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Standard Units of Measurement Explained

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22 views2 pages

Standard Units of Measurement Explained

Uploaded by

armaan
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MOTION AND MEASUREMENT OF DISTANCES

 Measurement means the comparison of an unknown quantity with some known quantity.
 This known fixed quantity is called a unit.
 The result of a measurement is expressed in two parts. One part is a number. The other part is
the unit of the measurement.
 Any quantity that can be measured is called physical quantity.
 A cubit as the length from the elbow to the finger tips was used in ancient Egypt and was also
accepted as a unit of length in other parts of the world.
 People measured a “yard” of cloth by the distance between the end of the outstretched arm
and their chin.
 Non-standard measures: The lengths of steps, arms, hands, or fingers of different people are
different, therefore the distance measured with their help is not always reliable. These methods
are, therefore, called non-standard measures.
 Fathom : Distance between the outstretched arms.
 Span : Space from the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended.
 Cubit : Length of the forearm.
 Yard : Distance from nose to the thumb of out-stretched arm.
 Standard measures: Measures that are the same all over the world are known as standard
measures.
 FPS system – (foot, pound, second)
 CGS system – (centimetre, gram, second)
 MKS system – (metre, kilogram, second)
 In 1790, the French created a standard unit of measurement called the metric system.
 For the sake of uniformity, scientists all over the world have accepted a set of standard units of
measurement. The system of units now used is known as the International System of Units (SI
units).
 In October 1960, the 12th general conference on weight and measures adopted the International
system of units. “The System International Units” is the set of units to maintain uniformity all
over the world.
 MKS system uses the same standard units for length, mass and time as the SI system which is
used uniformly all over the world.
 In India, the standard units are maintained by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) at new
Delhi.
 The SI unit of length is a metre.
 1 m = 100 cm
 1 cm = 10 mm
 1 km = 1000 m
 Measuring the length of a curved line: We cannot measure the length of a curved line directly
by using a metre scale. We can use a thread to measure the length of a curved line.
 Motion is defined as the rate of change of position of an object with respect to time and a
stationary observer.
 Rest: An object is said to be at rest if it does not change its position with respect to its
surroundings with time.
 Rectilinear motion : the objects move along a straight line.
 Take a stone, tie a thread to it and whirl it with your hand. Observe the motion of the stone. We
see that the stone moves along a circular path. In this motion, the distance of the stone from
your hand remains the same. This type of motion is called circular motion.
 Rotational motion: Motion in which a whole body moves about an axis is called a rotational
motion. Example: motion of a top.
 In some cases, an object repeats its motion after some time. This type of motion is called
periodic motion.
 periodic motion where an object or a part of it repeats its motion after a fixed interval of time.
Examples: Oscillations of a pendulum, Motion of a swing.
 Oscillatory motion means to and fro motion or back and forth motion.
 Every oscillatory motion is also a periodic motion. But every periodic motion may not be
oscillatory.
 An error that occurs due to the wrong position of the observer’s eye while taking the readings is
called parallax error.
 1 light year is equal to the distance travelled by light in 1 year.
 Fundamental Units are those units which are independent of any other unit (including
themselves).
 Derived Units are all those units which are obtained by multiplying and dividing one or more
fundamental units with or without introducing any other numerical factor.

Fundamental Quantities SI Unit Symbol


Length meter m
Mass Kilogram kg
Time second s
Electric current Ampere A
Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of substance mole mol
Luminous intensity candela cd

Common questions

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A light year is a derived unit representing the distance light travels in one year, illustrating how derived units in measurement systems are constructed by relating fundamental units of distance and time, showcasing how complex measurements are addressed by combining basic concepts .

Standard measures ensure consistency and uniformity in measurements globally, which is crucial for scientific accuracy and international trade. Non-standard measures, like using body parts (e.g., cubit, span), vary significantly among individuals, making them unreliable and inconsistent for broader use .

The SI system integrates elements from historical systems like the metric system (MKS), reflecting a culmination of standardization efforts to harmonize measurements globally. The MKS is aligned with the SI for length, mass, and time, indicating a move towards a universal standard to maintain measurement consistency .

Rectilinear motion involves movement in a straight line, such as a car driving down a road. Circular motion occurs when an object moves in a circle at a constant distance from a point, like a stone tied and whirled in a circle by hand. Rotational motion involves an entire body rotating around an axis, exemplified by the spinning of a top .

Parallax errors occur when the observer's eye is not aligned perpendicularly with the scale being read, causing discrepancies in measurement. To minimize these errors, observers should ensure their line of sight is directly aligned with the measurement marker on the scale, reducing apparent shifts in reading .

Periodic motion repeats after a fixed time interval, such as Earth's orbit around the sun, and oscillatory motion is a specific type of periodic motion that involves back and forth movement, like a pendulum. While all oscillatory motions are periodic, not all periodic motions involve oscillation, demonstrating distinctions between these motion types .

The evolution from body-based measures like the cubit and span to the SI system represents a shift towards precision and standardization necessary for scientific advancement. As measurements became more standardized, scientific research increased in accuracy and replicability, driving coherence in data interpretation and innovation .

The SI Units system provides a universally accepted framework for measurement, ensuring consistency and ease of communication across scientific disciplines globally. Without universal adoption, measurement discrepancies would arise, leading to confusion, inaccuracies, and inefficiencies in international trade and scientific research .

The use of different measurement systems can lead to miscommunication and errors in scientific research and international collaborations. Aligning to a universal system like SI allows for shared understanding, reproducibility of experiments, and seamless data exchange, enhancing collaborative efficacy and scientific progress .

Using a thread to measure a curved line offers flexibility and adaptability, allowing the thread to conform exactly to the line's shape, making it more accurate than a rigid scale which cannot adequately follow the curve. This method provides precise length measurements in situations where the curve is the defining feature .

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