Estimating Length and Mass and

Converting between British and Metric

Units
Lab #2
Frances Wong
Physics
Pd. 3
Purpose:
-Estimating the length and mass of an object
-Using the factor label method to convert from the british system of measurements to the
metric system of measurements
-Measuring the length and mass of several objects
-Finding the % error between your estimated values and measured values

Introduction:
In this lab, we will learn how to convert and estimate the length and mass of objects, as well
as how to convert and find the percent of error of our predictions. This is to help us
understand how to properly convert our measurements. We are learning this to refresh our
memory of conversion.

Procedure:
1) Predict measurements of the classroom door, window, lab desk, review book,
calculator, and pencil in LBS.
2) Convert LBS to KG and FT to M using factor label measurement
3) Measure the review book, calculator, and pencil in KG
4) Measure the classroom door, window, lab desk in FT
5) Find percent error for classroom door, window, lab desk, review book, calculator,
and pencil

Data:

Classroom Door (Estimated (Estimated (Measured (% error)

length) 8. 2 FT length) 2.48 M Mass) 2.1 M 18.1%

Window Width (Estimated (Estimated (Measured (% error)

length) 2.5 FT length) 0.75 M Mass) 0.8 M 6.3%

Lab Desk (Estimated (Estimated (Measured (% error)

Height length) 3.3 FT length) 1 M Mass) 0.93 M 7.5%

Chemistry (Estimated (Estimated (Measured (% error)

Review book length)2 LB length) 0.9 KG Mass) 0.57 KG 58%

Calculator (Estimated (Estimated (Measured (% error)

length)0.5 LB length) 0.2 KG Mass) 0.2 KG 1%

Pencil (Estimated (Estimated (Measured (% error)

 length)0.01 LB length) 0.005 Mass) 0.006 KG 1%
KG
Question:

1. Describe a technique to measure the average thickness of a single sheet of a 500-page

textbook using a meter stick.
- I would measure the thickness of the 500 pages of the textbook, then I would divide the
answer by 500.

2. Describe some of the advantages of the metric system as compared to the British system.
- The metric system is used internationally
- Easy to convert

3. What is the difference between fundamental and derived units in physics? What are the three
fundamental units of measurements in physics?
- Fundamental- Independent
- Derived- Can be obtained by dividing or multiplying
- Ig: M.K.S or Meters, Kilograms, and Seconds
4. What is the difference between a scalar and a vector quantity? What is the difference between
mass and weight?
- Scalar: No directions
- Vector: Multidimensional
- Mass: Same everywhere
- Weight: Increases and decreases depending on the gravity

5. What is the factor label method? Why do scientists prefer to use this method?
- The factor label method is a technique for converting units of measurement
- Scientists use this method because its easy to see what cancels what

6. Describe some of the sources of error and uncertainty in the actual measurements (not
estimates) of length and mass that you took.
- Meter stick didn’t measure the entire door
- Windows had walls/ ruler was slanted
- Mesurements for weight not precise
7. Determine the number of seconds in a year using the factor label method.
365 days/y -> 60s/m x 60s/h x 24h/d 24 h= 86400 sec 86400sx 365d= 31,536,000 sec per year
8. Using both sides of the meter stick and knowing that 12 inches = 1 foot, and 5,280 feet = 1
mile, convert 20. meters/second to miles/hour.
3ft= meter
20x3ft=660 ft/s
60x3600
216000/5280
=40.9 mph

Conclusion:
In this lab, we learned how to estimate and convert different masses and lengths of objects. My
expectations of this lab were met because I’ve previously done these
experiments/problems in math class and had an idea of how to convert numbers. In this
lab, there was a limitation of the instrument because the scales were in KG. To prevent this
error next time, we could use an electronic scale to make the measurements more precise.
There was also a limitation of the instrument when measuring the door because the meter
stick is shorter than the door. To prevent this we could use a measuring tape next time.
There was a human error while measuring the window with the meter stick because there
were two objects preventing us from measuring it accurately and the measuring stick was
slanted. To prevent this, we could measure a window that is not attached to the wall or
remove the window from the wall and measure it. This lab helped me realize that some
measurements are smaller than I previously understood. For example, inches are half the
size I previously thought.