CHAPTER-10

Motion and Measurement of Distances

MOTION - A body is said to be in motion if it changes its position or orientation

with respect to time or a fixed point in space. (Known as origin)
REST - A body is said to be at rest if it does not change its position or orientation
with respect to time and origin.
Physical Quantity – Any quantity that can be measured is called a physical
quantity, eg – length, mass, time, temperature, area, volume etc.

1. What is measurement? What is the need for measurement?

A – The comparison of an unknown quantity with a known quantity of the same
kind is called measurement.
Measurement is required in our daily life as:
i) It is needed for stitching clothes-
A tailor needs our body measurements for stitching clothes, so as to know how
much cloth is required.
ii) Distance between 2 places can only be known by measurement.

2. What are the two components of measurement?

A – The two components of measurement are-
i) Unit ii) Number
eg – length of a line segment is 6cm. Here ‘6 ‘is the number and ‘cm’ is the unit.

3. What is a unit?
A – A fixed quantity with respect to which a physical quantityis measured is called
a unit.

4. What are the standard units of length, mass and time in

i) CGS system ii) SI system.
A - i) CGS system – centimeter ,gram,second.
ii) SI system – metre,kilogram,second.
5. Name the type of motion in the following cases:-
i) Strings of a guitar-Vibratory motion
ii) Falling of fruit from a tree- Rectilinear motion
iii) Hands of a clock- Circular motion
iv) Movement of earth about its axis – Rotational motion
v) Motion of a windmill –Rotational motion
vi) A freely falling stone –Rectilinear motion
vii) A child on a swing - Oscillatory motion
viii) Children playing in a park – Random motion

SECTION D (QUESTIONS BASED ON HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS)

a) Trains A and B are running parallel to each other at equal speed. State
whether a person in train A will be in a state of motion or rest with respect to
i) another person in train A ii) a person in train B.
A – i) At rest ii) At rest

b) A boy is fixing a curtain rod on the wall by tightening a screw. How many
different kinds of motion is the screw undergoing?
A –The screw is undergoing two types of motion-
i) Rotational motion ii) Rectilinear motion

c) Spin a top. You will observe that it spins and may also move around. What are
the two types of motion that are shown by the moving top?
A – The top shows rotational and circular motion.

d) While travelling in a train, it appears that the trees near the track are moving
whereas co-passengers appear to be stationary. Explain the reason.
A – Motion is relative in nature. State of rest or state of motion depends upon the
reference point or point of observation. The passengers travelling in train moving
with speed of train hence find co passengers at rest. Both are in same reference
frame. But trees are outside the train hence they appears to move with the speed
of train.
 SECTION E (VALUE BASED QUESTION)

Q- The milkman in Varun’s society has started carrying a lactometer. His move
was appreciated by all the members of the society. What values are shown by
the milkman?
a) What is the use of lactometer? -------To test purity of milk.
b) What values are shown by Varun? ---------Awareness, concern

SECTION F (LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS)

a) Why are units like hand span and cubit not reliable?
A –Handspan, cubit, foot and other units based on body parts are neither reliable
nor accurate. They cannot be considered to be standard units of measurement as
the size of body parts vary from person to person.

b) What is SI system of units?

A – For the sake of uniformity, scientists all over the world have adopted a
common set of standard units called the International system of units.
The adoption of SI units in 1960 made it easier for scientists of different countries
to communicate their results to one another. For eg, SI unit of length is metre (m).
The adoption of SI units made it easier for scientists of different countries to
communicate their results to one another.

Commonly used units of length:

10 mm = 1cm 1 mm = 1/10cm
100 cm = 1 m 1 cm = 1 / 100 m
1000 m = 1 km 1m = 1 / 1000 km

c) Convert the following as directed:

i) 30.8 mm into m
1m = 1000 mm
1mm=1/1000 m
30.8mm =30.8 / 1000= 0.0308m

ii) 0.004 m to cm
1m = 100 cm
 0.004m = 0.004 x 100 = 0.4cm

iii) 8800 km to m
1 km = 1000m
8800km = 8800 x 1000 = 88 x 10 5m.

iv) 2000 cm to km
1cm = 1 / 100000 km
2000 cm = 2000 / 100000 = 2 / 100 = 0.02 km

d) Reena is 10 cm taller than Shikha. Shikha is 1.60 m tall. What is Reena’s

height?
Ans -Shikha’s height = 1.60m = 1.60 x 100 cm = 160cm
Reena is 10 cm taller than Shikha
So, Reena’s height = 160 + 10 = 170cm or 1.70 m

e) Length of a book is 12cm. What will be the actual reading on the ruler if the
ruler reads from 3.5cm?
Ans- Length of the book = 12 cm
As the ruler reads from 3.5cm, so the reading on the ruler will be = 12cm + 3.5cm
= 15.5cm

f) While measuring the length of the metallic rod, the reading of the scale at one
end was found to be 6 cm, while the other end was found to be at 32.3cm. What
was the length of the rod?
Ans- Initial reading of scale at one end = 6cm
Final reading of scale at other end =32.3cm
So, length of the rod = final reading – initial reading = 32.3 – 6 = 26.3 cm

g) A 30 cm scale has one end broken. The mark at the broken end is 2.6 cm. How
would you use it to measure the length of your pencil?
Ans - The mark at the broken end is 2.6 cm. So, we will use the scale from the next
full mark i.e. 3 cm. We now measure the length of the pencil by keeping the 3 cm
mark of the scale as the origin. Then the final reading taken on the scale has to be
subtracted by 3 units.
So, length of pencil= final reading – 3 cm

h) Write the precautions that one should keep in mind while measuring the
length with a ruler.
Ans –The following precautions should be taken:
1. Care should be taken to keep the ruler along the length of the object.The object
should also be in contact with the ruler.
2. The object, the length of which is to be measured, should be kept properly
along the ruler such that one of its end coincides with the zero (0) mark on the
scale.
If the edge of the ruler is worn out or broken, the measurement should be
started from any other mark that is fully clear.
3. While reading the scale, eyes must be placed vertically above the scale mark
being read. If the eye is not vertically above the scale mark being read, then the
reading becomes inaccurate.

i) Differentiate between:

a)Rectilinear and Curvilinear motion.

RECTILINEAR MOTION CURVILINEAR MOTION

When an object in
translational motion moves in
a straight line, it is said to be in
rectilinear motion.
Examples –A car moving on a
straight road, a train moving
on a straight track.
When an object in
translational motion
moves along a curved
path, it is said to show
curvilinear motion.
Examples – A bus taking a
turn, a stone thrown up
in the air at an angle.

b) Periodic and non- periodic motion.

 Periodic motion. Non- periodic motion.

Motion that repeats itself after Motion that does not repeat itself at
regular intervals of time is regular intervals of time or a motion
called periodic motion. that does not repeat itself at all is
called non-periodic motion.
Examples – To and fro motion e.g – A bird gliding across the sky,
of a pendulum, the hands of a bus moving on a road, etc.
clock etc.

j) What is the difference between motion of a falling stone and motion of a

stone tied to a thread and whirled with hand?
A – The type of motion of a falling stone is rectilinear motion (motion along a
straight line) and the motion of stone tied to a thread and whirled is circular
motion (motion along a circular path).

k) How are the motions of a wheel of a moving bicycle and a mark on the blade
of a moving electric fan different? Explain.
A- Wheels of a moving bicycle show rectilinear motion and circular motion.
Because when the wheel is rotating, it also moves the bicycle forward (unless
breaks are applied). The blades of moving fan only show circular motion, as it
doesn't make the fan move forward.

EXTRA QUESTIONS

1. Why do we need standard units of measurement?

A – Ancient methods of measurement were based on body parts. These
methods failed as the length of body parts vary from person to person.
SI unit of measurement is accepted all over the world.

2. Write the steps to find the length of a curved line.

A – The steps are
i) Draw a curved line on a paper.
 ii) Place a string along the curved line. Make sure the string covers
every part of the curved line.
iii) Mark the points where the curved line begins and ends on the string.
iv) Now place the string along the length of the ruler and measure the
distance between the marks on the string.
3. Why can’t we use an elastic tape to measure length?

A –An elastic tape is stretchable. It cannot be used to measure length

because the length of the tape may change on stretching, and as a result, the
measured length would be incorrect.