EXPERIMENT 1 The Vernier and Micrometer Calipers

Faculty of Pharmacy 2GPH

Group 8

Torres, T., Vitalez, C., Vizcarra, A., & Yap, K.

Abstract

A measurement is the process of obtaining the magnitude of a quantity relative to an

agreed standard. There are two measuring devices that were used, Vernier caliper
and micrometer caliper. The Vernier caliper measures internal and external distances
and the micrometer calliper the thickness or the diameter. Both Vernier and
micrometer caliper resulted with percentage error. The calibration of the instrument,
physicals damage of the materials and incorrect way of reading the instrument are
the possible causes of the percentage error.

Introduction

A measurement is the process of obtaining
the magnitude of a quantity relative to an
agreed standard. It may be expressed in
terms of its accuracy or its precision. The
accuracy of measurement refers to the
number of digits, called significant digits,
which indicates the number of units that are
reasonably sure of having counted. The
precision of measurement refers to the
smallest unit with which a measurement is
made, that is, the position of the last
significant digit (Ewen D., Schurter, N. &
Gundersen, P., 2017).
There are two measuring device that were
used, vernier caliper and micrometer caliper.
The vernier caliper is a precision instrument
that can be used to measure internal and
external distances. This instrument was first
introduced by Pierre Vernier on 1631.
The micrometer caliper, on the other hand,
measures the thickness or the diameter of
relatively small parts; it produces finer
results than a vernier caliper. The concept of
micrometer caliper was invented way back
in the 17th century by William Gascoigne to
help his study on stars. But the real father of
todays micrometer caliper is Jean Louis
Palmer from France. He proved that
micrometer can be used in measuring very
accurate small dimension.
The objective of the experiment is to get the
actual measurement and compare it to the
standard measurement to determine the
percentage error.
Theory 0.5 mm
LC = =0.01mm
50 divisions
The modern Vernier caliper was invented by
Joseph R. Brown in 1851. It was the first
Which, in theory, can give an a much more
practical tool for exact measurements that
accurate measurement than that of the
could be sold at an affordable price to
Vernier Caliper.
ordinary machinists. The Vernier Caliper
consists of a main scale fitted with a jaw at The density () of an object can be
one end. Another jaw, containing the Vernier calculated as:
scale, moves over the main scale. When the
two jaws are in contact, the zero of the main mass
=
scale and the zero of the Vernier scale volume
should coincide. If both the zeros do not
coincide, there will be a positive or negative The formulas in finding the volumes of the
zero error. following materials are:

Least Count is the smallest accurate V washer =( ( Rr )) h

measurement an instrument can measure.
3
The least count or the smallest reading V cube =s
which you can get with the instrument can
be calculated as: 4 3
V marble = r
3
least count of main scale
LC=
of divisions of Vernier Scale
Methodology
The Least Count of the Vernier Caliper used The materials used in the experiment were:
is: Vernier and Micrometer Caliper, triple beam
1 mm balance, a washer, a cube, and a marble.
LC = =0.05 mm
20 divisions

The first ever micrometric screw was

invented by William Gascoigne in the 17th
century, as an enhancement of the Vernier; it
was used in a telescope to measure angular
distances between stars and the relative sizes
of celestial objects.
Fig. 1. Vernier Caliper
The Least Count of the Micrometer Caliper
used is:

Fig. 2. Micrometer Caliper
Fig. 3. Triple beam balance
Fig. 4. Marble, washer, and a cube (left to
right)
Using a Vernier Caliper
Determine the mass of the washer and the
cube. Determine the zero reading of the
Vernier caliper. This is when the jaws are in
contact with each other. Record the values in
millimeters then convert it afterwards in
centimeters. Make sure to open and close the
jaws before each measurement. Measure the
length and diameter of each cylinder using a
Vernier caliper. Record them in centimeters
to two decimal places.
Fig. 5. A cube being measured using a
Vernier Caliper
Fig 6. The washers inner diameter being
measured using a Vernier caliper
Using a Micrometer caliper
Determine the mass of the marble and the
cube. Determine the zero reading of the
micrometer by allowing the anvil and the
screw to approach each other very slowly.
Record the values in centimeters. Make sure
to open and close the micrometer before
each measurement. Measure the diameter of
the marble with the micrometer by gripping
the marble between the anvil and the screw.
Same goes with the cube, measure the length
of the cube with the micrometer by gripping Table 2. Washer in Vernier Caliper
the cube between the anvil and the screw.
Try changing the locations of the VERNIER CALIPER
measurement on the marble and the cube in WASHER
order to get different and more accurate Material Steel
diameters. Mass (g) 56.5 g
Outer Diameter 62.30 mm
(mm)
Outer Diameter 6.230 cm
(cm)
Outer Radius (cm) 3.115 cm
Inner Diameter 26.70 mm
(mm)
Inner Diameter 2.670 cm
Fig. 7. A cube between the anvil and the (cm)
screw of a Micrometer caliper Inner Radius (cm) 1.335 cm
Thickness/Height 3.50 mm
(mm)
Thickness/Height 0.350 cm
(cm)
Volume (cm3) 8.71 cm3
Density (g/cm3)
Experimental 6.49 g/cm3
Standard 7.8 g/cm3

Fig. 8. A marble being measured between

the micrometers anvil and screw.

Results and Discussions

Table 3. Metal Cube in Micrometer Caliper
Table 1. Metal Cube in Vernier Caliper
MICROMETER CALIPER
VERNIER CALIPER Metal Cube
Metal Cube
Material Steel
Material Steel
Mass (g) 132.7 g Mass (g) 132. 7 g
Length (mm) 25.35 mm Length (mm) 25.345 mm
Length (cm) 2.535 cm
Volume (cm3) 16.29 cm3
Density (g/cm3)
Experimental: 8.15 g/cm3
Standard: 7.8 g/cm3
Length (cm) 2. 5350 cm helped in obtaining a better assessment of
the closeness of the experimental value to
Volume (cm3) 16.2904 cm3
the standard value.
Density (g/cm3)
As shown in table 1, the steel metal
Experimental 8.1459 g/cm3
cube was measured. Using the Vernier
Standard 7.8 g/cm3
caliper,it read 25.35mm and 132.7g in the
triple beam balance. These measurements
were used to calculate the density and
volume of the metal cube that resulted in a
percentage error of 4.48%.
Table 4. Marble in Micrometer Caliper
Percentage error (%) =
MICROMETER CALIPER Standard Value Experimental value
x 100
Marble Standard Value
Material Glass
Mass (g) 5.8 g
7.88.15
Diameter (mm) 16.110 mm x 100
Percentage error (%) = 7.8
Diameter (cm) 1.611 cm
Radius (cm) 0.8055 cm
3
Volume (cm ) 2.1891 cm3 Percentage error (%) = 4.48
3)
Density (g/cm
Experimental 2.6495 g/cm3 The same metal cube was measured,
Standard 2.6 g/cm3 but with a micrometer caliper. The data
gathered were listed in table 3 that showed
the same mass of 132.7g and a length of
The tables above depict all the data 25.345mm. Same procedure was done to
gathered from the experiment using the solve for the density and volume and
Vernier and micrometer calipers. Tables 1 resulted in a lower percentage error of
and 2 contains the data collected using the 4.43% compared to the percentage error in
Vernier caliper whereas tables 3 and 4 table 1. This clearly showed the difference
contains the data from using the micrometer in accuracy between the Vernier and
caliper. micrometer calipers.
Among the information listed on the
table were mass, length, diameter and
volume of the object. The density listed was
further classified to as standard, which was
the basis of the density of the object, and Percentage error (%) =
into experimental, which was the density Standard Value Experimental value
x 100
obtained from the experiment. The tables Standard Value
also include the percentage error which
Percentage error (%) = Percentage error (%) =
7.88.1459 2.62.6495
x 100 x 100
7.8 2.6

Percentage error (%) = 4.43 Percentage error (%) = 1.90

Conclusion and Recommendations

Measuring the dimensions of the Vernier and micrometer calipers

steel washer with Vernier caliper, the data in were used to obtain the measurements of a
table 3 resulted to a higher percentage error metal cube, washer and a glass marble. The
compared to metal cube dimensions of the metal cube measured by a
Vernier caliper resulted in a percentage error
of 4.48%. While with the use of a
Percentage error (%) = micrometer caliper, it showed 4.43%
percentage error. It can be concluded that the
Standard ValueExperimental value
x 100 micrometer caliper has a better accuracy.
Standard Value

7.86.49
x 100 The measurement of the dimensions
Percentage error (%) = 7.8
of the washer was calculated to have
resulted with 11.79% percentage error.
Percentage error (%) = 16.79 While the glass marble resulted with the
least percentage error of 1.90% out of the
four trials of obtaining the measurements.

With the display of data, it can now

be concluded that micrometer caliper is
Using the micrometer caliper in
more accurate to use than the Vernier
quantifying the dimensions of a glass marble
caliper.
resulted in a very low percentage error. With
this, it can be presumed that micrometer
caliper is preferable in measuring the
dimensions of a spherical object. The possible sources of errors in
measuring may include (1) calibration error
of the caliper being used (2) physical
damage or incorrect testing and setting (3)
Percentage error (%) =
incorrect way of reading the measurements
Standard ValueExperimental value in the main and Vernier scale.
x 100
Standard Value
 For those who will be using Vernier
and micrometer calipers in measuring, make
sure that it is properly calibrated and there is
no defect or physical damage in the tool.
Furthermore, be careful in reading the
measurements. The tool must be read at an
eye level to make sure that the measurement
is correct.
References
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J. (2014) Wiley: Principles of Physics, 10th
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Measuring Tools. (2006, May 5).
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micrometers.blogspot.com
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