CHEENEE E.

RIVERA AENG 95 November 26, 2015

PROCESSING, HANDLING AND December 3, 2015
STORAGE OF AGRICULTURAL
BSAE 4-1 / 201010625 PRODUCTS I Dr. MARILYN M. ESCOBAR

Laboratory Exercise No. 1

System of Units and Measurement

Introduction

S.I. is an abbreviation of Système Internationale or International System: our

metric system of measurements. It is an internationally standardized system, giving a

common language between nations and between the different branches of science and

technology.

The International System of Units is a scientific method of expressing the

magnitudes or quantities of important natural phenomena. It is now employed for all

scientific and most technical purposes. There are seven fundamental units: the meter,

kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, candela, and mole; and two supplementary units: the

radian and the steradian. This system was formerly called the meter-kilogram-second

(MKS) system.

All SI units can be expressed in terms of standard multiple or fractional

quantities, as well as directly. Multiple and fractional SI units are defined by prefix

multipliers according to powers of 10 ranging from 10 -24 to 1024.

All other units are derived by multiplication or division of these units without the

use of numerical factors.

Objectives

This laboratory exercise enabled the students to:

a. Use the SI system of unit measurement in measuring the indicated

parameters/properties in each benchmark statements;

b. Identify and use different devices and instruments in the measurements of the

indicated parameters; and

c. Perform conversions of measurements from SI to English.

Methodology

Materials

The students were grouped into three groups. Each group was asked to bring a

kilogram of six different durables. They used yellow mongo beans, corn, green mongo

beans, paddy rice, peanuts and mashed corn

The materials used in this laboratory exercise are the working tables in the

laboratory as well as the glass wares, devices and instruments in the Crop Processing

Laboratory Instrumentation Room such as follows:

- One 1000 mL Graduated Cylinder

- Three 200 mL Beakers

- One Glass Thermometer

- One Vernier Caliper (Manual)

- One Vernier Caliper (Digital)

- One Plastic Test Tube

Data Gathering Procedures

The following procedures were followed in performing this laboratory exercise.

The students gathered and measured the indicated parameter/property in each

procedure. The data collected were recorded on appropriate table showing the total and

average values. The values were expressed with two significant figures.

1. The learners cleaned the six different durables by removing the deformed,

defective and damaged grains.

2. The students measured the three axial dimensions of the grains: the length,

width and thickness using a vernier caliper. They made at least three measurements.

They recorded the measurements in millimeters

3. Bulk density is defined as the mass/volume ratio that includes the cavities in a

porous material. Each grain sample were poured into a 1000 mL graduated cylinder

that is filled up to its half capacity. Then, the total mass of the grains contained in the

1000 mL cylinder were weighed using the top loading balance. Three measurements

were recorded. The bulk density was computed and the data were recorded.

4. The graduated cylinders were filled with tap water about three fourths full. The

measurements of the water inside the cylinder were measured at an eye level position.

The reading was in the bottom meniscus. Three measurements were recorded.

5. Three beakers were filled about half of its volume with tap water. The

temperatures of water inside the beakers were measured with an ordinary glass bulb

thermometer. Only one glass thermometer was available in this activity.

6. The surface area and volume of the plastic test tube were computed by

measuring the radius and height of the test tube. One measurement was done because

there is only one available test tube.

7. The given examples of different dimensions were converted into SI units.

 Results and Discussion

The measurement of the three axial dimensions of the durables were shown on

table 1 while table 2 shows the mass, volume and bulk density measurement of the

grains.

Length, width, thickness, mass and volume are some of the physical and

engineering characteristics of cereals, crops and grains. Identifying and measuring

these characteristics and dimensions is very important to optimize the design

parameters of agricultural equipment used in their production, handling and storage

processes. These axial dimensions play an important role in designing and developing

of specific machines and their operations such as sorting, separating and cleaning, also

to determine the optimum in seed metering device in pneumatic planter and precision

sowing machine to suite every size of these grains.

MEASUREMENTS (mm)
Name of Durable Length Width Thickness
R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
1. Yellow Monggo 5.06 4.88 4.49 4.23 3.97 3.79 n/a n/a n/a
2. Corn Grains 8.79 8.50 8.75 6.95 6.20 6.30 5.15 3.60 4.65
3. Green Monggo 5.20 4.95 5.35 3.60 3.95 3.80 n/a n/a n/a
4. Paddy Rice 10.25 10.30 10.22 2.63 2.30 2.37 2.02 2.00 2.01
5. Peanuts 11.85 11.90 11.60 8.35 8.80 8.65 6.90 7.40 7.90
6. Corn Grits 4.10 3.60 2.84 2.82 2.46 2.07 1.74 1.31 2.28
Total 45.21 44.13 43.25 28.58 27.68 26.98 15.81 14.31 16.84
Average 7.54 7.36 7.21 4.76 4.61 4.50 3.95 3.58 4.21
Table 1. Dimension of Durables
Replicate 1 Replicate 2 Replicate 3 Average
Name of
Mass Volume Density Mass Volume Density Mass Volume Density Density
durable
g mL g/mL g mL g/mL g mL g/mL g/mL
Yellow Monggo 445.55 500 0.89 432.94 500 0.87 439.91 500 0.88 0.88
Corn Grains 437.42 500 0.87 469.81 500 0.94 450.12 500 0.90 0.90
Green Monggo 454.85 500 0.91 434.84 500 0.87 454.70 500 0.91 0.90
Peanut 330.00 500 0.66 336.55 500 0.67 347.61 500 0.70 0.68
Corn Grits 364.32 500 0.73 343.35 500 0.69 326.79 500 0.65 0.69
Paddy Rice 262.49 500 0.52 278.13 500 0.56 267.23 500 0.53 0.54
 Table 2. Bulk Density of the Grains
Table 3 shows the volume in mL and density in kg/ m 3 of water in the graduated

cylinder. First, the 1000mL graduated cylinder was weighed. The mass of the cylinder

was found to be 0.62424 kg. Next, the cylinder was filled with water up to three fourths

of its capacity. The volume of water is 750 mL. Then, the cylinder with water was

weighed. The mass of cylinder with water is 1.4208 kg. To measure the mas of the

water, the mass of the cylinder is subtracted from the mass of the cylinder with water.

Finally, the density of water was computed by dividing the mass of water by its volume.

The final answer was converted into kg/m3.

Only one 1000 graduated cylinder was used so there was no changes in the

values and measurements.

Graduated Volume, mL Density of Water, kg/ m3

Cylinder Replicate Replicate Replicate Replicate Replicate Replicate
Average
No. 1 2 3 1 2 3
1 750 750 750 1062.08 1062.08 1062.08 1062.08
Table 3. Density of Water

Table 4 shows the temperature of water in the three beakers. The temperature

was obtained by using an ordinary glass bulb thermometer. The same glass

thermometer was used in measuring the temperature for the three beakers with water

because only one glass thermometer was available during the experiment.

A small discrepancy in water temperature was observed.

Temperature of Water Contained in the Beaker, oC

Beaker
Replicate 1 Replicate 2 Replicate 3 Total Average
1 26 28 27 81 27
2 26 27 28 81 27
3 26.5 27 28 81.5 27.17
Table 4. Water Temperature in the beaker
 Table 5 shows the surface area and the volume of plastic test tube expressed in

m2 and m3, respectively. The radius and the height of the plastic test tube was

measured using the vernier caliper. The radius was found to be 1.25mm which was

converted to 0.0125m. The height of the test tube is 12.50 mm and was converted to

0.125 m. The formula for the surface area is 2πr × h, while the formula for the volume,

πr2 ×h, where r is the radius and h is the height. The surface area and the volume of the

test tube were obtained by substituting the values to the formula.

Test Tube No. Radius Height Surface Area Volume

m2 m3
1 0.0125m 0.125m 9.817 x 10-3 6.136 x 10-5
Table 5. Surface Area and Volume of Test Tube

Conversions

The following conversions were obtained and computed by using different

conversion factors.

a. 56 mL = 0.06 liters = 56 cm3

b. 200 oF = 93.33 oC = 366.48 K
c. 1000 gal = 3 785 412 mL = 3 785.41 L (liters)
d. 100 BTU = 25 205.60 cal = 105 505.60 J (Joule)
e. 1 bar = 14 503.80 psi = 100 000 Pa (Pascal)
f. 212 BTU/lb = 493.11 kJ/kg
 Conclusion

The English measurement system and the metric system have one thing in

common. They can both be used to measure volume, distance, weight, or temperature.

People from the United States who learned the English measurement system in school

tend to think in yards, pounds, gallons, and Fahrenheit. People from most other parts of

the world think in terms of meters, grams, liters, and Centigrade. Both systems can

accurately measure things; however, the metric system is much more logical,

consistent, and easier to learn.

The differences between the metric systems and the English system are many.

Under the metric system each quantity such as length (meter) or mass (gram) has its

own unit of measurement, and no unit is used to express more than one quantity. The

English system is more confusing: an ounce can indicate volume, as in the number of

ounces in a quart; or weight, as the number of ounces in a pound.

The English system also has a more complicated structure for measuring

distance. For example, the terms inch, foot, and mile describe different lengths. There

are 12 inches in a foot and 5,280 feet in a mile. In contrast, the metric system uses only

the term "meter" for length and, when describing much larger or smaller amounts,

combines it with different prefixes to create words like millimeter or kilometer. Clearly,

the world would be a more logical place if everyone learned, understood, and used the

metric system exclusively.

This activity helped the students to further understand the SI unit system of

measurement and enabled them to convert some measurements from English system
to SI units. This activity also helped the students to identify and use the different

laboratory instruments in the Crop Processing Laboratory. Above all, this laboratory

activity is very helpful for the students as the future agricultural engineers and

designers.

The three axial dimensions, length, width and thickness, as well as the mass,

volume and bulk density of different grains were determined in the activity. For

engineers, these properties of grains play an important role in the design and

adjustment of machines used during harvesting, separating, cleaning, handling and

storing of agricultural materials and convert them into food, feed and fodder.

Having three replications of the measurements is very important not only in this

activity, but in every experiment and research studies. One of the most important

principles of the scientific method is reproducibility. A valid result should be able to be

replicated independently, whereas an invalid result, achieved due to some error or by

chance) will not be able to be consistently reproduced. Replication includes making all

the same measurements and undergoing the same analysis. If the same results can be

reproduced, that is a good indication that the original results were accurate, whereas if

they can’t, then it means that the results were due to some combination of bias and

chance.

For much better and accurate results, it is recommended that there should be

enough and sufficient supply of raw materials, instruments and laboratory equipment.
 References

Book Sources

Frontiers in Science and Technology

Science and Life Series

Internet Sources

http://maths.mq.edu.au/numeracy/tutorial/si.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_System_of_Units

https://elibrary.asabe.org/abstract.asp?aid=7859&t=2&redir=&redirType=

http://maxwellsci.com/print/rjaset/v2-492-498.pdf

http://www.mjae.eg.net/pdf/2009/october/17.pdf

http://www.cabi.org/gara/FullTextPDF/Pre2000/19950709522.pdf

http://honestuniverse.com/2012/12/30/why-is-replication-so-important/
APPENDICES
A. Peanuts B. Yellow Monggo

C. Corn Grains
D. Paddy Rice
 E. Corn Grits F. Green Monggo

G. Measuring Dimensions H. Filling the Graduated Cylinder

Using Vernier Caliper up to its Half Capacity (500 mL)
I. Observing the Water Temperature in the Beaker