Discussion

Based on the results and data analysis in the section above, there are four formulas we used to
calculate the volume, uncertainty volume, density, and uncertainty density of the ball bearing and
glass block. Before we started the experiments, we massed the ball bearing and glass block using a
weighting scale.

For the first experiment, we used the ball bearing as an object, using a micrometre screw gauge to
measure the diameter of the bearing ball. We repeated the experiment three times to obtain an
average value. The micrometre screw gauge we used has zero error, which is +0.03mm. Therefore,
we need to find the true reading by subtracting the actual value from the observed reading with a
value of zero error. Then we have to determine its volume. After we calculated the volume of the
ball bearing is 4.06 × 10−3 mm3.

The formula we used to calculate the volume (V ) of ball bearing:

4 3
V = πr
3
After that, we need to calculate the uncertainty of volume of the ball bearing by using this formula:

∆V = [ ∆d ∆r
d
+
r
V]
The uncertainty of volume of the ball bearing is 1.23 × 10−7 m3. Then, we calculated the percentage
of volume of the ball bearing is 0.23%. After that, we calculated the density of the ball bearing by
using this formula:

mass , m
density , ρ=
volume , v
the density of the ball bearing is 6.86 × 10−3 kg m−3 , then we calculated the uncertainty of density of
the ball bearing is 4.54 ×10−5 g mm3 by using this formula:

∆ ρ=
[ ∆m ∆v
m
+
v ]
ρ

The percentage of uncertainty of the density of a ball bearing, which we calculated last, is 0.7%.
Therefore, the micrometre screw gauge has an accuracy of 0.01 mm and is used to measure objects
no more than a few millimetres across. The inner cylinder is graduated in mm and half mm, while
the rotating barrel section is graduated from 0 to 50. One turn of this will advance the jaws by 0.5
mm, so one division on the barrel is equal to 0.01 mm. The ratchet screw should always be used
when closing the jaws to avoid squashing the object being measured.
For the second experiment, we used the glass block as an object, using a vernier calliper to measure
the length, width, and height of the glass block. We repeated the experiment three times to obtain
an average value. Because the vernier calliper we used did not have zero error, our true reading
matched the observed reading. Then we have to determine its volume. After we calculated the
volume of the glass block is 1.05 × 10−5 m 3.

The formula we used to calculate the volume (V ) of the glass block:

V =l× w ×h
After that, we need to calculate the uncertainty of volume of the glass block by using this formula:

∆V =
[ ∆l ∆ w ∆h
l
+
w
+
h
V
]
The uncertainty of volume of the glass block is 9.57 ×10−16 m3. Then, we calculated the percentage
of volume of the glass block is 9.12%. After that, we calculated the density of the glass block by using
this formula:

mass , m
density , ρ=
volume , v
the density of the glass block is 2.75 ×10−3 kg m−3, then we calculated the uncertainty of density of
the glass block is 4.54 ×10−5 g mm3 by using this formula:

∆ ρ=
[ ∆m ∆v
m
+
v ]
ρ

The last time we calculated the percentage of uncertainty of the density of glass blocks, it was 0.1%.
Therefore, vernier callipers are more accurate than rulers for measuring length, width, and height, as
proven. because The vernier part increases the accuracy of the measurement by introducing a
second scale that slides along the main scale and Vernier scales of the type found in most school
laboratories are usually used to measure objects up to a few centimetres across with an accuracy of
+/- 0.1 mm. The second scale has division markings with a spacing only a little bit different than the
main division’s scale, which means that in general they won’t line up, except at one point.