UNIT

1 MEASUREMENT

Learning Objectives
After the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
‹‹understand fundamental quantities and units.
‹‹explain the system of units and measurements.
‹‹analyse the different system of units.
‹‹know about temperature, amount of substance, electric current and luminous intensity.
‹‹explore the knowledge of accuracy in measurements.
‹‹differentiate plane angle and solid angle.
‹‹solve problems related to measurement.

Introduction Activity 1
Physics is the study of nature and natural Measure the
phenomena. Physics is considered as the base of length and
all science subjects. It is based on experimental breadth of your
observations. The principles and observations science book
allow us to develop a deeper understanding of using a ruler
nature. Scientific theories are valid, only if they (scale) and
are confirmed through various experiments.
Theories in physics use many physical
compare your
value with those
8
quantities that have to be measured.
of your friends.
Science
Measurement is the base of all scientific
studies and experimentations. It plays a vital
Let us say that the length of the book be
role in our daily life. It is the process of finding
an unknown physical quantity by using a 30 cm. Here, the length is the physical quantity, ruler
standard quantity. In this lesson, we will study is the instrument, 30 is the magnitude and ‘cm’
about measurement in detail. We will also study is the unit. This process is called measurement.
about accuracy and precision, approximation In the above activity the values of all the
and rounding off. students will not be same. Similarly, people in
various parts of the world are using different
1.1 Unit Systems systems of units for measurement. Some
common systems of units are as follows.
We need three things for a perfect
measurement. They are: an instrument, a 1. F
 PS System (Foot for length, Pound for
standard quantity and an acceptable unit. mass and Second for time)
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 2. C
 GS System (Centimetre for length, Gram You have already studied about length,
for mass and Second for time) mass and time in your lower classes. Now
3. M
 KS System (Meter for length, Kilogram you are going to study about the other base
for mass and Second for time) quantities such as temperature, current,
amount of substance and luminous intensity.
The ‘CGS’, ‘MKS’ and SI units
are metric systems of units and In December, 1998, the
‘FPS’ is not a metric system. It is National Aeronautics and
a British system of units. Space Administration (NASA),
USA, launched the Mars Climate Orbiter
to collect data about the Martian climate.
1.2  International System Nine months later, on September 23, 1999,
of Units the Orbiter disappeared while approaching
Mars at an unexpectedly low altitude.
In earlier days, scientists performed their
An investigation revealed that the orbital
experiments and recorded their results in their
calculations were incorrect due to an error
own system. Due to lack of communication,
in the transfer of information between
they couldn’t organise experimental results of
the spacecraft’s team in Colorado and the
others. So, they planned to follow a uniform
mission navigation team in California. One
system for taking the measurements.
team was using the English FPS system of
As you studied in the lower classes, in units for calculation, while the other team
1960, in the 11th General Conference on was using the MKS system of units. This
Weights and Measures at Paris in France, misunderstanding caused a loss of 125
scientists recognised the need of using million dollars approximately.
standard units for physical quantities. That was
called as ‘International System of Units’ and is
1.2.1 Temperature
popularly known as SI System (abbreviated
from the French name ‘Systeme International’). Identify, which of the following objects
Scientists, chose seven physical quantities as are hot and which of them are cold?
‘Base Quantities’ and defined a ‘Standard Unit’
to measure each one. They are known as Base
Units or Fundamental Units (Table 1.1)

Table: 1.1 Base Quantities and Units

Quantity Unit Symbol

Length metre m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Temperature kelvin K
Electric Current ampere A Figure 1.1 Hot and Cold Objects

Amount of Substance mole mol We see a number of objects in our daily

life. Some of them are cold and some of them
Luminous Intensity candela cd
are hot.
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 Some times we may say that two objects of current flowing is said to be one ampere.
are equally hot or cold. But, there will be some Ammeter is the device used to measure ‘electric
difference in their hotness or coldness. How current’ (Fig 1.2).
do you decide, which is hotter and which is
colder? You need a reliable quantity to decide
the degree of hotness or coldness of an object.
That quantity is ‘temperature’.
Temperature is a physical quantity that
expresses the degree of hotness or coldness of a
substance. Heat energy given to a substance will
increase its temperature. Heat energy removed Figure 1.2 Ammeter
from a substance will lower its temperature.
Activity 3
Temperature is defined as a measure of
the average kinetic energy of the particles Connect a battery, an ammeter and a lamp
in a system. The SI unit of temperature is in series as shown in the figure. Note the
kelvin. Thermometers are used to measure the ammeter reading. It is the amount of current
temperature directly. Usually, thermometers are flowing in the circuit.
calibrated with some standard scales. Celsius, Ammeter
Fahrenheit, Kelvin are the most commonly used A
scales to measure temperature.
Baery Lamp
Activity 2

From the news paper or television, collect the 100

150 200

25
50

0
300
Ammeter

highest and lowest temperature experienced

0

in your nearest town or city for a week and – +

record the values in a tabular column. Does

this data remain same throughout the year?

1.2.2 Electric Current (I) Problem 1

Flow of electric charges, in a particular If 2 coulomb of charge flows through a
direction is known as ‘electric current’. The circuit for 10 seconds, calculate the current.
magnitude of electric current is the amount of Solution
electric charges flowing through a conductor Charge (Q) = 2 C; Time (t) = 10 s
in one second.
Q
Amount of electric charge I = = 2 = 0.2 A
Electric current = t 10
time
Q 1.2.3 Amount of Substance
I=
t Amount of substance
Electric charge is measured in coulumb. is a measure of the number
The SI unit of electric current is ampere and it of entities (particles) present
is denoted as A. in a substance. The entity
If one coulomb of charge is flowing through may be an atom, molecule,
a conductor in one second, then, the amount ion, electron or proton etc.
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 Generally, the amount of substance is directly luminous intensity. The SI unit of luminous
proportional to the number of atoms or intensity is candela and is denoted as ‘cd’.
molecules. The light emitted from a common wax
Can you count the number of copper coins candle is approximately equal to one candela.
in the picture? We can count them easily. But, Luminous intensity is measured by ‘photometer’
can you count the number of copper atoms in (Luminous Intensity Meter) which gives the
a coin? It is very difficult to count the number luminous intensity in terms of candela directly.
of atoms because they are not visible. The
number of atoms or molecules in a substance is
measured in mole. It is a SI uinit.

Figure 1.5 Photometer

Figure 1.3 Copper coins
Info bits
Mole is defined as the amount of substance,
which contains 6.023 × 1023 entities. It is denoted Luminous flux or Luminous power is the
as ‘mol’. measure of the perceived power of light. Its
SI unit is ‘lumen’.
More to Know One lumen is defined as the luminous flux
23
The number 6.023 × 10 is also known as of the light produced by the light source that
Avogadro Number. emits one candela of luminous intensity over
a solid angle of one steradian.
1.2.4 Luminous Intensity Apart from the seven fundamental units,
we have two more units known as derived
units, we will study about them now.

1.2.5 Plane angle

Plane angle is the angle made at
the intersection of two straight lines or
intersection of two planes. The SI unit of plane
angle is ‘radian’ and is denoted as ‘rad’.
Figure 1.4 Photometer in day to day life
Have you seen these scenes on the
television? What is the umpire doing? He is
checking the intensity of light by using an θ

instrument. The measure of the power of the

emitted light, by a light source in a particular
direction, per unit solid angle is called as Figure 1.6 Plane angle
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 Radian is the angle subtended at the centre area is equal to the square of the radius of
of a circle by an arc whose length is equal to the the sphere.
radius of the circle (Fig 1.7).
surface 1m2

1 steradian
s

1 rad r
radius 1 m

r=s
Figure 1.8 Steradian
Figure 1.7 Radian
Until 1995, plane angle and
π radian = 180°
solid angle were classified under
1 radian = 180°
π supplementary quantities. In
1995, they were shifted to derived quantities.
Problem 2
Convert 60° into radian. Table 1.2 Difference between plane angle
and solid angle
Solution
Plane Angle Solid Angle
We know that,
π It is the angle made It is the angle by the
1° = at the point of intersection of three
180
π × 60 π intersection of two or more planes at a
60° = = radian
180 3 lines or planes. common point.
3
It is two dimensional. It is three dimensional.
Problem 3 Its unit is radian. Its unit is steradian.
π
Convert into degrees.
4
Solution 1.3 Clocks

We know that, Clocks are used to measure time intervals.

π radian = 180° So many clocks are being used from the ancient
π 180 time. Scientists have modified the mechanism
radian = = 45°
4 4 of the clocks everytime to obtain accuracy.

1.2.6 Solid angle 1.3.1 Types of clock based on

display
Solid angle is the angle
formed by three or more planes There are two types of clocks based on
intersecting at a common display. They are:
point. It can also be defined as 1. Analog clocks
‘angle formed at the vertex of 2. Digital clocks
the cone’. The SI unit of solid
angle is ‘steradian’ and is denoted as ‘sr’. 1. Analog clocks
Steradian is the solid angle at the centre of Analog clocks look like a classic clock.
a sphere subtended by a portion whose surface It has three hands to show the time.
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 Hours hand 1.3.2 Types of clock based on
It is short and thick. It shows ‘hour’. working mechanism

Minutes hand There are different types of clocks based on

working [Link] are:
It is long and thin. It shows ‘minute’.
1. Quartz clock
Seconds hand 2. Atomic clock
It is long and very thin. It shows ‘second’.
1. Quartz clock
It makes one rotation in one minute and 60
rotations in one hour. These clocks are activated by ‘electronic
oscillations’, which are controlled by a ‘quartz
Analog clocks can be driven either
crystal’. The frequency of a vibrating crystal is
mechanically or electronically.
very precise. So, quartz clock is more accurate
than mechanical clock. These clocks have an
accuracy of one second in every 109 seconds.

Figure 1.9 Analog clock Quartz

Activity 4
Figure 1.11 Quartz clock
Make a model of an analog clock using card 2. Atomic clock
board.
These clocks make use of
2. Digital clocks periodic vibrations occurring
within the atom. These clocks
A digital clock displays the time directly.
have an accuracy of one second
It shows the time in numerals or other
in every 1013 seconds. Atomic
symbols. It may have 12 hours or 24 hours
clocks are used in Global
display. Recent clocks are showing date, day,
Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation
month, year, temperature etc. Digital clocks
Satellite System (GLONASS) and International
are often called as electronic clocks.
Time Distribution Services.

Figure 1.10 Digital clock

Activity 5

Make a model of a digital clock using match

sticks on a card board, with date and time.
Figure 1.12 Atomic clock
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 uncertainty. These uncertainties are called
Activity 6
as ‘errors’. Error is defined as the difference
You may have heard about the ‘Sun Dial’. between the real value and the observed value.
Construct a sundial of your own and read While taking measurements, errors
out the values from morning to evening. should be minimum and the measured
Compare your values with modern clocks. values should be precise and accurate. Both
precision and accuracy may seen to be same.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) But, they are not similar.
is the mean solar time at the Look at the arrows shot by three persons
Royal Observatory, located at (Fig. 1.13). In the first image all the arrows are
Greenwich in London. It is measured at hit at the centre. In the second image, all the
the longitude of zero degree. arrows are hit at the same place but not at the
The Earth is divided into centre. It shows that first person is precise and
24 zones, each of a width of accurate. The second person is precious but not
15 degree longitude. These accurate. But, the third person is neither precise
regions are called as ‘Time nor accurate.
Zones’. Time difference Accuracy is the closeness of a measured
between two adjacent time value to the actual value
zones is 1 hour. or true value. Precision is
Indian Standard Time (IST) the closeness of two or
68E 72 76 80 84 88 92

W
N
94E

E
The location of more measurements to
each other. While making
36N 36N

Mirzapur in Uttar
S

32 PAKISTAN
32
8230’

28 NE
PAL
CHINA

BHUTAN
9725’
Pradesh is taken as the measurements, accuracy is
687’

24
BANGLADESH

Tropic of Cancer
24
reference longitude of always desired. The measured value should
the Indian Standard be close to the true value.
20
20

ARABIAN BAY OF
SEA BENGAL

16 16

12
12
Time. It is located at
8N
LAKSHADWEEP
(INDIA)
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS

8N 82.5 degree longitude. 1.5 Approximation

72 76 645’
84 88 92

IST = GMT + 5:30 hours

I N D I A N O C E A N

While we prepare a dish, we choose

Not to Scale
INDIAN STANDARD MERIDIAN

the ingredients approximately. We do not

1.4 Accuracy in Measurements measure them accurately always. Similarly,
it is not possible to set the exact value while
We have seen that measurement is the base taking measurements. Sometimes we take
of all experiments in science and technology. the approximate value. Approximation is
The value of every measurement contains some the process of finding a number, which is

Good accuracy Poor accuracy Poor accuracy

Good precision Good precision Poor precision

Figure 1.13 Accuracy and Precision

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 acceptably close to the exact value of the
Problem 5
measurement of a physical quantity. It is an
Round off the number 1.868 to two decimal
estimation of a number obtained by rounding
places.
off a number to its nearest place value.
When the data are inadequate, physicists Solution
are in need of an approximation to find the We need to round off the number to two
solution for problems. Approximations are decimal places. So, the last digit to be kept
usually based on certain assumptions having a is 6. Since the next digit is more than 5,
we should increase the second digit by one.
scientific background and they can be modified
So, the answer is 1.87.
whenever accuracy is needed.

Activity 7
Points to Remember
Calculate the approximate ‘heart beat’ of a
man in a day (Hint: Take number of heart ¾¾ The need of standard units for physical
beats per minute as 75, approximately). quantities was recognised in the 11th General
Conference on Weights and Measures
in 1960.
1.6 Rounding off
¾¾ Length, mass, time, temperature, electric
Calculators are widely used in day to day current, amount of substance and luminous
life to do the calculations. The result given intensity are called base quantities.
by a calculator has too many digits. Hence,
¾¾ Temperature is the measure of hotness
the result containing more digits should be
or coldness of a substance. Its SI unit is
rounded off. The technique of rounding off
kelvin.
is used in many areas of physics.
� Electric charge is measured in coulumb and
1.6.1 Rules for rounding off electric currect is measured in ampere.
• Decide which is the last digit to keep. � The SI unit of amount of substance is
• Leave it the same, if the next digit is less mole.
than 5.
� Luminous intensity is measured in candela.
• Increase it by one, if the next digit is 5 or
greater than 5. ¾¾ Quartz clock uses the ‘electronic oscillations’
controlled by a ‘quartz crystal’.
Problem 4 ¾¾ Atomic clock uses the ‘periodic vibrations
Round off the number 1.864 to two decimal occurring within the atom’.
places. ¾¾ Accuracy is the closeness of a measured
Solution value to the actual value.
We need to round off the number to two ¾¾ Precision is the closeness of two or more
decimal places. So, the last digit to be kept measurements to each other.
is 6. Since the next digit is less than 5, we
� Approximation is the process of finding the
can retain 6 as it is. So the answer is 1.86.
solution by means of ‘estimation’.

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 GLOSSARY

Amount of substance Measure of number of entities (particles) present in a substance.

Calibration Process of configuring an instrument in a particular range.
Electric current Flow of electric charges (electrons) in a unit time.
Electronic ­Oscillation Oscillations produced by an electronic circuit.
Luminous Intensity Amount of light emitted by a light source in a particular direction per unit time.
Plane angle Angle made at the point of intersection of two lines or planes.
Quartz Crystal Crystal formed by Silicon and Oxygen (SiO2).
Solid angle Angle made at the point of intersection of three or more planes.

TEXTBOOK EXERCISES

I. Choose the best answer. II. Fill in the blanks.

1. Which one the following systems of unit is 1. The solid angle is measured in _______.
the British System of unit? 2. The coldness or hotness of a substance is
a) CGS b) MKS c) FPS d) SI expressed by _______.
2. Electric current is a ______quantity 3. _______ is used to measure electric current.
a) base b) supplementary 4. One mole of a substance contains
c) derived d) professional _______ atoms or molecules.
3. SI unit of temperature is ______ 5. The uncertainty in measurement is called
a) celsius b) fahrenheit as _______.
c) kelvin d) ampere
6. The closeness of the measured value to the
4. Luminous intensity is the intensity of original value is _______.
______ 7. The intersection of two straight lines gives
a) laser light b) UV light us _______.
c) visible light d) IR light
5. Closeness of two or more measured values III. State true or false. If false,
is called as ______ correct the statement.
a) accuracy b) precision 1. Temperature is a measure of total kinetic
c) error d) approximation energy of the particles in a system.
6. Which one of the following statement is 2. If one coulomb of charge is flowing in one
wrong? minute, it is called ‘ampere’.
a) Approximation gives accurate value.
3. Amount of substance gives the number of
b) Approximation simplifies the calculation.
particles present in a substance.
c) Approximation is very useful when little
information is available. 4. Intensity of light coming from a candle is
d) Approximation gives the nearest value approximately equal to one ‘candela’.
only. 5. Quartz clocks are used in GPS devices.
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 6. Angle formed at the top of a cone is an 3. What is the SI unit of luminous intensity?
example for ‘plane angle’. 4. What type of oscillations are used in
7. The number 4.582 can be rounded off as 4.58. atomic clocks?
5. Mention the types of clocks based on their
IV. Match the following. display.
6. How many times will the ‘minute hand’
Temperature Closeness to the actual value
rotate in one hour?
Plane angle Measure of hotness or coldness 7. How many hours are there in a minute?
Closeness to two or more VII. Answer briefly.
Solid angle
measurements
1. What is measurement?
Angle formed by the
2. Name the three scales of temperature.
Accuracy intersection of three or more
planes 3. Define - Ampere.
4. What is electric current?
Angle formed by the
Precision 5. What do you mean by luminous intensity?
intersection of two planes
6. Define - Mole.
V. Consider the statements given 7. What are the differences between plane
below and choose the correct angle and solid angle?
option. VIII. Answer in detail.
1. Assertion: The SI system of units is the 1. List out the base quantities with their
suitable system for measurements. units.
Reason: The SI unit of temperature is kelvin. 2. Write a short note on different types of
2. Assertion: Electric current, amount of clocks.
substance, luminous intensity are the
IX. Higher Order Thinking
fundamental physical quantities.
Question.
Reason: They are independent of each other.
1. Your friend was absent to school yesterday.
3. Assertion: Radian is the unit of solid angle.
You are enquiring about his absence. He
Reason: One radian is the angle subtended
told that he had fever and it was measured
at the centre of a circle by an arc of length
to be 100oC. Is it possible to have 100oC
equal to its radius.
fever? If he is wrong, try to make him
a. Both assertion and reason are true and
understand.
reason is the correct explanation of the
assertion.
REFERENCE BOOK
b. Both assertion and reason are true but
reason is not the correct explanation of
1. Units and Measurements – John Richards,
the assertion.
S. Chand publishing, Ram nagar, New Delhi.
c. Assertion is true, but reason is false.
d. Both assertion and reason are false.
  INTERNET RESOURCES
VI. Answer very briefly.
1. How many base quantities are included in 1. h t t p : / / w w w. n p l . c o . u k / r e f e r e n c e /
SI system? measurement-units/
2. Give the name of the instrument used for 2. [Link]
the measurement of temperature. page/units
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 Concept Map
Measurement

↓
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
Fundamental Measured
System of Units Types of Clock
Quantities values
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
• FPS System • Temperature • Based on display • Accuracy in
- Analog Measurement
• Electric
- Digital
• CGS System current
• Based on • Approximation
• Amount of in Measurement
• MKS System working
substance
mechanism
• Round off in
• Luminous - Quartz clock
• SI Units Measurement
intensity - Atomic clock

ICT CORNER Measurement

This activity enables the students to

learn about the various types of Time
keeping devices

Steps

• Open the Browser and type URL link given below (or) Scan the QR Code.
• Click and select the “History of time keeping devices”
• Options will be given. Select any content (Eg) Digital clock
• It gives clear understanding of the “History of time keeping devices”

Web link: [Link]

temperature-hot-and-cold-to-preschoolers/ [Link]
org/wiki/History_of_timekeeping_devices
(or) scan the QR Code
*Pictures are indicative only

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