Physics Measurement Standards and Analysis
Physics Measurement Standards and Analysis
*Q1.3 The answer is yes for (a), (c), and (f ). You cannot add or
subtract a number of apples and a number of jokes. The
answer is no for (b), (d), and (e). Consider the gauge of a
sausage, 4 kg2 m, or the volume of a cube, (2 m)3. Thus
we have (a) yes (b) no (c) yes (d) no (e) no (f ) yes
Q1.4 No: A dimensionally correct equation need not be true. Example: 1 chimpanzee = 2 chimpanzee
is dimensionally correct.
Yes: If an equation is not dimensionally correct, it cannot be correct.
*Q1.5 The meterstick measurement, (a), and (b) can all be 4.31 cm. The meterstick measurement and
(c) can both be 4.24 cm. Only (d) does not overlap. Thus (a) (b) and (c) all agree with the
meterstick measurement.
*Q1.6 41 € ≈ 41 € (1 L1.3 €)(1 qt1 L)(1 gal4 qt) ≈ (101.3) gal ≈ 8 gallons, answer (c)
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
m
P1.2 With V = ( base area ) ( height ) V = (π r 2 ) h and ρ = , we have
V
m 1 kg ⎛ 10 9 mm 3 ⎞
ρ= =
π r 2 h π (19.5 mm ) ( 39.0 mm ) ⎜⎝ 1 m 3 ⎟⎠
2
ρ = 2.15 × 10 4 kg m 3 .
m
P1.3 Let V represent the volume of the model, the same in ρ = for both. Then ρiron = 9.35 kg V
V
mgold ρgold mgold ⎛ 19.3 × 10 3 kg/m 3 ⎞
and ρgold = . Next, = and mgold = 9.35 kg ⎜ = 23.0 kg .
V ρiron 9.35 kg ⎝ 7.86 × 10 3 kg/m 3 ⎟⎠
2.3 × 1017 kg/m 3 /(11.3 × 10 3 kg/m 3 ) = it is 20 × 1012 times the density of lead .
4 3 4
P1.5 For either sphere the volume is V = π r and the mass is m = ρV = ρ π r 3. We divide
3 3
this equation for the larger sphere by the same equation for the smaller:
mᐉ ρ 4π rᐉ3 3 rᐉ3
= = = 5.
ms ρ 4π rs3 3 rs3
P1.6 From the figure, we may see that the spacing between diagonal planes is half the distance
between diagonally adjacent atoms on a flat plane. This diagonal distance may be obtained from
the Pythagorean theorem, Ldiag = L2 + L2 . Thus, since the atoms are separated by a distance
1 2
L = 0.200 nm, the diagonal planes are separated by L + L2 = 0.141 nm .
2
P1.7 (a) This is incorrect since the units of [ ax ] are m 2 s 2 , while the units of [ v ] are m s .
⎡ kg m ⎤ = G [ kg ] .
2
⎢⎣ s 2 ⎥⎦ [ m ]2
Multiply both sides by [ m ]2 and divide by [ kg ] ; the units of G are
2 m3 .
kg ⋅ s 2
⎝ 32 ⎠ 86 400 s day
This means the proteins are assembled at a rate of many layers of atoms each second!
P1.11 Conceptualize: We must calculate the area and convert units. Since a meter is about 3 feet, we
( )( )
should expect the area to be about A ≈ 30 m 50 m = 1500 m 2 .
Categorize: We model the lot as a perfect rectangle to use Area = Length × Width. Use the
conversion:1 m = 3.281 ft.
*P1.13 The area of the four walls is (3.6 + 3.8 + 3.6 + 3.8)m (2.5 m) = 37 m2. Each sheet in the book
has area (0.21 m) (0.28 m) = 0.059 m2. The number of sheets required for wallpaper is
37 m20.059 m2 = 629 sheets = 629 sheets(2 pages1 sheet) = 1260 pages.
The pages from volume one are inadequate, but the full version has enough pages.
P1.15 From Table 14.1, the density of lead is 1.13 × 10 4 kg m 3 , so we should expect our calculated
value to be close to this number. This density value tells us that lead is about 11 times denser than
water, which agrees with our experience that lead sinks.
m
Density is defined as mass per volume, in ρ = . We must convert to SI units in the calculation.
V
3
23.94 g ⎛ 1 kg ⎞ ⎛ 100 cm ⎞ 23.94 g ⎛ 1 kg ⎞ ⎛ 1 000 000 cm 3 ⎞
ρ= 3⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ = 3⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ = 1.14 × 10 4 kg m 3
2.10 cm ⎝ 1000 g ⎠⎝ 1 m ⎠ 2.10 cm ⎝ 1000 g ⎠⎝ 1m 3
⎠
At one step in the calculation, we note that one million cubic centimeters make one cubic meter.
Our result is indeed close to the expected value. Since the last reported significant digit is not
certain, the difference in the two values is probably due to measurement uncertainty and should
not be a concern. One important common-sense check on density values is that objects which sink
in water must have a density greater than 1 g cm 3, and objects that float must be less dense than
water.
(b) The circumference of the Earth at the equator is 2π ( 6.378 × 10 3 m ) = 4.01 × 10 7 m. The
length of one dollar bill is 0.155 m so that the length of 8 trillion bills is 1.24 × 1012 m.
Thus, the 8 trillion dollars would encircle the Earth
1.24 × 1012 m
= 3.09 × 10 4 times .
4.01 × 10 7 m
P1.19 Fg = ( 2.50 tons block ) ( 2.00 × 10 6 blocks ) ( 2 000 lb ton ) = 1.00 × 1010 lbs
⎛d ⎞
dnucleus, scale = dnucleus, real ⎜ atom, scale ⎟ = ( 2.40 × 10 −15 m ) ⎛ ⎞ = 6.79 × 10 −3 ft , or
300 ft
P1.20 (a)
⎝ datom, real ⎠ ⎝ 1.06 × 10 −10 m ⎠
3 3 3
(b) Vatom 4π ratom
3
/ 3 ⎛ ratom ⎞ ⎛ datom ⎞ ⎛ 1.06 × 10 −10 m ⎞
= =⎜ = = ⎜⎝ 2.40 × 10 −15 m ⎟⎠
Vnucleus 4π rnucleus / 3 ⎝ rnucleus ⎟⎠
3 ⎜⎝ d ⎟
nucleus ⎠
⎛ 4⎞
ρFe ⎜ ⎟ π rFe 3 = ρAl ⎛ ⎞ π rAl 3
4
⎝ 3⎠ ⎝ 3⎠
1/ 3
⎛ρ ⎞ 1/ 3
= ( 2.00 cm ) ⎛
7.86 ⎞
rAl = rFe ⎜ Fe ⎟ = 2.86 cm .
⎝ ρAl ⎠ ⎝ 2.70 ⎠
4π ρAl rAl 3
mAl = ρAlVAl =
3
and
4π ρFe rFe 3
mFe = ρFeVFe = .
3
Setting these masses equal,
4π ρAl rAl 3 4π ρFe rFe 3 and r = r 3 ρFe .
=
3 3
Al Fe
ρAl
The resulting expression shows that the radius of the aluminum sphere is directly proportional to
the radius of the balancing iron sphere. The sphere of lower density has larger radius. The
ρ
fraction Fe is the factor of change between the densities, a number greater than 1. Its cube root
ρAl
is a number much closer to 1. The relatively small change in radius implies a change in volume
sufficient to compensate for the change in density.
P1.25 Model the room as a rectangular solid with dimensions 4 m by 4 m by 3 m, and each ping-pong ball as a
sphere of diameter 0.038 m. The volume of the room is 4 × 4 × 3 = 48 m 3, while the volume of one ball is
4π ⎛ 0.038 m ⎞
3
= 2.87 × 10 −5 m 3.
3 ⎝ 2 ⎠
48
Therefore, one can fit about ~ 10 6 ping-pong balls in the room.
2.87 × 10 −5
As an aside, the actual number is smaller than this because there will be a lot of space in the
room that cannot be covered by balls. In fact, even in the best arrangement, the so-called “best
packing fraction” is 1 π 2 = 0.74 so that at least 26% of the space will be empty. Therefore, the
6
above estimate reduces to 1.67 × 10 6 × 0.740 ~ 10 6 .
P1.26 A reasonable guess for the diameter of a tire might be 2.5 ft, with a circumference of about 8 ft.
( )( )( )
Thus, the tire would make 50 000 mi 5 280 ft mi 1 rev 8 ft = 3 × 10 7 rev ~ 10 7 rev .
P1.27 Assume the tub measures 1.3 m by 0.5 m by 0.3 m. One-half of its volume is then
V = ( 0.5) (1.3 m ) ( 0.5 m ) ( 0.3 m ) = 0.10 m 3.
The mass of this volume of water is
mwater = ρwaterV = (1 000 kg m 3 ) ( 0.10 m 3 ) = 100 kg ~ 10 2 kg .
Pennies are now mostly zinc, but consider copper pennies filling 50% of the volume of the tub.
The mass of copper required is
mcopper = ρcopperV = (8 920 kg m 3 ) ( 0.10 m 3 ) = 892 kg ~ 10 3 kg .
METHOD TWO
We add the fractional uncertainties in the data.
A = ( 21.3 cm ) ( 9.8 cm ) ± ⎛
0.2 0.1 ⎞
+ = 209 cm 2 ± 2% = 209 cm 2 ± 4 cm 2
⎝ 21.3 9.8 ⎠
1.85
ρ= = 1.61 × 10 3 kg m 3
( ) π ( 6.5 × 10 m)
−2 3
4
3
and
ρ ± δ ρ = (1.61 ± 0.17 ) × 10 3 kg m 3 = (1.6 ± 0.2 ) × 10 3 kg m 3.
*P1.35 Let s represent the number of sparrows and m the number of more interesting birds.
We have sm = 2.25 and s + m = 91. We eliminate m by substitution: m = s2.25
s + s2.25 = 91 1.444s = 91 s = 911.444 = 63 .
*P1.36 For those who are not familiar with solving equations numerically, we provide a detailed solution.
It goes beyond proving that the suggested answer works.
x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4
We see that the equation y = 0 has two roots, one around x = −2.2 y
and the other near x = +2.7. To home in on the first of these solutions
we compute in sequence: When x = −2.2, y = −2.20. The root must be
between x = −2.2 and x = −3. When x = −2.3, y = 11.0 . The root is
between x = −2.2 and x = −2.3. When x = −2.23, y = 1.58 . The root x
is between x = −2.20 and x = −2.23. When x = −2.22, y = 0.301. The
root is between x = −2.20 and −2.22. When x = −2.215, y = −0.331.
The root is between x = −2.215 and −2.22. We could next try FIG. P1.36
x = −2.218, but we already know to three-digit precision that the root
is x = −2.22.
*P1.38 We draw the radius to the initial point and the radius to the final point. i
The angle θ between these two radii has its sides perpendicular, right side
to right side and left side to left side, to the 35° angle between the original 35.0°
and final tangential directions of travel. A most useful theorem from R f
geometry then identifies these angles as equal: θ = 35°. The whole N
circumference of a 360° circle of the same radius is 2π R. By proportion, θ
W E
then 2π R = 840 m . S
360° 35°
FIG. P1.38
360° 840 m 840 m
R= = = 1.38 × 10 3 m
2π 35° 0.611
We could equally well say that the measure of the angle in radians is
2π radians ⎞
θ = 35° = 35° ⎛
840 m
= 0.611 rad = .
⎝ 360 ° ⎠ R
Solving yields R = 1.38 km.
*P1.40 We use substitution, as the most generally applicable method for solving simultaneous equations.
We substitute p = 3q into each of the other two equations to eliminate p:
⎧3qr = qs
⎪
⎨1 1 2 1 2.
⎪⎩ 2 3qr + 2 qs = 2 qt
2
⎧3r = s 3r 2 + ( 3r ) = t 2
2
These simplify to ⎨ 2 2 2 . We substitute to eliminate s: . We solve for the
⎩3r + s = t 12r 2 = t 2
combination t :
r
t2
= 12 .
r2
t
= either 3.46 or − 3.46
r
Additional Problems
and therefore
x = 1.00 × 10 5 m 2 = 316 m .
Since 1 Mft 3 = 10 6 ft 3 ,
*P1.44
α ′(deg) α (rad) tan (α ) sin (α ) difference between α and tan α
15.0 0.262 0.268 0.259 2.30%
20.0 0.349 0.364 0.342 4.09%
30.0 0.524 0.577 0.500 9.32%
33.0 0.576 0.649 0.545 11.3%
31.0 0.541 0.601 0.515 9.95%
31.1 0.543 0.603 0.516 10.02%
We see that in radians, tan() and sin() start out together from zero and diverge only slightly
in value for small angles. Thus 31.0 º is the largest angle for which tan α − α < 0.1.
tan α
P1.45 2π r = 15.0 m
r = 2.39 m
h
= tan 55.0 °
r
h
h = ( 2.39 m ) tan (55.0° ) = 3.41 m
P1.46 Let d represent the diameter of the coin and h its thickness. 55°
The mass of the gold is r
⎛ 2π d 2
⎞
m = ρV = ρ At = ρ ⎜ + π dh⎟ t
⎝ 4 ⎠
FIG. P1.45
where t is the thickness of the plating.
⎡ ( 2.41)2 ⎤
m = 19.3 ⎢ 2π + π ( 2.41) ( 0.178 ) ⎥ ( 0.18 × 10 −4 )
⎣ 4 ⎦
= 0.003 64 grams
cost = 0.003 64 grams × $10 grram = $0.036 4 = 3.64 cents
m m 4m
P1.50 The density of each material is ρ = = = .
V π r 2h π D2h
4 ( 51.5 g )
The tabulated value ⎛ 2.70
g g ⎞
Al: ρ = = 2.75 3 is 2% smaller.
π ( 2.52 cm ) ( 3.75 cm )
2
cm ⎝ cm 3 ⎠
4 ( 56.3 g )
The tabulated value ⎛ 8.92 3 ⎞ is 5% smaller.
g g
Cu: ρ = = 9.36 3
π (1.23 cm )2 ( 5.06 cm ) cm ⎝ cm ⎠
4 ( 94.4 g ) g
Brass: ρ = = 8.91 3
π (1.54 cm ) ( 5.69 cm )
2
cm
4 ( 69.1 g ) g
Sn: ρ = = 7.68 3
π (1.75 cm ) ( 3.74 cm )
2
cm
4 ( 216.1 g )
The tabulated value ⎛ 7.86 3 ⎞ is 0.3% smaller.
g g
Fe: ρ = = 7.88 3
π (1.89 cm )2 ( 9.77 cm ) cm ⎝ cm ⎠
(108 cars)(10 4 mi yr )
P1.51 V20 mpg = = 5.0 × 1010 gal yr
20 mi gal
(108 cars)(10 4 mi yr )
V25 mpg = = 4.0 × 1010 gal yr
25 mi gal
π r 2t = π (10 21 m ) (1019 m ) ~ 10 61 m 3.
2
If the distance between stars is 4 × 1016 m, then there is one star in a volume on the order of
( 4 × 10 m ) ~ 10 50 m 3 .
16 3
P1.4 2.3 × 1017 kgm3 is twenty trillion times larger than the density of lead.
P1.6 0.141 nm
P1.10 9.19 nm s
P1.14 (a) 0.071 4 gal s (b) 2.70 × 10−4 m3s (c) 1.03 h
P1.18 2.57 × 10 6 m 3
13
⎛ρ ⎞
P1.24 rAl = rFe ⎜ Fe ⎟
⎝ ρAl ⎠
P1.26 ~10 7 rev
P1.28 No. There is a strong possibility that you would die before finishing the task, and you have much
more productive things to do.
P1.30 ( 209 ± 4 ) cm 2
P1.38 1.38 km
P1.42 316 m