UNITS AND MEASUREMENTS

MODULE-3

TOPICS:

1) Measurement of time
2) Accuracy, Precision of instruments and errors in measurements
Systematic errors
Random errors
Least count error

 Absolute error, Relative error and percentage error

Descriptive questions :

1. i) Which measurement is most precise? 3. The accuracy in measurement depends on the

a) Vernier calipers having 5 division on the limit or the resolution of the measuring
sliding scale instrument.
b) Vernier calipers having 10division on the
sliding scale a. State whether the above statement is TRUE
c) Vernier calipers having 20 division on the of FALSE.
sliding scale
i) What happens to the accuracy when the least b. A physical quantity P is related to four
count is decreased? 𝑎 3𝑏 2
observables a, b, c and d as P = . The
𝑐𝑑
2. Which of the following measurement is more percentage errors in measurements of a, b,
accurate? c and d are 1%, 3%, 2% and 3% respectively.
a) 500.00kg b) .0005kg c) 6.00kg
What is the percentage error in the
measurement of P?

Objective Questions

1. Which of the following is not the unit of time? 5. A vernier calipers has 20 divisions on the vernier
(1) Micro second (2) leap year scale which coincide with 19 divisions on the
(3) Lunar month (4) Parallactic main scale. The least count of the instrument is
second 0.1 mm. The main scale divisions are of:-
2. Which of the following is smallest unit? (1) 0.5 mm (2) 1 mm
(1) Millimetre (2) Angstrom (3) 2 mm (4) 1/4 mm
(3) Fermi (4) Metre 6. One centimetre on the main scale of vernier
3. Zero error of an instrument introduces calipers is divided into ten equal parts. If
(1) Systematic errors 2) Random errors divisions of vernier scale coincide with 8 small
(3) Both (4) None of these divisions of the main scale, the least count of the
4. In a vernier calipers, N divisions of vernier scale calipers is:-
coincide with (N – 1) divisions of main scale (in (1) 0.01 cm (2) 0.02 cm
which 1 division represents 1mm). The least (3) 0.05 cm (4) 0.005 cm
count of the instrument in cm should be:- 7. A student measured the diameter of a wire using
(1) N (2) N - 1 a screw gauge with least count 0.001 cm and
1 1 listed the measurements. The correct
(3) 10N (4) N−1
measurement is:-
(1) 5.3 cm (2) 5.32 cm
(3) 5.320 cm (4) 5.3200 cm

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8. The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum in
an experiment is recorded as 2.63s, 2.56s, 2.42s,
2.71s and 2.80s respectively. The average
absolute error is:-
(1) 0.1s (2) 0.11s
(3) 0.01 s (4) 1.0s
NCERT Questions
1. Explain this statement clearly:
“To call a dimensional quantity „large‟ or „small‟
is meaningless without specifying a standard for
comparison”. In view of this, reframe the
following statements wherever necessary :
a) Atoms are very small objects
b) A jet plane moves with great speed
c) The mass of Jupiter is very large
d) The air inside this room contains a large
number of molecules
e) A proton is much more massive than an
electron
f) The speed of sound is much smaller than the
speed of light.
2. Which of the following is the most precise device
for measuring length:
a) A vernier calipers with 20 divisions on the
slid9ing scale
b) A screw guage of pitch 1 mm and 100
divisions on the circular scale
c) An optical instrument that can measure
length to within a wavelength of light?
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9. The length, breadth and thickness of a strip are
(10.00.1) cm, (1.000.01) cm and
(0.1000.001) cm respectively. The most
probable error in its volume will be:-
(1) 0.03 cm3 (2)  0.111 cm3
(3)  0.012 cm3 (4) None of these
3. The length, breadth and thickness of a
rectangular sheet of metal are 4.234 m, 1.005 m
and 2.01 cm respectively. Give the area and
volume of the sheet to correct significant figures.
4. The mass of a box measured by a grocer‟s
balance is 2.300 kg. Two gold pieces of masses
20.15 g and 20.17 g are added to the box. What is
(a) the total mass of the box, (b) the difference in
the masses of the pieces to correct significant
figures?
5. A physical quantity P is related to four
observables a, b, c and d as follows:
𝑃 = 𝑎3 𝑏2 / 𝑐𝑑
The percentage errors of measurement in a, b, c
and d are 1%, 3%, 4% and 2% respectively.
What is the percentage error in the quantity P? If
the value of P calculated using the above relation
turns out to be 3.763, to what value should you
round off the result?
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