For Teachers
Resources Needed
Class sets
• 15 x metre rules
• 15 x textbooks
• 15 x 100 ml measuring cylinder
• 15 x 250 ml beaker containing approx. 80
ml water with small amount of food
colouring
• Short length of string (e.g. 30 cm or so)
• 15 x stopclocks
• 15 x manual micrometers
• Selection of objects to measure with
micrometer e.g. marble, thin wire, paper
clip
Demo
• 3 x 330 ml cans of coca cola (or other
commercially-packaged soft drink)
• 1 litre measuring cylinder
• Analogue clock (e.g. on wall of class)
Risk Analysis
Few serious hazards:
• Ensure students clean up water spills.
• Do not allow students to consume soft
drink after it has been contaminated by
coming into contact with lab equipment.
• Ensure students do not “whirl” or use
pendulum bobs inappropriately – could
cause injury.
• Ensure students use FINE ADJUSTMENT
(equipped with ratchet) to avoid over-
tightening micrometers
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For Students: on each slide… LEARNING
OBJECTIVE
MAIN HERE
LEARNING
POINTS
These list what you
need to KNOW
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red text

ACTIVITY GREEN BOX

Complete these to Examples and
develop suggestions to help
understanding improve your work
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 Extended IGCSE Physics:
Unit: Mechanics 1

Lesson 1: Length and Time

Learning Objectives

1. Use and describe the use of rules and measuring cylinders to

find a length or a volume
2. Use and describe the use of clocks and devices, both
analogue and digital, for measuring an interval of time
3. Obtain an average value for a small distance and for a short
interval of time by measuring multiples (including the period
of a pendulum)
4. Understand that a micrometer screw gauge is used to
measure very small distances

G.Jones 2015
LO 1: Use and describe the use of rules and measuring cylinders to find a length or a volume

The key idea is to avoid parallax I made sure the I made sure my eye
error. The eye should be placed so ruler was vertical was level with the top
of the stool to avoid
that it is directly opposite the parallax error

scale.
I made sure the zero
B C mark of the ruler was

  at the bottom

A A2 TRUE OR FALSE
 This pile of books is 21.4 cm high.

FALSE
The zero of the
A1 Avoiding Parallax Error ruler is not level
1. Use a metre rule to measure the with the bottom
of the pile
height of a stool to the nearest
mm.
2. Draw a labelled diagram to explain
how you measured this value as
precisely as possible.
G.Jones 2015
LO 1: Use and describe the use of rules and measuring cylinders to find a length or a volume
• Surface tension in a measuring A4 The Great CocaCola RIP-OFF?
cylinder produces a noticeable Coca-Cola claim that each can contains
meniscus (a curved surface) 330 ml of product.
• You should always use the bottom of
the meniscus to measure volume. Are they correct? Let’s get three cans at
• The eye should be placed directly random and check...
opposite the scale to avoid parallax Can Volume / ml
error
1
2
 X
3

 Y Can we sue?
No.

 Z The e symbol stands for

“estimated”. The law allows the
A3 High or Low? volume of any one can to be ± 3 %
Measure the volume of water in the beaker. of the nominal volume i.e. ± 10 ml
Position X will produce a reading that is too high /
low.
as long as the average of all cans is
Position Y will produce a reading that is too high / equal to label.
G.Jones 2015
low.
LO 2: Use and describe the use of clocks and devices, both analogue and digital, for measuring
an interval of time

An analogue clock has ‘hands’ • Place two fingers gently on side of neck.
• Start counting when second hand reaches
Measures to the “12”. Stop counting when second hand
nearest second reaches “6”.
• Double the count to give your pulse rate
(per minute).

A digital stopclock has a number display. A6 Digital Timing

1. Use a digital clock to estimate your
Measures to the reaction time by pressing START/STOP
nearest 1/100th twice.
second* 2. Press RESET and then repeat three times
and calculate and average value.
* human reaction time (≈ 0.2 to 0.7 s) might affect this Attempt Time / s
1 0. __ __ Add
A5 Analogue timing
1. Use an analogue clock to time 30 s to
estimate your resting pulse rate.
2. Write a paragraph to explain how you did
2
3
Average
} together,
press
=
and then
÷ 3
this.
G.Jones 2015
LO 3: Obtain an average value for a small distance and for a short interval of time by measuring
multiples

Measuring Small Distances Thickness of 1 page

To find the thickness of one page from a
book: D = 0.7 cm ; N = 98 pages
1. Count the number
thickness of 1 page = 0.7 cm / 98 = 0.007 cm
of pages N*
2. Measure the total Circumference of a pencil
thickness D**
D
3. Find D/N Wrap a piece of thread 10 times around the
pencil.
* Could use the printed page numbers (divided by 2)
** Make sure you do not include the covers

A7 Measuring Small Distances Then stretch it out and measure the length.
1. Estimate the thickness of a page in a
textbook
2. Use a similar method to find the
circumference of a pencil. (Hint: use some L = 28.9 cm
L
string or thread).
Circumference = 28.9 / 10 = 2.89 cm
G.Jones 2015
LO 3: Obtain an average value for a small distance and for a short interval of time by measuring
multiples

Measuring Short Intervals of Time A8 Period of

Pendulum Example
10T = 20.03 s
Time an oscillating (repeating) event ten START the So: T = 2.00 s
or twenty times to get a more precise clock when
result. the bob
passes the
fiducial mark
It also helps to place a FIDUCIAL marker from right to
in the centre of the oscillation. left.

Count one
complete
oscillation
when it
passes the
It is easier to judge mark from
when the bob is right to left.
moving fastest (i.e.
at the centre point The arrows Count at least
of the swing) show one
complete
10
oscillation oscillations.
Fiducial mark Fiducial mark
G.Jones 2015
LO 4: Understand that a micrometer screw gauge is used to measure very small distances.

Using a Micrometer Screw Gauge Micrometer Tips

1. Check it is unlocked
A micrometer screw gauge can be used to 2. Use the Coarse adjustment to
measure distances to ± 0.01 mm. open/close the jaws
3. Use the Fine adjustment to finish
Locking COARSE Coarse
closing the jaws. DO NOT OVER
lever GAUGE adjustment
TIGHTEN!
4. Read the COARSE GAUGE.
Jaws
5. Read the FINE GAUGE.
6. Add them together.

Example Coarse gauge reading = 12.5 mm

mm Fine gauge reading = 0.16 mm
Fine scale 12.56 mm
FINE GAUGE
adjustment

Main points:
• Read the COARSE GAUGE.
• Read the FINE GAUGE. half mm 0.01 mm
• Add the values together. G.Jones 2015 scale scale
LO 4: Understand that a micrometer screw gauge is used to measure very small distances.
A10a Using a micrometer A10b Using a micrometer

Use a micrometer to measure the dimensions

of a selection of objects.

Record your results in a suitable table.

What is the reading on this micrometer? It might be appropriate to repeat certain

measurements and take an average
Object Measurement / mm
Coarse gauge reading = 16.00 mm Diameter of bolt 1.24

Fine gauge reading = 0.35 mm Thickness of sheet of 0.27

paper
____________________
16.35 mm Diameter of wire 0.36
Diameter of marble / mm
1.58
1.56
1.58

G.Jones 2015
Average = 1.57