Volume

Volume
• The volume of an object is the amount of space it takes up.
• Eg. An inflated balloon takes up more space that an empty balloon.
That means that a balloon that is blown up has more volume than
one that hasn’t been blown up.

• Therefore volume is the measure of the amount of space occupied by

matter.

• Volume can also show capacity – how much a container can hold.
• Eg. A bathtub has more volume that a coffee cup.
Units of Volume
• SI Units of Volume

• Cubic metre: m3
• Cubic centimeter : cm3
• Cubic millimeter: mm3
Volume of objects with
regular shapes
Instruments used to measure volumes of liquids
• 1. Measuring Cylinder – used to measure the volume of a liquid to an
accuracy of 1cm3
• 2. Pipette – used to measure a specific volume of liquid (10.0, 25.0, 50.0
mL). Always use a pipette filler to draw and dispense liquid into the pipette.
• 3. Burette – this is used to measure the volume of liquid to an accuracy of
0.1cm3. The liquid is first poured into the burette is used to dispense a
known volume of liquid in a container, usually a volumetric flask.
• 4. Volumetric flask – a flask is used to prepare solutions of specific volumes
eg. 50mL and 100mL
•
How to measure the volume of a liquid accurately
Meniscus
• The curved surface of the water in a measuring cylinder is called a
meniscus. In most liquids, the meniscus curves downwards. To locate
the liquid’s level and take a reading of volume, the eye must be
positioned at the same level as the meniscus. The measuring cylinder
must be placed on a flat level supporting surface.
How to measure the volume of a liquid accurately
Finding the volumes of objects with irregular
st
shapes (1 Method)
 Finding the volumes of objects with irregular
nd
shapes (2 Method)
1. Fill the overflow vessel with water until the water starts
overflowing.

2. When water stops overflowing place a measuring

cylinder below the overflow tube. Now gently lower the
solid into the water with the help of a string. Ensure
solid is fully immersed.

3. When water stops overflowing, read the volume of

water collected in the measuring cylinder.

Volume of solid = volume of water in measuring cylinder.

Measure volume of solid that floats on water
• The floating object can be tied together with an object that sinks (a
sinker).
Volume of Volume of Volume of
floating liquid liquid
object = displaced by - displaced by
both floating the sinker
object and
the sinker
Density
• The density of a substance is the mass of the substance per unit
volume, with the SI Unit is kg/m3
How to find density of a substance?
• Go through table 2.4.

• 1. measure mass of the substance

• 2. measure volume (either calculate or use measuring cylinder)

• 3. use formula to calculate.

Density practice questions
• 1. a glass stopper has a volume of 16cm3 and a mass of 40g.
Calculate the density of glass in g/cm3
• 2.5g/cm3

• 2. Calculate the mass of a gold ring of volume 2.1cm3 if density of

gold is 19g/cm3.
• 40g
TIME
Time
• The measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition
exists or continues

• SI unit for Time second (s)

• We also measure time in minutes (min), hours (hr), day, month etc

• A second is a short amount of time. It takes about 1.11 seconds to turn on a light or
open the refrigerator door.
• A minute is equal to 606060 seconds. It takes about 111 seconds to brush your
teeth.
• An hour is equal to 606060 minutes. Extracurricular activities (gymnastics, piano
lessons, soccer practice) often last about 111 minutes.
Instrument used in measuring Time
• Watch
• Hourglass
• Alarm clock
• Stopwatch (mechanical and electronic)

• The most accurate instrument is the stopwatch

TEMPERATURE
Temperature
• Temperature measures how hot or cold something is

• Temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of a body.

• Unit of measuring temperature

• Degree Celsius (°C)
• Fahrenheit (F)
• Kelvin (K)

The SI unit for temperature is Kelvin (K)

Instruments used
• Thermometers – laboratory, clinical, digital

• Clinical thermometer
• Clinical thermometer is a slight modification of mercury thermometer. It is
specially designed to measure the human body temperature.
• It is smaller in size than the laboratory thermometer.
• It has a constriction in the fine capillary tube. This constriction prevents the
mercury from contracting and flowing back when it is removed from human body
(temperature of surroundings being lower). This enables the recording of the
maximum temperature of the body without need for haste.
• The mercury thread needs to be shaken back into the bulb before the
thermometer is used again.
Clinical thermometer
Clinical thermometer
• Sensitivity, Linearity, Responsiveness of clinical thermometers are
the same as that of laboratory thermometers.

Range:
• The scale ranges between 35°C to 42°C.
• This range is centered around the normal body temperature of
36.9°C.
• Short range enables the scale to be divided into smaller intervals for
greater accuracy (0.1°C).
Laboratory Thermometer
• This is used in labs to find the temperature of different substances
and chemicals for experimental purposes.
Comparison of clinical and laboratory
thermometer
There are two liquids which are used in
thermometers
• 1. mercury (a silverfish or chrome colour)

• 2. alcohol (colourless but usually dyed red)

Advantages and Disadvantages of mercury
and alcohol thermometers
Kelvin Scale
• The Kelvin Scale is used more when dealing with colder
temperatures. The lowest temperature on the scale is
called absolute zero (0). At absolute zero, no heat
energy remains in a substance.

• To convert between °C to K, add measurement in °C to

273K.

• Examples:
• 2 °C
• 10 °C
• -5 °C
Errors in Measurements
• 1. Parallax error (mentioned before)
• 2. Zero Error
• It is a type of error in which an instrument gives a reading when the true
reading at that time is zero. For example needle of ammeter failing to return
to zero when no current flows through it.
Estimate scale readings
• The amount of variation that exists in the values of multiple
measurements of the same factor.
• Greater precision means less variation between measurements.
• Measurement precision is not to be confused with measurement
accuracy, which depends on the level of agreement between the
measurement and a known standard.