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Title of Experiment: Measurement and significant figures

Objective of Experiment:
i. To identify metric units used in measurement such as gram, meter, centimetre,
millimetre and millilitre.
ii. Correctly read a meterstick, a balance and a graduated cylinder
iii. To state correctly the number of significant figures in a measurement
iv. To calculate the density of a substance from measurements of its mass and volume
v. To calculate the specific gravity of a liquid from its density
vi. To determine the specific gravity of a liquid using a hydrometer
Experimental result:
A Measuring Length
A.1
Units are represented by the numbers marked on the meterstick is centimetre (cm). Therefore,
the small lines marked on the meterstick represent 1 centimetre (1cm). In dimensional
analysis, there are 100 centimeters (cm) in 1 meter (m), 1000 milimeters (mm) in 1 meter (m)
and 10 milimeters (mm) in 1 centimeter (cm).
A2 & A3
Item Length Estimated Digit Number of significant figure
Width of little
fingernail
1.1 Tenth 2
Distance around my
wrist
16.2 tenth 3
Length of my shoe 30.6 tenth 3
My height 172 Hundredth 3

The width of my little fingernail is taken by using a string and then, it is measured on
a meterstick
The distance around my wrist is taken by intertwining a string which is then is
measure on a meterstick
For the length of my shoe, it is take by measuring from the heel of my shoe to the tip
of the shoe on a meterstick
My height is taken by measuring from the tip of my head to the sole of my foot from
using metersticks
A4
The length of line on the report sheet is taken using the same meterstick and my measurement
is 14.0cm. The other students value is 14.1cm, 14.2cm, 13.9cm and 14.1cm.
B Measuring Volume
B.1 Volume of a liquid

Cylinder 1 2 3
Volume (mL) 198 114 63

The volume of the liquid is taken from a graduated cylinder with units of millilitre
(mL)
B.2 Volume of test tube
Size of test tube Small test tube
10mL
Medium test tube
25mL
Large test tube
50mL
Volume represented
by smallest line
0.2 0.5 0.5
Volume (mL) of
water in test tube
7.8 7.6 7.5
Estimated digit Tenth Tenth Tenth

The best choice for measuring the volume of water in a test tube is the small test tube
as it has the highest accuracy of 0.2mL which is smaller than the other test tubes.
Besides that, it has the largest volume of water in the test tube which is 7.8mL.
B.3 Volume of solid by volume displacement
Volume of water : 300mL
Volume of water and submerged solid : 302mL
Volume of solid : 2mL
C Measuring mass
Item Mass Number of significant figures
Beaker 34.3 3
Stopper 5.05 3
Evaporating dish 43.1 3
Unknown (Scissor) 14.1 3

B Density of a Liquid
B.1 Volume of liquid Liquid 1
Type of Liquid Water
Volume (mL) 20.0
B.2 Mass of liquid
Mass of beaker 29.429
Mass of beaker + liquid 50.858
Mass of liquid 21.429
B.3 Density of liquid
Density 21.429/20
= 1.071

C Specific Gravity
C.1 Specific gravity 1.071/1.000 = 1.071
C.2 Specific gravity 1.000 0.825
The calculated specific gravity differ from the hydrometer reading of water by a little
increase
GRAPH
Discussion
The measurement taken for the different length such as width of the little fingernail, length of
shoe and distance of wrist has several error such as parallax error. The observer eye may not
be directly perpendicular on the lines. This is shown when we are asked to measure the length
of the line in report book as different people have different readings. Besides that, by using
the same meterstick, we can avoid from having different apparatus error. The volume of
liquid in the cyclinder is taken at its miniscus

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