Measurements chapter notes
1. The quantities that can be measured are called physical quantities.
2. In order to measure any physical quantity, the quantity is compared with a known
standard quantity. This well defined standard quantity is called a unit.
3. Characteristics of a Unit : A unit used to measure a physical quantity should have the
following characteristics.
a. It should be well-defined.
b. It should be reproducible.
c. It should be unchangeable.
d. It should be of measurable size.
4. A quantity which is independent of other quantities is called a fundamental quantity.
5. Mass, length, time, electric current, temperature, luminous intensity and the amount of
substance are the fundamental quantities.
6. A quantity which is dependent on other physical quantities and can be derived from the
fundamental quantities is called a derived quantity
7. Area, volume, density, force and velocity are some examples of derived quantities.
8. The unit of a fundamental quantity like mass or length is called a fundamental unit.
These are kilogram, metre, second, ampere, kelvin, candela, mole.
9. The unit of a derived quantity like volume or velocity is called a derived unit.
a. Example: m s–1, g cm–3, m s–2, etc.
10.The following systems of units are in common use:
a. F.P.S. system: In this system, the units of mass, length and time are pound, foot
and second, respectively.
b. C.G.S. system: In this system, the units of mass, length and time are gram,
centimetre and second, respectively.
c. M.K.S. system: In this system, the units of mass, length and time are kilogram,
metre and second, respectively.
d. S.I.—(Systeme International d’ unites): This system is an extended version of the
M.K.S system. This system has seven fundamental and two supplementary
quantities. In this system the units of metre, kilogram and second have been
redefined for more accuracy.
11.DEFINITIONS OF UNITS
a. Metre: Initially metre was defined as one ten millionth part of the distance on the
earth from the pole to the equator. As per the modern definition one metre is the
length of a certain platinum-iridium rod maintained at 0ºC and kept in the
International Bureau of Weights and Measures at Sevres near Paris.
i. (OR) One metre is 1,650,763.73 times the wavelength of orange light
emitted by a krypton atom at normal pressure.
ii.
b. Kilogram: One kilogram is the mass of a certain lump made from an alloy of
platinum-iridium maintained at 0ºC in the International Bureau of weights and
measures.
c. Second: One second is defined as (1/86,400)th part of the mean solar day. As
per the modern definition, one second is the time taken by a cesium atom
(Cs133) to complete 9,192,631,770 vibrations.
12.Least count of an instrument is the smallest measurement that the instrument can make
accurately. The least count of a metre scale is 0.1 cm.
13.
14.Thus, observed measurement = M.S.R. + n × L.C.
[ n = Vernier Scale Division coinciding with Main Scale Division | MSR = Main Scale
Reading]
15.
16.Relative density =