PRACTICAL Name:
1.1 Metric ice breaker
Equipment required:
� Pedometer � Vernier caliper or micrometer � A pen
� Tape measure screw gauge � A set of keys
� Metre rule � Triple beam balance � A coin
� 30 cm rule � Stopwatch
Introduction 5 What does each unit represent? Express your
The SI system of units is adopted world-wide by answer as a power of ten with a base SI unit.
physicists. There are 7 base units from which all a km
other units can be derived. In this experiment you b m
will estimate and measure quantities using four of
6 How much does each one equal?
these base units: length (m), mass (kg), time (s),
and temperature (K). a 1 km (give your answer in millimeters)
It is important when you measure any of these b 1 cm (give your answer in millimeters)
quantities that you use the instrument that will c 1 m (give your answer in milimetres)
give you the most accurate and precise value.
7 Which measurement is the largest?
For example, you would use a micrometer screw
a 15 mm or 1 cm
gauge and not a rule to measure the thickness
of a hair! b 234 m or 1 km
c 1 m or 990 cm
Length d 2.5 cm or 22 mm
1 What is the SI base unit for length?
e 20 km or 3000 cm
2 Circle the BEST metric unit for each.
8 Using a Vernier caliper or micrometer screw
a The length of an eyelash
gauge, measure and determine:
mm cm m km
(Hint: Make sure that the Vernier caliper or
b The height of a flagpole
micrometer screw gauge reads zero when
mm cm m km
fully closed.)
c The length of a pencil
a the thickness of a coin
mm cm m km
b the thickness of 100 coins
d The distance from Geneva to Paris.
mm cm m km 9 What is the surface area of your physics lab?
3 If a stack of ten coins measures 32 mm. surface area = length × width
= × = m2
a How tall would a stack of 100 coins be in
centimetres? 10
b How tall would a stack of 1000 coins be in
centimetres?
4 Which of the instruments provided would be
most suitable to measure
a If the above box is 2 cm deep calculate its
a the length of a sports field? volume in cm3
b the thickness of a CD? volume = length × height × depth
c your height? = × × = cm3
d the thickness of a wire? b What is the SI unit of volume?
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PRACTICAL Name:
11 Convert the following measurements: Time
a 280 ml into litres 16 What is the base unit for measuring time?
b 23 kl into litres 17 How many seconds are in:
c 456 cl into millilitres a 5 minutes?
d 120 ml into cm3 b 5 hours?
c 3 days?
Mass 18 Measure the time it takes you to breathe
12 What is the base unit for mass?
10 times.
13 Circle the best unit for measuring each mass:
19 What is the period of time for an average
a The mass of a bird’s feather breath?
mg g kg
b Mass of a baby at birth Temperature
mg g kg 20 What is the SI base unit for temperature?
c Mass of breakfast cereal in a bowl 21 What is a more common unit used for
mg g kg measuring temperature?
14 Use a triple-beam balance to find each 22 What are the freezing and boiling points for
measurement. water on this scale?
a Mass of an ink pen 23 Circle the best choice:
b Mass of a set of keys a Temperature on a hot summer’s day:
0 °C 35 °C 70 °C
15 Convert the following measurements:
b Room temperature:
a 61 mg into grams
−20 °C 0 °C 20 °C
b 6.7 kg into grams
c 12345 g into kilograms
d 7 g into sp. milligrams
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