Measuring Length, Area, Volume, Time, Mass and Temperature

Question 1

What can be used to measure length?

Answer 1

A ruler, metre stick, data logger or measuring tape can be used to measure length.

Question 2

What can be used to measure distance?

Answer 2

A digital callipers, an opisometer and a trundle wheel can be used to measure distance.

Question 3

Deffinition of area

Answer 3

The area of an object is the amount of surface enclosed within its lines.

Question 4

how do you calculate the area of an object?

Answer 4

length x witdth

Question 5

definition of volume

Answer 5

Volume: The volume of an object is the amount of space that an object takes up.

Question 6

how do you calculate the volume of an object?

Answer 6

length x width x height

Question 7

What is the zero error?

Answer 7

The zero error arises when the measuring instrument doesn’t start exactly at zero.

Question 8

What is the parallax error?

Answer 8

the parallax error arises when a scale is read from the wrong angle.

Question 9

What can digital callipers be used to measure? Explain what the jaws of the measuring device are used for.

Answer 9

A digital callipers can be used to measure small distances and is especially used for measuring the diameter of circular objects.
The lower jaws can be used to determine the external diameter of an object.
The upper jaws can be used to determine the internal diameter of an object.

Question 10

What is an opisometer?

Answer 10

An opisometer is a wheel on a screw that can be used to measure the length of a curved line e.g. the length of a road on a map.

Question 11

What does a trundle wheel do?

Answer 11

A trundle wheel is used to measure long distances e.g length of a running track.

Question 12

What measuring jug is used in a laboratory to get very accurate readings of volumes?

Answer 12

A graduated cylinder is used to get accurate measurements.

Question 13

What precautions must you take when you are reading the measurements from a graduated cylinder?

Answer 13

The graduated cylinder is designed to be read accurately if the bottom of the meniscus is read. The meniscus should be read at eye level to avoid parallax error as mentioned previously.

Question 14

How can you find the volume of an irregular object?

Answer 14

The volume of a larger irregular shaped object can be found by finding volume of liquid that flows from the overflow can into a graduated cylinder.

Question 15

How can you find the volume of an object that floats on water?

Answer 15

A graduated cylinder is half-filled with water.
The volume is read (bottom of meniscus at eye level).
A cork is placed in the cylinder.
The cork is forced under the surface of water with a needle.
The increase in volume of the liquid is the volume of the cork.

Question 16

What is used to measure time and what is used to represent time?

Answer 16

A timer is used to measure time. The unit of time is the second.

Question 17

What is used to measure temperature and what is used to represent it?

Answer 17

Thermometers are used to measure the temperature of substances.
The unit of temperature is the degree celsius.

Question 18

What are the units and abbreviations of the following physical quantities: Mass, length, time, electric current.

Answer 18

Physical Quantity > Name of Unit > Abbreviation
Mass > Kilogram > kg
Length > Metre > m
Time > Second > s
Electric current > Ampere > A

Question 19

What are the meanings, symbols and examples of the following Prefixes: Kilo, Centi, Milli

Answer 19

Preflix > Meaning > Symbol > Example
Kilo- > One thousand > k > Kilometre (km)
Centi- > One hundreth of > c > Centimetre (cm)
Milli > One thousandth of > m > Millimetre (mm)