EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENTS and UNITS

OBJECTIVE: to become familiar with the measurement of the basic quantities.

Materials: Tape measure (or ruler), timer

1. Height measurement:
a) Measure the height of your housemate in inches to the nearest 1/16th of an
inch. Express your answer as a decimal:
Height = ________________
b) Repeat a), but now measure his/her height in centimeters, to the nearest millimeter.
Height = _______________
c) Divide the value for part b) by the value for part a)
Ratio = ______________________

2. Area measurement:
a) Find the area of the floor in your room in units of ft2.
Area of room = ____________________
b) Find the area of your room floor in units of m2.

Area of room = ___________________

c) If the cost of carpet is P1500 per square yard, how much will it cost to carpet the lab
room?
Cost = __________________________

3. Speed measurement
a) In your hallway, measure the walking speed of your housemate in units of ft/sec.
Speed = ________________________
b) What is your housemate’s walking speed in units of miles/hr?
Speed = ________________________
c) How long will it take her or him to walk to PUP? (Research for the distance of your
house to PUP)
Time = __________________________

5. Volume measurement:
a) Measure the volume of your room in units of ft3.

Volume = _________________________
b) Find the volume of your room in units of gallons, and in units of liters.
Volume = _____________gallons = _________________liters
c) What is the mass of the air in your room in units of Kg? (Hint: the density of air is 1.29
grams per liter)
Mass = _________________________________
d) How many air molecules are in your room?
Number of molecules = ___________________
e) How many pounds does the air in the room weigh?
Weight of air = __________________________

Show all your computations.

Guide questions:

1. Do you think your measurements are close enough to the actual value? defend
2. Is it advisable to use the ruler to measure the height of your housemate? Why or why not?
3. Identify 5 measuring devices and cite their advantages and disadvantages.

References:
Cutnell, John and Johnson (2014). Physics, Volume One 10th Edition
OpenStax College, College Physics. OpenStax College. 21 June 2012.
http://cnx.org/content/col11406/latest/
https://www.cpp.edu/~pbsiegel/sci210/exp1.html