis Example of Controls & Variables
 Experiment  For example, suppose you want to figure out
 Data Collection the fastest route to walk home from school.
 Conclusion  You will try several different routes and time
 Retest how long it takes you to get home by each one.
 Observations  Since you are only interested in finding a route
that is fastest for you, you will do the walking
Gathered through your senses yourself.
A scientist notices something in their natural world
Observations What are the Variables in Your Experiment?
 Varying the route is the independent variable
An example of an observation might be noticing that  The time it takes is the dependent variable
many salamanders near a pond have curved, not  Keeping the same walker throughout makes the
straight, tails walker a control variable.

Hypothesis One more thing… it is best to make several trials with

 A suggested solution to the problem. each independent variable.
 Must be testable
 Sometimes written as If…Then… statements Valid Experiments
 Predicts an outcome Remember: To be a Valid Experiment:
Two groups are required --- the control & experimental
An example of a hypothesis might be that the groups
salamanders have curved tails due to a pollutant in the There should be only one variable
moist soil where they live.
DATA
Experiment  Results of the experiment
A procedure to test the hypothesis.  May be quantitative (numbers) or qualitative
 Must be organized
Variable – factor in the experiment that is being tested  Can be organized into charts, tables, or graphs

A good or “valid” experiment will only have ONE Conclusion

variable!  The answer to the hypothesis based on the data
obtained from the experiment
Controls and Variables
 Scientific Experiments Follow Rules Retest
 An experimenter changes one factor and In order to verify the results, experiments must be
observes or measures what happens. retested.

The Control Variable REVIEW:

 The experimenter makes a special effort to keep Solving a Problem
other factors constant so that they will not 1) Identify a Problem
affect the outcome. 2) State Observations about the problem
 Those factors are called control variables. 3) Form a Hypothesis about the problem (if…then…)
4) Design an Experiment to test the hypothesis
What is the Purpose of a Control? 5) Collect Data
 Controls are NOT being tested 6) Form a Conclusion
 Controls are used for COMPARISON 7) Retest
 Other Variables
The factor that is changed is known as the independent 1.1 Physical Quantities
variable. Quantitative versus qualitative
 • Most observation in physics are quantitative Defining equation: force = mass × acceleration
• Descriptive observations (or qualitative) are
usually imprecise In terms of units: Units of force =

Qualitative Observations Force

How do you measure artistic beauty? Area
Defining equation: Pressure =
Quantitative Observations
In terms of units: Units of pressure =
What can be measured with the instruments on an
airplane?
Defining equation: Work = Force × Displacement
A physical quantity is one that can be measured and
In terms of units: Units of work =
consists of a magnitude and unit.

Are classified into two types:

Work done
• Base quantities Defining equation: Power = Time
• Derived quantities
In terms of units: Units of power =
Base quantity
It is like the brick – the basic building block of a house.

Derived quantity is like the house that was build up Derived Quantity Relation with Base
from a collection of bricks (basic quantity). and Derived Quantities

1.2 SI Units Unit Special Name

• SI Units – International System of Units
Example of derived quantity: area Area length × width
Defining equation: area = length × width
In terms of units: Units of area = m × m = m2 Volume length × width × height
Defining equation: Volume = length × width ×
height Density mass  volume
In terms of units: Units of volume = m × m × m =
m2 Speed distance  time
Defining equation: density = mass ÷ volume
In terms of units: Units of density = kg / m3 = kg Acceleration change in velocity  time
m−3
Force mass × acceleration newton
(N)
Work out the derived quantities for:
Pressure force  area pascal
distance (Pa)
Defining equation: speed = time
Work force × distance Joule (J)

In terms of units: Units of speed Power work  time watt (W)

velocity
Defining equation: acceleration = time

In terms of units: Units of acceleration = 1.3 Prefixes

Prefixes simplify the writing of very large or very small Scalars Vectors
quantities Distance displacement
Speed velocity
Prefix AbbreviationPower Mass weight
Nano n 10−9 Time acceleration
Micro  10−6 Pressure force
milli m 10−3 Energy momentum
centi c 10−2 Volume
deci d 10−1 Density
kilo k 103
mega M 106
giga G 109 Adding Vectors using Graphical Method
• Parallel vectors can be added arithmetically

1.4 Scalars and Vectors

Scalar quantities are quantities that have magnitude
only. Two examples are shown below:

Measuring Mass

Adding Vectors using Graphical Method

Non-parallel vectors are added by graphical means using
the parallelogram law
– Vectors can be represented graphically
by arrows

5.0 cm ¿ 20.0 N Direction = right

Measuring Temperature

– The length of the arrow represents the

magnitude of the vector
– The direction of the arrow represents the
direction of the vector
– The magnitude and direction of the resultant
vector can be found using an accurate scale
drawing

The parallelogram law of vector addition states that if

two vectors acting at a point are represented by the
sides of a parallelogram drawn from that point, their
resultant is represented by the diagonal which passes
through that point of the parallelogram.

1.4 Scalars and Vectors

Scalar quantities are added or subtracted by using
simple arithmetic.
Example: 4 kg plus 6 kg gives the answer 10 kg

Vector quantities are quantities that have both

magnitude and direction

Examples of scalars and vectors

1.5 Measurement of Length and Time Accurate Table 1.6 shows the range and precision of some
Measurement measuring instruments

• No measurement is perfectly accurate

• Some error is inevitable even with high Instrument Range of measurement Accuracy
precision instruments
• Two main types of errors Measuring tape 0−5m 0.1 cm
– Random errors
– Systematic errors Metre rule 0−1m 0.1 cm

• Random errors occur in all measurements. Vernier calipers0 − 15 cm 0.01 cm

• Arise when observers estimate the last figure of
an instrument reading Micrometer screw
• Also contributed by background noise or gauge0 − 2.5 cm 0.01 mm
mechanical vibrations in the laboratory.
• Called random errors because they are
unpredictable Vernier Calipers
• Minimize such errors by averaging a large • Allows measurements up to 0.01 cm
number of readings • Consists of a 9 mm long scale divided into 10
• Freak results discarded before averaging divisions
• The object being measured is between 2.4 cm
• Systematic errors are not random but constant and 2.5 cm long.
• Cause an experimenter to consistently • The second decimal number is the marking on
underestimate or overestimate a reading the vernier scale which coincides with a marking
• They Due to the equipment being used – e.g. a on the main scale.
ruler with zero error • Here the eighth marking on the vernier scale
• may be due to environmental factors – e.g. coincides with the marking at C on the main
weather conditions on a particular day scale
• Cannot be reduced by averaging, but they can • Therefore the distance AB is 0.08 cm, i.e. the
be eliminated if the sources of the errors are length of the object is 2.48 cm
known

Length
• Measuring tape is used to measure relatively
long lengths
• For shorter length, a meter rule or a shorter rule
will be more accurate
• Correct way to read the scale on a ruler
• Position eye perpendicularly at the mark on the
scale to avoids parallax errors
• Another reason for error: object not align or
arranged parallel to the scale
• Many instruments do not read exactly zero
when nothing is being measured
• Happen because they are out of adjustment or
some minor fault in the instrument
• Add or subtract the zero error from the reading
shown on the scale to obtain accurate readings
• Vernier calipers or micrometer screw gauge give
more accurate measurements
 – Correct zero error by adjusting the final
measurement

Time
• Measured in years, months, days, hours,
minutes and seconds
• SI unit for time is the second (s).
• Clocks use a process which depends on a
regularly repeating motion termed oscillations.

Time
The oscillation of a simple pendulum is an example of a
regularly repeating motion.
The time for 1 complete oscillation is referred to as the
Micrometer Screw Gauge period of the oscillation.
• To measure diameter of fine wires, thickness of
paper and small lengths, a micrometer screw Pendulum Clock
gauge is used • Measures long intervals of time
• The micrometer has two scales: • Hours, minutes and seconds
• Main scale on the sleeve • Mass at the end of the chain attached to the
• Circular scale on the thimble clock is allowed to fall
• There are 50 divisions on the thimble • Gravitational potential energy from descending
• One complete turn of the thimble moves the mass is used to keep the pendulum swinging
spindle by 0.50 mm • In clocks that are wound up, this energy is
stored in coiled springs as elastic potential
Micrometer Screw Gauge energy.
• Two scales: main scale and circular scale Watch
• One complete turn moves the spindle by 0.50 • also used to measure long intervals of time
mm. • most depend on the vibration of quartz crystals
• Each division on the circular scale = 0.01 mm to keep accurate time
• energy from a battery keeps quartz crystals
vibrating
• some watches also make use of coiled springs to
supply the needed energy

Stopwatch
• Measure short intervals of time
• Two types: digital stopwatch, analogue
stopwatch
• Digital stopwatch more accurate as it can
Precautions when using a micrometer measure time in intervals of 0.01 seconds.
1. Never tighten thimble too much • Analogue stopwatch measures time in intervals
– Modern micrometers have a ratchet to of 0.1 seconds.
avoid this
2. Clean the ends of the anvil and spindle before making Errors occur in measuring time
a measurement • If digital stopwatch is used to time a race,
– Any dirt on either of surfaces could should not record time to the nearest 0.01 s.
affect the reading • reaction time in starting and stopping the watch
3. Check for zero error by closing the micrometer when will be more than a few hundredths of a second
there is nothing between the anvil and spindle • an analogue stopwatch would be just as useful
– The reading should be zero, but it is
common to find a small zero error
Ticker-tape Timer
 • electrical device making use of the oscillations
of a steel strip to mark short intervals of time
• steel strip vibrates 50 times a second and makes
50 dots a second on a paper tape being pulled
past it
• used only in certain physics experiments

Ticker-tape Timer
• Time interval between two consecutive dots is
0.02 s
• If there are 10 spaces on a pieces of tape, time
taken is 10 × 0.02 s = 0.20 s.
• Counting of the dots starts from zero
• A 10-dot tape is shown below.