ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY 1
AIM
To make a paper scale of given least count: (a) 0.2 cm and (b) 0.5 cm

APPARATUS AND MATERIAL REQUIRED

Thick ivory/drawing sheet; white paper sheet; pencil; sharpener;
eraser; metre scale (ruler); fine tipped black ink or gel pen.

P RINCIPLE
Least count of a measuring instrument is the smallest measurement
that can be made accurately with the given measuring instrument.
A metre scale normally has graduations at 1 mm (or 0.1 cm) spacing,
as the smallest division on its scale. You cannot measure lengths
with this scale with accuracy better than 1mm (or 0.1 cm).
You can make paper scale of least count (a) 0.2 cm (b) 0.5 cm, by
dividing one centimetre length into smaller divisions by a simple
method, without using mm marks.

P ROCEDURE
(a) Making Paper Scale of Least Count 0.2 cm
1. Fold a white paper sheet in the middle along its length.
2. Using a sharp pencil, draw a line AB, of length 30 cm in either
half of the white paper sheet [Fig. A1.1(a)].
3. Starting with the left end marked A as zero,
mark very small dots on the line AB after
every 1.0 cm and write 0,1,2 ..., 30 at
successive dots.
4. Draw thin, sharp straight lines, each 5 cm
in length, perpendicular to the line AB at
the position of each dot mark.
5. Draw 5 thin, sharp lines parallel to the line
AB at distances of 1.0 cm, 2.0 cm, 3.0
cm, 4.0 cm and 5.0 cm respectively. Let Fig. A1.1(a): Making a paper scale
the line at 5 cm be DC while those at 1 cm, of least count 0.2 cm
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2 cm, 3 cm, and 4 cm be A1B1, A2B2, A3B3 and A4B4 respectively

[Fig A 1.1(a)].
6. Join point D with the dot at 1 cm on line AB. Intersection of this
line with lines parallel to AB at A4, A3, A2 and A1 are respectively
0.2 cm, 0.4 cm, 0.6 cm and 0.8 cm in length.
7. Use this arrangement to measure length of a pencil or a knitting
needle with least count of 0.2 cm.
(b) Making Paper Scale of Least Count 0.5 cm
1. Using a sharp pencil, draw a line AB of length 30 cm
in the other half of the white paper sheet [Fig. A1.1(b)].
2. Repeat steps 3 to 6 as in the above Activity 1.1(a), but
draw only two lines parallel to AB at distances 1.0 cm
and 2.0 cm instead of 5 cm.
3. Join diagonal 1-D by fine tipped black ink pen [Fig. A
Fig. A1.1(b): 1.1 (b)].
4. Use this scale to measure length of a pencil/knitting needle with
least count of 0.5 cm. Fractional part of length 0.5 cm is measured
on line A1B1.
(c) Measuring the Length of a Pencil Using the Paper Scales A and B
1. Place the pencil PP’ along the length of the paper scale A (least
count 0.2 cm) such that its end P is on a full mark (say 1.0 cm or
2.0 cm etc. mark). The position of the other end P′ is on diagonal
1–D. If P′ goes beyond the diagonal, place it on next upper line, in
which fraction of intersection is 0.2 cm larger, and so on. Thus, in
Fig. A 1.1 (a), length of the pencil = 3 cm + .2 × 2 cm = 3.4 cm. Take
care that you take the reading with one eye closed and the other
eye directly over the required graduation mark. The reading is
likely to be incorrect if the eye is inclined to the graduation mark.
2. Repeat preceding step 1, using the paper scale B having least
count 0.5 cm and record your observation in proper units.

O
BSERVATIONS
Least count of the paper scale A = 0.2 cm
Least count of the paper scale B = 0.5 cm

R
ESULT
(i) Scale of least count 0.2 cm and 0.5 cm have been made; and
(ii) Length of pencil as measured by using the scales made above is
(a) ... cm and (b) ... cm.
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 ACTIVITY 1
UNIT NAME

P RECAUTIONS
(i) Very sharp pencil should be used.
(ii) Scale should be cut along the boundary by using a sharp paper
cutter.
(iii) Observation should be recorded showing accuracy of the scale.
(iv) While measuring lengths, full cm mark should be made to
coincide with one end of the object and other end should be read
on the scale.

S
OURCES OF ERROR

The line showing the graduations may not be as sharp as required.

D ISCUSSION
1. The accuracy of measurement of length with the scale so formed
depends upon the accuracy of the graduation and thickness of
line drawn.
2. Some personal error is likely to be involved e.g. parallax error.

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ACTIVITY 2
AIM
To determine the mass of a given body using a metre scale by the
principle of moments.

APPARATUS AND MATERIAL REQUIRED

A wooden metre scale of uniform thickness (a wooden strip of one
metre length having uniform thickness and width can also be used);
load of unknown mass, wooden or metal wedge with sharp edge, weight
box, thread (nearly 30 cm long), a spirit level, and a raised platform of
about 20 cm height (such as a wooden or metal block).

P RINCIPLE
For a body free to rotate about a fixed axis, in equilibrium, the sum of
the clockwise moments is equal to the sum of the anticlockwise
moments.
If M1 is the known mass, suspended at a distance l1 on one side from
the centre of gravity of a beam and M2 is the unknown mass, suspended
at a distance l2 on the other side from the centre of gravity, and the
beam is in equilibrium, then M2 l2 = M1 l1.

P ROCEDURE
1. Make a raised platform on a table. One can use a wooden or a
metal block to do so. However, the platform should be a sturdy,
place a wedge having a sharp edge on it. Alternately one can fix
the wedge to a laboratory stand at about 20 cm above the table
top. With the help of a spirit level set the level of the wedge
horizontal.
2. Make two loops of thread to be used for suspending the unknown
mass and the weights from the metre scale (beam). Insert the loops
at about 10 cm from the edge of the metre scale from both sides.
3. Place the metre scale with thread loops on the wedge and adjust
it till it is balanced. Mark two points on the scale above the wedge
where the scale is balanced. Join these two points with a straight
128 line which would facilitate to pin point the location of balance
 ACTIVITY 2
UNIT NAME

position even if the scale topples over from the wedge due to some
reason. This line is passing through the centre of gravity of scale.
4. Take the unknown mass in one hand. Select a weight from the
weight box which feels nearly equal to the unknown mass when
it is kept on the other hand.
5. Suspend the unknown mass from
either of the two loops of thread Wedge
attached to the metre scale. A G B
Suspend the known weight from
the other loop (Fig. A 2.1). x y
Unknown
6. Adjust the position of the known Mass, m m Known standard
weight by moving the loop till the W = mg mass
metre scale gets balanced on the
sharp wedge. Make sure that in Fig. A 2.1: Experimental set up for determination
balanced position the line drawn in of mass of a given body
Step 3 is exactly above the wedge
and also that the thread of two loops passing over the scale is
parallel to this line.
7. Measure the distance of the position of the loops from the line
drawn in Step 3. Record your observations.
8. Repeat the activity atleast two times with a slightly lighter and a
heavier weight. Note the distances of unknown mass and weight
from line drawn in Step 3 in each case.

O
BSERVATIONS
Position of centre of gravity = ... cm
Table A 2.1: Determination of mass of unknown object
S. Mass M1 Distance of Distance of Mass of Average
No. suspended the mass solid of unknown mass of
from the from the unknown load M2 (g) unknown
thread wedge l1 mass from load (g)
M 1l1
loop to (cm) the wedge =
balance l2 (cm) l2
the metre
scale (g)

5
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C ALCULATIONS
In balanced position of the metre scale, moment of the force on one
side of the wedge will be equal to the moment of the force on the other
side.
Moment of the force due to known weight = (M1l1) g
Moment of the force due to unknown weight = (M2l2) g

In balanced position

M1l1 = M2l2

M1l1
or M2 =
l2

Average mass of unknown load = ... g

R ESULT
Mass of given body = ... g (within experimental)

P RECAUTIONS
1. Wedge should be sharp and always perpendicular to the length of the
scale.
2. Thread loops should be perpendicular to the length of the scale.
3. Thread used for loops should be thin, light and strong.
4. Air currents should be minimised.

S
OURCES OF ERROR
1. Mass per unit length may not be uniform along the length of the
metre scale due to variation in its thickness and width.
2. The line marked on the scale may not be exactly over the wedge
while balancing the weights in subsequent settings.
3. The thread of the loops may not be parallel to the wedge when the
weights are balanced, which in turn would introduce some error
in measurement of weight-arm.
4. It may be difficult to adjudge balance position of the scale exactly.
A tilt of even of the order of 1° may affect the measurement of
mass of the load.
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