Experiment 1

MEASUREMENT

OBJECTIVES
1. To acquire skills in using the meterstick and a Vernier caliper.
2. To determine the mass density of some solid materials.

MATERIALS

Solid objects having different sizes and shapes, Meterstick, Vernier caliper, Triple
beam balance

THEORY

Physics as a science involves measurement. By measurement is meant comparison with

1. When measurements are being made with the meterstick, the scale should be placed
edgewise on the object to be measured so that the graduated edge of the meterstick
comes in contact with the object to be measured.

2. The eye of the observer should always be placed at the same level as, or in line with,
the point on the scale which is to be read. See Figures 1-1 and 1-2 on the next page.

3. Since the ends of the meterstick are likely to become worn, it is best to begin
measurement by sliding the rule over an even number of centimeter. To ease up
calculation, it is advisable to begin all measurements at the 10 – cm mark.

4. Regardless of the measuring instrument used, the reading has to be estimated to the
nearest tenths of the smallest scale division.

As stated in No. 4, reading should be taken correct to the smallest scale division and
estimated to the nearest tenths of the amount by which the reading exceeds the
smallest scale division. The meterstick can’t give an accurate reading. However, a
device invented by Pierre Vernier, a French mathematician, enables us to measure
lengths accurately without estimating the exact value of the reading.

The Vernier caliper (Figure 1-3) consists of a fixed scale, or main scale, usually
graduated in centimeter and in millimeter, and a Vernier or sliding scale. The Vernier
scale is graduated so that n divisions on the Vernier scale exactly equal n – 1 division on

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the main or fixed scale. The number of Vernier graduations differs, but the most
common is between 5 to 20. It is obvious then that each Vernier division is smaller than
the main scale division by 1/n of the main scale division. If the jaws of the Vernier are
separated by 1/10 of a main scale division in a metric caliper, this should be recorded
as 0.1 mm or 0.01 cm. If the jaws are separated so that the 5th division on the Vernier
coincides with any scale division on the main scale, then the reading would be 0.5 mm
or 0.05 cm. See figures below.

Figure 1-1. Eye should be along

E’ F’

E’ F’ Figure 1-3. A Vernier caliper

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Figure 1-4. The Vernier scale compared to a main scale.

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From Figure 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7, the jaws E’F’ are used to measure the inside diameter of an
opening or the distance between two points on a line. Jaws EF are for the outside
diameter, while the sliding rod ef is used to measure the depth of a hole.

E’ F’

E F
f
Figure 1.5. Outside diameter Figure 1.6. Inside diameter
measured by jaws EF measured by jaws E’F’
Figure 1.7. Depth measured
by sliding rod ef
How to read a Vernier caliper setting:

Step 1. Determine the least count of the main scale. This is obtained by dividing the
difference between two adjacent main scale values by the number of divisions
(N) between them.

Step 2. To find the least count of the Vernier scale, divide the least count of the main
scale (as obtained in step 1) by the number of divisions (n) of the Vernier scale.

Step 3. Read the main scale mark just before the zero mark of the Vernier scale, (See
Fig. 7). This is the main scale reading.

Step 4. Locate on the Vernier scale the division that is exactly in line with any main
scale mark. (Refer to Figure 1.8). The Vernier scale reading is calculated by
multiplying the least count of the Vernier scale by the number of the Vernier
division that is aligned with a main scale mark.

Step 5. The measurement taken is recorded as the sum of the main scale reading and
the Vernier scale reading.

Step 3.
1 cm 2 cm 3 cm

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Figure 1.8. A Vernier setting. Step 4.

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PROCEDURE

1. Using the ruler, measure the dimensions of four solid objects assigned to you.
Take note the kind of material the object is made of.
2. Determine the mass of each solid using the triple beam balance.
3. Using one of the formulas below, calculate the volume of each solid.
4. From the mass and volume of each solid, compute the mass density by dividing
the mass by the volume. This is the experimental value of the mass density.
5. For each solid, compare the experimental mass density with the true mass
density by determining the percentage error. Check the true mass density values
in the appendix section of the laboratory manual.
6. Complete the table provided for in the laboratory report section.

CALCULATION OF THE VOLUME

1. Block 𝑉 = 𝑙𝑤ℎ 2. Cube 𝑉 = 𝑒3

𝒘
𝒉𝒉
𝒆𝒆

𝒍𝒍

3. Cylinder 4. Sphere

h D

𝜋 2 𝜋 3
𝑉 = 𝐷 ℎ 𝑉 = 𝐷
4 6

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Name: Date:
Course, Year, & Section: Group No.:

Experiment 1
MEASUREMENT

Table 1: Data
Solid Dimensions in centimeter (cm)
Object Ruler Vernier Caliper
Cube L = ____ ; w = _____ ; h = ______ L = ____ ; w = _____ ; h = ______
Block L = ____ ; w = _____ ; h = ______ L = ____ ; w = _____ ; h = ______
Cylinder D = _____ ; h = _______ D = _____ ; h = ______
Sphere D = _________ D = _________

Table 2: Using the Ruler

Computed Accepted
Solid Mass Volume Percent
Material mass density mass density
Object (grams) (cm3) Error
(g/cc) (g/cc)
Cube

Block

Cylinder

Sphere

Table 3: Using the Vernier Caliper

Computed Accepted
Solid Mass Volume Percent
Material mass density mass density
Object (grams) (cm3) Error
(g/cc) (g/cc)
Cube

Block

Cylinder

Sphere

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CALCULATIONS

QUESTIONS

1. What probably caused the percentage difference between the two methods of
measuring the volume of the objects?

2. Of the two measuring devices used in the experiment, which gives the more
accurate result? Why?

3. Why must the edge of the meterstick, rather than the broader side, be adjacent to
the dimension being measured?

4. In measurement, what are the advantages of a ruler or a meterstick over a Vernier