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LUESHEN WELLINGTON 18085147 SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 ROWENA XYMINES, ISHEA WALTERS MR. HANSON 1 MAKING MEASUREMENTS

OBJECTIVES: To learn how to make measurements of length with a meter stick, a vernier calliper, and a micrometer calliper. Also, to understand the relationship between the construction of a measuring instrument and the precision of the measurements made with it. APPARATUS: Meter stick, 15cm or 30cm ruler, vernier caliper, micrometer caliper, rectangular wooden block, small samples of electrical wire, different size marbles or balls (N.B: the wire and marbles must be small enough to fit in the callipers) PROCEDURE SET-UP

Vernier and micrometer calliper measured dimensions of metal balls and electrics wires respectively.

Taking measurements The length of the laboratory table was successively measured three times using a meter stick. and recorded to the nearest 0.5mm. Each measurement started at a different mark on the meter stick and the third measurement was taken from the opposite end of the table. All measurement agreed with 1mm. The length, width and thickness of the rectangular block were each measured successively in three trials with all measurements record to at least 3 significant figures. The measurements were averaged and the volume of the block calculated. The vernier calliper was used to measure three successive trials of the diameter of a large and a small ball, after which the measurements were averaged. The micrometer calliper was used to measure three successive trials of three samples of electrical wire (copper, aluminium, and iron), after which the measurements were averaged.
The vernier calliper, the micrometer calliper and the ruler- were used to measure the dimensions of a rectangular block and the uncertainty was calculated.

The uncertainty measurements were calculated for the above mentioned procedures.

For a small rectangular, measure, record and comparatively investigate its dimensions for ruler, verneir calliper, micrometer calliper. Find out which instrument is more precise.

PRECAUTIONS It was ensured that the micrometer calliper was not too tight or slack when gripping each object.

It was ensured that the micrometer calliper was locked when the measurements were taken so that there would be accuracy in the measurements.

Precautionary measures were taken to avoid parallax errors when using the each ruled apparatus.

ACCURACY OF ERRORS Possible errors that could have risen from this experiment were: Parallax errors which may be due to the experimenter looking at the ruled division of the apparatuses incorrectly. The table could have been accidentally moved at the time the measurement was taken. Rough edges may have been on the table that would significantly distort the results. The electric wires, balls, and rectangular block could have been too tightly or too loosely held by the equipments jaws which would cause a minor variation in measurements. DISCUSSION A measurement tells us about a property of something. It might tell us how heavy an object is, or how hot, or how long it is. A measurement gives a number to that property. Measurements are always made using an instrument of some kind. Rulers, stopwatches, callipers, weighing scales and thermometers are all measuring instruments. The result of a measurement is normally in two parts: a number and a unit of measurement, e.g. How long is it? ... 2 metres. The use of measurements is very important in architecture, and just about any field that uses precision in data. The experiment went as expected with no unusual events that would have introduced error. The meter stick was used to measure and record the length of the laboratory table in three successive trials which is consistent with its purpose to measure the length, wideness, and

thickness of an object. The first, second and third recorded measurements were: 2454mm, 2454mm and 2433mm respectively. Hence the average was 2447mm which is 7mm lesser than the first two lengths and 14mm greater than the third length. The length, width and thickness of the rectangular block were measured using a ruler. All dimensions were measured thrice. The first, second and third recorded measurements for its length were: 15.2cm, 15.2cm, and 15.3cm respectively. The first, second and third recorded measurements for its width were: 7.3cm, 7.4cm, and 7.3cm respectively. The first, second and third recorded measurements for its thickness were: 2.9cm, 3.1cm, and 3.1cm respectively. The average length, width and thickness were: 15.2cm, 7.3cm, and 3.00cm respectively. The volume of the block was calculated using the average measurements and recorded as 332.88cm3. All the average measurements for the dimensions of the block were equal to two of their trial measurements except that of the thickness, where the average was 3.00cm. However the discrepancy, it is not large enough to regard the ruler as being inaccurate. The vernier calliper was used to measure three successive trials of the diameter of a large and a small ball. The recorded measurements for the first balls (large) diameter in the three trials were 1.92cm, 1.92cm, and 1.92cm and consistent with each diameter the average was 1.92cm. For the second ball (small), the diameters were 1.1cm, 1.1cm, and 1.1cm. Also consistent with each reading the average diameter was 1.1cm. 1.1cm. The measurements for both balls remained consistent throughout as the balls were perfectly spherical, such consistency also highlights the degree of accuracy associated with the vernier callipers. The micrometer calliper was used to measure three successive trials of each piece electrical wire. The recorded measurements of the first wire (copper) were: 6.32mm, 6.28mm, and 6.29mm averaging to 6.27mm. The second and third measurement is relatively close to the average but

the first measurement appears to be an outlier, possibly cause by a human induced error or possibly as a result of the inconsistent shape of the copper wire. The recorded measurements of the second wire (aluminium) were: 5.32mm, 5.96mm, and 5.29mm averaging to 5.52mm. The first and third measurements fall within -0.23mm from the mean and the second reading falls within +0.44mm from the mean. The variation in the results could have been due to the swirl marks present on the aluminium wire. The recorded measurements of the third wire (iron) were: 3.95mm, 3.94mm, and 3.92mm averaging to 3.94mm. The measurements form all three trials fell with +2mm from the mean. Based on the above measurements from the meter rule, ruler, vernier calliper and micrometer calliper, comparatively, the vernier calliper displayed a high degree of accuracy having all its measurements consistent. The ruler also displayed a strong degree of accuracy having its results very close to the mean. The micrometer calliper had slight variations that were possibly due to the physical surface of the measured objects. The meter rule recorded two of the same measurements thus validating its accuracy. CONCLUSION Evidently concluded, the tools used to obtain measurements in this experience are highly accurate. However discrepancies in their results were present. Such variation may be due to human induced errors or as a result of the nature of the apparatus under study to be measured.

DIAGRAMS OF APPARATUS Vernier Calliper

Micrometer Caliper

Meter Stick

Ruler

Metal Ball

Electrical Wire

RESULTS Ball Big Ball Small Ball Electric Wire Copper Aluminium Iron Table Length T1 1.92cm 1.1cm T1 6.32mm 5.32mm 3.95mm T1 2454mm T2 1.92cm 1.1cm T2 6.28mm 5.96mm 3.94mm T2 2454mm T3 1.92cm 1.1cm T3 6.29mm 5.29mm 3.92mm T3 2433mm Average 1.92cm 1.1cm Average 6.27mm 5.52mm 3.94mm Average 2447mm

Dimensions of Rectangular Block Length Width Thickness Vol. of Rectangular Block

T1 T2 T3 Average 15.2cm 15.2cm 15.3cm 15.2cm 7.30cm 7.40cm 7.30cm 7.30cm 2.90cm 3.10cm 3.10cm 3.03cm 15.2cm x 7.30cm x 3.03cm = 336cm3

QUESTIONS: 1. Why should measurement be started at a mark other than the end of the meter stick? A mark indicates the starting point of a measurement, and hence using the end of the meter stick will add extra values to any measurement thus distorting the results. 2. What is the smallest marked metric unit on a meter stick and vernier calliper? Both the meter stick and the vernier calliper have millimetre as their smallest metric unit. 3. How many significant figures do the three dimensions of the rectangular block have? How does this affect the significant figures in the volume? It has three significant figures. It affects the volume of the block such that the volume cannot have more than the least amount of significant figure of any of the dimensions used in its calculation.

REFERENCE LIST

http://www.planetspring.com/pages/how-to-measurement-micrometer.php http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/vernier3.htm http://www.tutorvista.com/content/physics/physics-i/measurement-and-experimentation/verniercallipers.php