Chapter 1.

1 Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques

Tutorial Questions
Question 1
Five identical spheres are placed between two blocks in order to measure their diameter.

What is the diameter of a single sphere?

A. 2.2 cm
B. 2.0 cm
C. 2.1 cm
D. 2.3 cm
[1 mark]

Question 2
A student wants to take a particularly accurate measurement of the volume of liquid in a measuring cylinder.
Which of the following procedures would make her measurement less accurate?
A. Putting her eyes level with the height of the measurement to be taken.
B. Reading the liquid level from the bottom of the meniscus.
C. Using the largest measuring cylinder she could find.
D. Using a set-square to make sure the cylinder is perfectly vertical.
[1 mark]
Question 3
A student is timing the rate of cooling of a beaker of water. On a repeat run of the investigation, the student forgets to zero
the stopwatch.
The readings on the stopwatch at the start time and the end time are shown in Fig. 1.1

Calculate how long it took the beaker to cool.

A. 11 minutes
B. 11 minutes and 8 seconds
C. 12 minutes
D. 12 minutes and 8 seconds
[1 mark]
Question 4
Identify the physical quantity that is not scalar.
A. speed
B. time
C. weight
D. energy
[1 mark]
Question 5
Identify the physical quantity that is scalar.
A. weight
B. distance
C. velocity
D. acceleration
[1 mark]
Question 6
I wish to roast a chicken for Sunday lunch. The chicken requires 1 hour and 20 minutes in the oven to be properly cooked.
The oven must be switched on 10 minutes before any food is put in, in order to pre-heat, and reach the correct temperature
for cooking.
I wish the chicken to be ready at 4:30pm. At what time must I switch the oven on?
A. 2:10pm
B. 3:10pm
C. 2:00pm
D. 3:00pm
[1 mark]

Question 7
A particularly diligent student wants to measure the volume of some liquid for an experiment. She has two measuring
cylinders available, a large 250 ml one and a small 50 ml one. The liquid will fit into either of the two measuring cylinders.
As expected, the liquid forms a meniscus where it touches the sides of either measuring cylinder.
Which cylinder should the student use to get the most accurate result, and from where should she measure the liquid level?
Measuring
Reading taken from
cylinder
A large Top of meniscus
B large Bottom of meniscus
C small Top of meniscus
D small Bottom of meniscus
[1 mark]
Question 8
A geologist wants to measure the volume of a particularly interesting pebble she has found in a river.
She uses the apparatus shown below.

What is the volume of the pebble?

A. 11 cm3
B. 23 cm3
C. 6 cm3
D. 17 cm3
[1 mark]
Question 9
A scientist is trying to determine the volume of three identical pieces of a new material. She places them in a measuring
cylinder, as shown in the diagram.
The first cylinder shows the level of water in the measuring cylinder before the pieces are added, and the second cylinder
shows the measuring cylinder with the pieces of the new material inside.

What is the volume of each piece of the new material?

A. 30.0 cm3
B. 13.3 cm3
C. 16.7 cm3
D. 40.0 cm3
[1 mark]
Question 10
Which of the diagrams below correctly shows two forces , W and X with their resultant?

[1 mark]
Question 11
Three blocks are placed into three measuring cylinders. These are shown below.

Which row in the table shows the blocks in order of increasing volume?
Smallest
→ Largest volume
volume
A X Y Z
B Y X Z
C Z Y X
D Z X Y
[1 mark]
Question 12
An Olympic cyclist rides round a velodrome track 5 times.
The diagram below shows the reading on the stopwatch which was used to time the laps. Unfortunately, the person using the
stopwatch started it a little early.

What is the average time to complete one lap of the velodrome?

A. 16.24 s
B. 14.04 s
C. 15.84 s
D. 15.21 s
[1 mark]
Question 13a
Some students observe drops of water falling from a tap that leaks, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

The students measure the time for 50 drops to fall from the tap. The time for 50 drops to fall is 20 s.
Calculate the average time between two drops falling.

average time = ..................................................... s

[2 marks]

Question 13b
The students collect some drops of water.
(i)
The students measure the volume of the water they collect.

State the term for the equipment that is suitable for measuring the volume accurately.
[1]
(ii)
In a similar experiment, another student collects 0.21 kg of water.

Calculate the weight of this water.

weight of water = .................................................... N [3]

[4 marks]
Question 14a
Four students P, Q, R and S each attempt to measure the time period (the time for one complete oscillation) of a pendulum.
The arrows in Fig. 2.1 show the movements of the pendulum that each student times.

State the student who has chosen the correct movement for one period of a pendulum.
[1 mark]

Question 14b
Another student uses a stopwatch to measure the time taken for 50 periods of a pendulum.
Fig. 2.2 shows the time taken on the stopwatch.

Calculate the time for one period of the pendulum. Give your answer to 3 significant figures.
time for one period = ...................................................... s
[3 marks]
Question 14c
The student measures the displacement of the pendulum bob from its rest position. The displacement is 16.5cm, as shown in
Fig. 2.3.

State the displacement in millimetres.

displacement = ...................................................... mm
[1 mark]
Question 15a
A student measures the length of the sides of a metal cuboid using a 30 cm ruler.

State the measured lengths of the following sides.

Include the appropriate units in your answer.
(i)
Side A in Fig. 1.1

length of side A = .................................... [1]

(ii)
Side B in Fig 1.2

length of side B = .................................... [1]

(iii)
Side C in Fig 1.3

length of side C = .................................... [1]

[3 marks]
Question 15b
Calculate the volume of the metal cuboid. Give your answer in cubic metres.

volume = .................................... m3
[3 marks]

Question 15c
The student measures the mass of the metal cuboid on a scale. The measurement is shown in Figure 1.4.

Fig. 1.4
State the reading for mass. Give your answer in kg.

mass = ................................... kg
[1 mark]

Question 15d
The densities of di erent metals are listed in the following table:

Metal Density kg/m3

Iron 7870
Magnesium 1740
Titanium 4510
Aluminium 2600

Use the information in the table to identify the type of metal which the cuboid is made of.
[3 marks]
Question 16a
Explain the di erence between speed and velocity.

[2 marks]
ma

Question 16b
Identify the scalar quantities.

time
weight
acceleration
distance

[2 ma
marks]

Question 16c
State another example of a vector quantity and a scalar quantity.

Question 16d
Fig. 1.1 shows a vector diagram for the effects of two forces.

Fig. 1.1
Calculate the resultant force.
resultant force = ....................................
[2 marks]