Chapter 1
MAKING MEASUREMENTS
PHYSICAL QUANTITIES AND MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
measuring length
Range of length (L) Instrument Precision Example
L > 100 cm Measuring tape ± 0.1 cm Dimensions of a room
5 cm < L < 100 cm Meter ruler / ruler ± 0.1 cm Height or length of
wire
1 cm < L < 10 cm Vernier calipers ± 0.01 cm Diameter of a beaker
or cylinder
L < 2 cm Micrometer ± 0.001 cm Thickness of a wire or
a sheet of paper
SI units for length
1 decimetre (dm) = 0.1 m
1 centimetre (cm) = 0.01 m
1 millimetre (mm) = 0.001 m
1 micrometre (µm) = 0.000001 m
1 kilometre (km) = 1000 m
measuring volume
If we have a regular shape object we can use these formulas to measure its volume
We can measure the volume of irregular shape objects by using a measuring cylinder and this
technique is called displacement
V total - V water inc = V object
1. Select a measuring cylinder that is larger than the object
2. Partially fill it with water, note the volume of water
3. Immerse the object in the water
4. The increase in volume is equal to the volume of the object
SI units for volume
1 cubic centimetre (cm3) = 0.000001 m3
1 cubic decimetre (dm3) = 0.001 m3
measuring time
To measure time there are 2 timing devices to use:
Analogue clock
● It can be used to measure time intervals to no better than the nearest second
Digital clock
● More accurate than the analogue clock
A student is trying to see how quickly they can run 5.0 km on a standard 400m running track.
They reason that, if they know how fast they can run one lap, they can assume they will run at
the same speed for 5.0 km, and can calculate their predicted time.
They, correctly, reason that they will not be able to maintain their initial pace throughout the
whole 5.0 km, so they decide to time lap 5.
The diagram shows the reading on the stopwatch at the beginning and the end of lap 5:
● Start of lap: 9:13
● End of lap: 11:10
measuring density
The mass of an object is the quantity of matter it is made of. The density tells us how
concentrated an object's mass is
Units of mass Units of volume Units of density Density of water
g cm3 g/cm3 1 g/cm3
kg cm3 kg/cm3 kg/cm3
kg m3 kg/m3 1000 kg/m3
If an object is denser than water it will sink
If an object is less dense than water it will float
For finding the density of liquids we can:
1. Place an empty measuring cylinder onto a balance, then 'zero' the reading.
2. Add some of the liquid to the measuring cylinder.
3. Read the volume of the liquid from the measuring cylinder.
4. Read the mass of the liquid from the balance.
5. Use the density formula to calculate the density from the mass and volume
measurements.
The liquid with lowest density will be at the top and the liquid with the highest density will stay at
the bottom. This is because the denser liquids will displace less dense liquids
Density (Multiple Choice) QP
Density (Multiple Choice) MS
Density 1 QP
Density 1 MS
Density 2 QP
Density 2 MS
Density 3 QP
Density 3 MS
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