MODULE OF INSTRUCTION___________________NSCI-6100 PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS 1

1 MEASUREMENT

Course Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module, the students will be able to:

1. Define the measurement.

2. Know the international treaties that establish the units of measurements.
3. Understand the use of metric system.

MEASUREMENT

The word “measurement” is derived from the Greek word “metron” which
means a limited proportion. The history of measurements is a topic within the history of
science and technology.

Laws to regulate measurement were originally developed to prevent fraud.

However, units of measurements are now generally defined on a scientific basis, and are
established by international treaties. In the United States, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST), a division of United States Department of Commerce,
regulates commercial measurements. In the United Kingdom, the role is performed by
the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).

The definition of specification of precise standards of measurement involves two

key features, which are evident in the International System of Units(SI). Specifically, in
this system the definition of each of the base units refer to specific empirical conditions
and, with the exception of the kilogram, also to the other quantitative attributes. Each
derived SI unit is defined purely in terms of a relationship involving it and other units;
for example, the unit of velocity is 1 m/s. Because derived units refer to base units, the
specification of empirical conditions is an implied component of the definition of all
units.

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MODULE OF INSTRUCTION___________________NSCI-6100 PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS 1

METRIC SYSTEM

The metric system is the decimalized system of measurement based on the

metre and the gram. It exists in several variations, with different choices of base units,
though these do not affect its day-to-day use. Since the 1960s the International System
of Units (SI), explained further below, is the internationally recognized standard metric
system. Metric units of mass, length and electricity are widely used around the world for
both every day and scientific purposes. The main advantage of the metric system is that
it has a single base unit for each physical quantity. All other units are powers of ten or
multiples of ten of this base unit. Unit conversions are always simple because they will
be in the ratio of ten, one hundred, one thousand, etc. all length and distances, for
example, are measured in meters, or thousandths of a metre (millimeters), or thousands
of meters (kiometres), and so on. There is no profusion of different units with different
conversion factors as in the Imperial system (e.g. inches, feet, yards, fathoms, rods).
Multiples and submultiples are related to the fundamental unit by factors of powers of
ten, so that one can convert by simply moving the decimal place: 1.234 metres in 1234
millimetres or 0.001234 kilometres. The use of fractions, such as 2/5 of a meter, is not
prohibited, but uncommon.

Reference:

COMMITTEE ON PYHSICS (1962). College Pyhsics. Quezon City Philippines, :Royal

Publishing house, INC.
Robert L. W., Kenneth V. M., Marsh W. W., George A. W. College Physics(5th ed.).
McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Jeffrey W. S.( 2009). Calculus-Based Physics I. Orange Grove Texts Plus
Raymond A. S., John W. J., Physics for Scientist and Engineers(6th ed.). Brooks/Cole Pub.
Co.

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