MEASUREMENT
Celestie C. Apita
MT-II, ESNCHS
Objectives:
1. Differentiate random errors from systematic errors;
2. Differentiate accuracy from precision;
3. Solve measurement problems involving conversion of units,
expression of measurements in scientific notation; and
4. Estimate errors from multiple measurements of a physical quantity
using variance.
Types of Errors
1. Random Error - caused by things that are unknown and
uncontrollable on the measurer’s part thus, commonly
goes undetected or accounted for in measurements.
Example: Measurer’s interpretation/ perception of where
the measurement device’s pointer points
2. Systematic Error - caused by faulty measuring devices.
Example: device’s pointer not initially set to zero
Accuracy vs. Precision
A B
C
Accuracy – how close a single
measurement value is to the
target/ expected value.
Precision – how close multiple
measurements are to each other.
Let’s look at this.
SI Fundamental Units
Quantity Unit Symbol
Length meter m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Temperature kelvin K
Electric Current ampere A
Luminous Intensity candela cd
Amount of Substance mole mol
Conversion of Units
• Dimensional Analysis Method
(DAM)
- used to eliminate “undesired”
with “desired” units of measure or
dimensions.
Exercises on Conversion of Units
Convert the following as indicated
1. 45.3 kg = ______ g
2. 330 mL = _____ L
3. 5’2” = ______ cm
4. 48.0 h = ______ s
5. 40.0 kph = _____ m/s
6. 10.0 m3= _____ cm3
Scientific Notation
- A way of expressing very small or
very large numbers
- Decimal point is moved resulting
one non-zero digit to its left
Example:
- Parts: coefficient, base, and
exponent
Exercises
Express the following in scientific notation.
1. c = 299792458.0 m/s
2. mn = 0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 0016749272111842 kg
3. NA = 602 214 179 130 200 000 000 000 molecules/mol
4. 8 990 000 000.0 Nm2/C2
Rules for Significant Figures
1. Non-zero digits are always
significant
2. Any zeros between two
significant digits are significant
3. A final zero or trailing zeros in
the decimal portion ONLY are
significant.
Rules for Significant Figures
1. Multiplication or division: The result should
have the same number of SFs as the factor
with the fewest SFs.
2. Addition or Subtraction: The result should
have the same decimal digits as the number
with the least decimal digits.
Exercises
Determine the number of SFs.
(a) 8.4 h (g) 0.00343 L
(b) 173.6 m (h) 93.040 mg
(c) 407.00 g (i) 30.030300 g
(d) 4.68 m (j) 40.00 km
(e) 8.1165 kg (k) 3.600 ml
(f) 0.054 km (l) 70.002 cm3
Exercises
Round off each of the following correctly up
to 3 SFs.
(a) 57.3628 g
(b) 6.31874 kg
(c) 44.422 km
(d) 60.001 cm
(e) 0.0023596 m
VARIANCE
Celestie C. Apita
MT-II, ESNCHS
Variance
- The variance is a measure of variability.
- It is calculated by taking the average of squared
deviations from the mean.
- It tells you the degree of spread in your data set.
- The more spread the data, the larger the variance is
in relation to the mean.
Variance
In symbols, this may be expressed as:
for population group or,
for sample group
STEPS
1. Get the mean .
2. Subtract individual measurement values from the
mean .
3. Square the differences.
4. To finally get the variance , get the average of the
squares of differences
5. Substitute values into the equation.
Sample Problem
A student wants to find out the variance in the measurements values she got
on the height of a plant she was studying. Out of this attempts she randomly
chose five measurement values. Help the student determine its variance.
Attempt Height of Plant (mm)
1 600.0
2 607.5
3 610.0
4 601.5
5 598.5
n = _________
Height of Plant (mm)
600.0
607.5
610.0
601.5
598.5
Total
Try this!
12 STEM ___ Students’ Height
Variance
Data Foot size (in cm)
1
2
3
4
5
Try this!
Height of 10 Hybrid Plants
Trial Data Trial Data
1 900.0 m 6 978.0 m
2 863.0 m 7 973.0 m
3 983.0 m 8 990.0 m
4 977.0 m 9 970.0 m
5 988.0 m 10 987.0 m
Vectors & their
Components
(General Physics 1)
Celestie C. Apita
You should know:
•GUESS format in solving problems
G – Given values
U – Unknown values
E – Equation
S – Substitution
S – Solution
•Always indicate the units of measure and express
the final answer with the proper number of
significant figures.
Useful Trigonometry Functions:
•soh, cah, & toa
h𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝜃
Useful Trigonometric
Functions h𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒
•soh, cah, & toa
𝜃
𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒
18° °
+𝑥
Useful Trigonometric
Functions
•soh, cah, & +𝑦
toa
(y-component of
)
𝜃
+𝑥
(x-component of )
+𝑦
(y-
𝜃 component
+of𝑥)
(x-component of )
Pythagorean Theorem
- Helps determine the
magnitude of .
+𝑦
or
(y-
𝜃 component)
+𝑥
Note: is the (x-component)
magnitude of the
vector .
VECTORS
(GENERAL PHYSICS 1)
Celestie C. Apita
MT-II, ESNCHS
Things we will try to achieve in
this lesson:
•Differentiate
vector and scalar quantities
(STEM_GP12V-Ia-1)
•Basicdefinition
•Representations in science
Vectors vs. Scalar Quantities
Scalar Vector
Provides information on Provides information on
the magnitude ONLY. the BOTH magnitude and
direction.
EXAMPLES EXAMPLES
Distance (d), in meters Displacement (d), in
Mass (m), in kilograms meters
Speed (s), in Weight (w), in Newtons
meters/second Velocity (v), in
Time (t), in seconds meters/second
Distance (scalar) vs
Displacement (vector)
Scenario:
1. From Pt A to B A B
10.0 m
2. From Pt A thru
all points then
back to Pt A 10.0 m 10.0 m
Find this out! 10.0 m
D C
•From Pt A to Pt C
N
Representation of Vectors W E
1. Capital
letters with an
arrow (to the right) above it
⃗
𝑨=𝟕𝟎 . 𝟎 𝒎 , 𝑬𝒂𝒔𝒕 S
2. An arrow drawn with a scale
direction
The arrow’s length (i.e. tip
to tip) denotes the vector’s
magnitude, following a
scale.
magnitude
The arrowhead points to
the direction of the vector.
Scale: 1 unit =
10.0 m
Try these! Give the magnitude and
direction of the vectors shown.
45 °
• Scale: 1 unit = 10.0 • Scale:
1 unit = 50.0
m Newtons
Representation of Vectors
+
3. Vector notation
-
Uses unit vectors (i.e. , , and ).
The magnitude of unit vectors -
are equal to 1. They only +
origin
indicate directions along the
axes on the Cartesian plane.
+
+ along the +x-axis
+ along the +y-axis -
+ along the +z-axis
Conversely, the negative unit 3D Cartesian plane
vectors indicate the opposite
directions.
Example! Give the magnitude and
direction of the vector shown using
vector notation.
+
y +
x
• Scale: 1 unit = 100.0
m/s2
Try this! Give the magnitude and
direction of the vector shown using
vector notation.
+
y
+
x
• Scale:
1 unit = 15.0
Newtons
Try this! Give the magnitude and
direction of the vector shown using
vector notation.
+
y
90 °
+
+ x
z
• Scale:
1 unit = 50.0
Newtons
Quiz!
A. Give the magnitude and direction of the
vectors shown using vector notation.
1. 2.
•Scale:
•Scale:
1 unit = 1 unit = 30.0
25.0 m m/s2
B. Draw the diagram for the vectors below.
Indicate the scale you used.
3. =-(20.0 5. =-(60.0
km) N)
4. =(20.0
m/s2)
Components of a Vector
- Every vector can be rewritten
into its components.
- Components of a vector always
lie exactly along an axis – the x, ⃗
𝑨
y, or z axes. 𝑨𝒚
- To determine the components of
a vector, we need to know the 𝑨𝒙
angle (θ) measured counter-
clockwise from the +x-axis to
yield positive (+) angles.
Components of a Vector
-To determine the components of 2D vectors:
- Note: For convenience, substitute a value for
θ an angle measured counter-clockwise
(CCW) from the positive x-axis.
Components of a Vector
- Example:
= 100 m/s, E
= 100 m/s, ⃗
𝑪
⃗
𝑨 N
= 100 m/s,
W ⃗ = 100 m/s, S ⃗
𝑩 𝑫
Components of a Vector
- Example:
= 100 m/s, = 100 m/s, 30 °
45° NE SW
𝑭𝒙
⃗
𝑬 𝑭𝒚
𝑬𝒚 ⃗
𝑭
𝑬𝒙
Vector Addition
1. Graphical method – efficiently done by
drawing diagrams (arrow representations) on
the Cartesian plane.
a. Tail-to-tail/ Parallelogram Method
b. Head-to-tail Method
2. Computational method – a result of the
Principle of Superposition…. Very useful
when dealing with non-parallel vectors.
- Component Method
Vector Addition (Graphical
method )
=
a. Head-to-tail b. Tail-to-tail
Method (Parallelogram )Method
⃗
𝑩
⃗
𝑹
⃗ ⃗
𝑨
𝑨 ⃗
𝑹
⃗
𝑩
You should know:
• Vectors are PARALLEL,
if they have the same
direction.
• Vectors are ANTI-
PARALLEL if they have
opposite directions.
• Vectors are EQUAL, if
they have the same
magnitude and direction.
Vector Addition (Parallel
vectors) Negative direction/ to
Parallel vectors are added the
• the left
same way as scalars BUT with one
vector’s direction considered to be
positive (to the right/ upward) while
the opposite is negative (to the left/ Positive direction/ to the
right
downward).
Vector Addition (non Parallel
vectors)
•The components of the vectors along
the same axes (which are parallel) are
added the same way as scalars…. θ
Scale: 1 unit =
Sample Problem 1: 10.0 m
⃗
𝑨
Solve for the of and . ⃗
𝑩
Given: Solution (Equation, Substitution,
Solution):
Unknown:
Scale: 1 unit =
Sample Problem 2: 10.0 m
⃗
𝑨
Solve for the of and . ⃗
𝑭
Given: Solution (Equation, Substitution,
Solution):
Unknown:
Scale: 1 unit =
Sample Problem 3: 10.0 m
⃗
𝑨
Solve for the of and .
⃗
𝑮
Given: Solution (Equation, Substitution,
Solution):
Unknown:
Exercises! Try these on your own.
Determine the of the following vectors.
1. 2.
forward
d
What if the vectors are non parallel?
Determine the of the following vectors.
1. 2. 3.
N
Vector Addition
(Determining the resultant vector, )
1. Draw the vectors to be added in the Cartesian
plane. Indicate the angles if applicable.
2. Determine the components of the vectors being
added.
: from +x going CCW
3. Add the x components of all the vectors being
added. Do the same for the y components. These
are the components of the resultant vector, and .
Vector Addition
4. Use the Pythagorean Theorem to determine the
magnitude of the resultant vector.
5. Use to help determine the direction of the resultant
vector.
a.
b. Determine the location/ quadrant where the
resultant
vector should be based on the signs of its
components.
Homework: Solve the word problem by following
the GUESS format. (1 whole sheet of paper.)
Exercise 1.34. p.30, University Physics with Modern Physics 13 th ed.
A postal employee
drives a delivery truck
over the route shown
in Fig. E1.27. Use the
method of
components to
determine the
magnitude and
direction of her
resultant
displacement.