PRACTICAL WORKSHEET 1

MEASUREMENT

A. Objectives
After completing this activity students should be able to:
1. measure length, mass and time correctly using suitable measuring devices
2. read and state the result of measurement
3. report the result of measurement completed by the uncertainty
4. process the data resulted by measurement

B. The Background Theory

All numbers resulted by measurement are called significant numbers, digits or
figures. In the laboratory experiment we should be taking account the uncertainty
of the measurement. We should write a report completed by the uncertainty (X =
X0  X). In single measurement, the uncertainty is equal to half the smallest
scale, but in recurrent measurement, it can be determined by calculating the
standard deviation of the data.
Processing the data of measurement should be taking account the uncertainty.
If z is a physical quantity that determined by equation:z = ax nym, where x and y is
taken from single measurements and a is a constant without dimension, so that

z x y
the uncertainty (z) can be calculated by : z  n x  m y

If z is a physical quantity that determined by equation:

z = x + y, or z = x – y, the uncertainty (z) can be calculated by : z  x  y

If z is a physical quantity that determined by equation:z = ax nym, where x and y is

taken from recurrent measurements and a is a constant without dimension, so

2 2
z  S   Sy 
that the uncertainty (z) can be calculated by :   n x    m 
z  x   y 
 If z is a physical quantity that determined by equation:z = ax nym, where x is taken
from single measurement, but y is taken from recurrent measurement and a is a
constant without dimension, so that the uncertainty (z) can be calculated by :

2 2
z  2 x   Sy 
 n    m 
z  3 x   y 

C. Apparatus
No. ITEM NAME QTY
1 Micrometer Screw 1 pc
2 Vernier Calliper 1 pc
3 Ruler 1 pc
4 Scale 1 pc
5 Stopwatch 1 pc
6 Glass Block 1 pc
6 Metal Ball 1 pc
7 Simple pendulum 1 pc

D. Procedure
1. Measure the length, width and the height of the glass block by using suitable
device (single measurement)
2. Measure the mass of the glass block using scale provided. (single
measurement)
3. Measure the diameter of the ball by using suitable device (single
measurement)
4. Measure the mass of the ball using scale provided. (single measurement)
5. Measure the length of the string by using suitable device (single
measurement)
6. Measure the time taken by the simple pendulum to complete 10 oscillations
(recurrent measurement), then determine the period of the pendulum.
7. Report all result of measurements completed by the uncertainty by fill in the
following table.

E. The Table of Observed Data

No Object Reading Result The uncertainty Result Reported
 1 Glass Block L = 7,7 cm L = 0,05 cm ( 7,70  0,05 ) cm
w = 4,88 cm w = 0,005 cm ( ….  … ) cm
h = …. cm h = …. cm ( ….  … ) cm
m = …. g m = …. g ( ….  … ) g
2. Metal Ball D = ….. cm D = …. (cm) ( ….  … ) cm
m = …… g m = …. g ( ….  … ) g
Simple
3. L = ….. cm L = …. (cm) ( ….  … ) cm
Pendulum
T1 = …. s
T2 = …. s
T3 = …. S T = …. s ( ….  … ) s

T = …. S

F. The Data Processing

1. Calculate the density of the glass block ()
Calculating volume of the glass block (V0)
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Calculating the uncertainty of glass block’s volume (V)

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Calculate the density of the glass block ()

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Calculating the uncertainty of the density ()

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
 = 0   = ……………………………………………………………
2. Calculate the density of the ball ()
Calculating volume of the ball (V0)
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Calculating the uncertainty of ball’s volume (V)

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Calculate the density of the ball ()

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Calculating the uncertainty of the density ()

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
 = 0   = ……………………………………………………………

3. Calculate the acceleration of gravity (g) by using the pendulum data

Calculating the uncertainty of the pendulum’s period (recurrent measurement)
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Calculating the acceleration of gravity using the equation of pendulum period
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Calculating the uncertainty (g)

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
g = g0  g = ………………………………………………………
G. Conclusions
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H. Possible Development of Concept / Application (if any)

………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Temanggung, ………………..
Has been Approved by On behalf of group …………..

Budi Hartono, S.Pd …………………………