11

Motion and Measurement

of Distances
Expected Learning Outcomes

Knowledge to be gained: •Measurement •SI units •Motion and its types •Story of transportation
Skill to be developed: •Correct way of measuring physical quantities and expressing them in
different units. For example, length, time, mass and temperature.
Attitude to be inculcated: •Importance of quantitative measurement.

INTRODUCTION distance of your school from your house is also

Estimation is an integral part of our life. From estimated by your parents so that they can
measuring how much water is needed to decide whether to send you to school by bus,
cook a certain food, to how far our school is on bicycle or on foot.
from our home, we use different kinds of We are estimating things all the time. In the
estimations (measurements) to reach a scienti c language, estimation is called
value. In scienti c language this estimation measurement. For example, the length of the
is called measurement. space between two points is called distance.
e quantity of food that needs to be cooked e distance between your house and your
for the family is estimated by your parents. e school is measured using a standard unit of
Your house
measurement (kilometres).
Your school
Fig.1 Distance between your house and your school
is measured in ‘kilometres’

X kilometres

142 Exploring Science-6

You would have heard your parents saying
that the school is ‘X’ kilometres away from
home. Here, kilometre is the standard unit
through which we measure the distance
between the two points. is unit is agreed
upon and everyone understands how far a
kilometre is.
All properties of matter can be measured
using different methods. To measure
length, we use a scale. To measure how hot a
substance is, we use a thermometer, and so
on. Let us learn why we need to measure and
how to measure different properties of
matter.
A thermometer
A balance scale
Fig.2 Different methods of measurement
WHY DO WE MEASURE THINGS?
Measurement is the basis of all sciences. It
plays an important role in our daily life. We
oen take measurements of length, time,
mass, volume, area of different objects and
quantities.
Length
What is the distance between Delhi and
Mumbai? How far is the school from your
house? What is the length of your science
book? To answer all these questions, we need
to measure the length.
Motion and Measurement of Distances
Length is the term used to identify the size
of an object or the distance between two
points. For example, He is 5 feet tall; we are 5
kilometres away from the destination; the
length of the ruler is 30 centimetres. ese all
convey a measurement of length between
two points.
Mass
Whenever we buy rice, wheat our, sugar,
fruits and vegetables from the market, we
measure the mass.
Mass is the measure of the amount of
matter in an object. For example, The mass
(oen called weight) of this table is 10
kilograms; the mass of a grain of rice is less
than a gram. Both these examples convey a
measurement of the amount of matter an
object has.
Time
At what time do you get up in the morning?
How long does it take to reach the school? At
what time do you come back from your
school? Such types of questions are related to
time.
Time is the progression of events from the
past to the present to the future.
Time is also the term used to identify how
long it takes for an event.
For example, How long was the ight? How
much time would the match take?
Volume
Volume is the measure of the amount of
space an object takes. When we buy milk, oil,
petrol, etc., we measure the volume.
143
Temperature
When we fall sick, the doctor measures our
body temperature . Temperature is the
measure of the hotness or coldness of an
object.
All these examples indicate the need for
measurement in our daily life.
HOW DO WE MEASURE?
From the examples mentioned so far, you
can understand that different things are
measured in different ways. Usually, we
measure length, mass, volume, time and
temperature.
When we measure a quantity, we compare it
with a standard value. For example, Length is
generally measured in metres, mass is
measured in grams or kilograms, and
volume of liquids is measured in litres.
ese standard values are called units. All
measurable properties of matter have units.
In earlier times, a small mass was measured
in tola in India, but in pounds in UK.
Similarly, length was measured in gaz and
distance was measured in kos (about 1.8 km)
or yojan in India, but in yards and miles in
UK or USA. Values of these units differ from
each other, which leads to confusion in the
exchange of information between countries.
To overcome this problem, standard units
for measurement were developed by a
group of scientists from all over the world.
is was done at a conference on Weights
and Measure in France in 1960. e set of
units adopted in this conference is called
the SI System of Units. e SI units were
adopted by people all over the world. ese
units help countries to exchange
information and trade with each other
smoothly.
e Table given below shows the seven basic
SI units of measurement.

Table: Seven basic SI units of measurement

Sl. No. Quantity Unit Symbol
1. Length Metre m
2. Mass Kilogram kg
3. Time Second s
4. Temperature Kelvin K
5. Electric current Ampere A
6. No. of particles in a substance Mole mol
7. Intensity of light (luminous intensity) Candela cd

144 Exploring Science-6

Sometimes, these units are not suitable for Hence, SI units can be changed to suit the
measuring a given quantity. In such cases, needs of measurement. In this lesson, we will
they can be made bigger or smaller by learn about how we measure length.
multiplying or dividing by factors of 10. For HOW IS LENGTH MEASURED?
example: Length is one of the most common physical
u Smaller masses are measured in grams (g). quantities that needs to be measured for
One gram is one-thousandth part of a various purposes. Length can be de ned as
kilogram. the distance between two points. Length is
1 kg = 0.001 kg measured for two main reasons:
1 g =– 1000
1. One is to know the dimensions or size of
1 kg = 1000 g (1 kilogram = 1000 gram)
an object. For example, the length of a
1
– kg = 500 g (half kilogram = 500 gram)
2 book; the length, width and height of a
–1 kg = (–1 × 1000)g = 200 g room, and so on.
5 5
u Similarly, large distances can be measured 2. e other is to measure the distance
in kilometres, which is a thousand times between two points. For example, the
bigger than a metre. 1 km = 1000 m. approximate distance between Delhi and
Mumbai is 1400 km.
e distance between Delhi and Kolkata is
In ancient times, length was measured in
15,00,000 m. It becomes more convenient
different units. Some of these units were as
to mention that the distance between
follows:
Delhi and Kolkata is 1,500 km.
–1 = 1,500 km 1. Hand-span: It is the distance between the
15,00,000 m = 15,00,000 × 1000
tips of the little nger and the thumb of a
u Very small distances are measured in hand when it is stretched (Fig.4).
centimetres. 2. Cubit: It is the distance between the
1 cm =– m 1
100 elbow and the tip of the middle nger of a
1 m = 100 cm hand. In ancient Egypt, cubit was used as
a unit of length (Fig.5).

A hand-span
A cubit
A hand-span

Fig.3 A milestone Fig.4 A hand-span Fig.5 A cubit

Motion and Measurement of Distances 145
 3. Foot-steps: Distance between the two
feet when a person takes a step. Ancient
Romans used this as a unit of length.
ese units have different values for
different people because the size of a hand
or foot varies from person to person. So, if
the length of a table is seven hand-spans with
your hand, it could be ve hand-spans with
your father's hand.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 1 2 3 4
Hand-span of a child Hand-span of an adult
Fig.6 Measuring length using hand-span
Knowledge Booster
There is evidence that many early civilisa ons
devised standards of measurement and some
tools for measuring. The Egyp an cubit is generally
recognised as having been the most popular
standard of linear measurement in the ancient
world. It was based on the length of the arm from
the elbow to the extended finger ps and was
standardised by a royal master cubit on black
granite, against which all the cubit s cks in use in
Egypt were measured.
12.5 cm
CM
0 cm
Fig.7 Measuring length with a scale
146
e SI unit of length is metre. Metre is used
as a standard unit for measuring the length
of an object. It is useful to measure short
lengths and distances. To measure very short
distances, units like centimetre (cm), and
millimetre (mm) are used.
1m = 100 cm
1 cm = 10 mm
For measuring large distances, kilometre
(km) is used. 1 km = 1000m.
e devices used for measuring small
lengths are measuring tapes or metre rods.
5 6 7 8 9 10
You can also measure length with the help of
a 15 cm ruler or a 30 cm ruler. You have to
follow the correct method to measure the
length of a given object.
While measuring length, remember to:
1. Place the scale parallel to the side of the
object being measured (Fig.7).
2. If the scale has a worn-out portion at the
zero mark, measure the length of the
object from the 1 cm mark on the ruler.
Remember to subtract 1 cm from the
reading taken at last.
3. Keep your eyes vertically above the point
where the measurement is to be taken
(Fig.9).
Incorrect eye position
Correct eye position
8.2 cm 0 cm 8.5 cm
Fig.8 Incorrect way of measurement Fig.9 Correct way of measurement
Exploring Science-6
 Activity-1
Aim: To measure the length, breadth and
height of a rectangular box (like a shoe box).
Method:
1. Keep the rectangular box on a horizontal
at surface.
2. Take a ruler and place one end along a
side of the box. (Do not start from the
edge of the ruler if it is broken or
rounded. Start from the 1 cm mark.)
3. e ruler should be positioned straight
and parallel to the side of the box being
measured.
4. Note the point on the ruler till which the
box extends, on the side you are measuring.
5. If you have measured from the 1 cm
mark, subtract the initial reading (1 cm)
from the rst
reading to get the
length of the side
being measured.
6. Take the reading
of each side.
Fig.10 Measuring the length, breadth
and height of a rectangular box
Measuring the Length of a Curved Line
e length of a curved line or object can be
measured with the help of a string. You can
learn this through the following activity.
Checkpoint-1
Write True or False
1. Mass is the amount of matter in an object.
2. e volume of a liquid is measured in kilogram.
3. Temperature is the measure of hotness or coldness of an object.
4. e length of the space between two points is called distance.
Motion and Measurement of Distances
Activity-2
Aim: To measure the length of a curved wire.
Method:
1. Tie a knot at one end of a thread.
2. Place the thread at the beginning of the
curved wire and try to measure a small
initial portion of the wire which is
relatively straight.
3. Place your thumb at the other end of the
measured portion and measure the next
straighter portion.
read
Curved wire
(to be measured)
Fig.11 Measuring the length of
a curved wire with a thread
4. Keep repeating the above step by using the
thumb of one of your hands to hold the
initial portion of each next segment and
the index nger of the other hand to hold
the nal portion.
5. Aer going through the whole length of the
wire, straighten the thread and measure
the thread on a scale from the beginning
knot to the nal point it was used.
__________
__________
__________
__________
147
 WHAT IS MOTION?
What do you observe when you go out? You
nd many objects moving around you. You
nd cars, buses, trucks, and bicycles moving
on the road.
All these objects are changing their positions
with time. When an object changes its
position with time, it is said to be in
motion. An object that does not change its
position with time is said to be at rest.
e objects may have slow or fast motions.
For example, the motion of a snail is slower
when compared to a moving car.
Stationary objects
Tree
House Aer ve seconds
car reaches here
A moving car
Fig.12 e position of the moving
car changes with time
To know how fast or slow the motion of an
object is, we need to measure the distance
travelled by the object with respect to time.
This means, we try to nd out the distance
travelled by each object in a speci ed
amount of time. For example, if a car travels a
distance of 40 kilometres in an hour and a
bicycle travels a distance of 10 kilometres in
an hour (the same amount of time), we can
say that the car is faster than the bicycle.
148
TYPES OF MOTION
Rectilinear Motion
e motion of a body in a straight line is
called rectilinear motion. A cycle moving
in a straight line, or an apple falling from a
tree are examples of rectilinear motion.
Curvilinear Motion
e motion of a body on a curved path is
called curvilinear motion. A car moving on
a curved road and children cycling around a
park are examples of curvilinear motion.
Both rectilinear and curvilinear motions
are together called translational motion.
Fig.13 Curvilinear motion
Circular Motion
When a body moves along a de nite path
in such a way that its distance from a
central point always remains the same, it is
said to be in circular motion. Motions of
the hands of a clock are examples of circular
motion. In circular motion, the body moves
in a circular path.
Circular motion is a very speci c type of
curvilinear (non-linear) motion in which
the moving body always maintains an
exact distance from a central point.
Exploring Science-6

Fig.14 Circular motion of the hands of a clock
Rotational Motion
When a body turns along a xed axis, it is
said to be in rotational motion. e
spinning of a top on its own axis is an
example of rotational motion. Similarly,
Earth also rotates on its own axis.
Fig.15 A top and Earth spinning on their axis
If you notice carefully, the outer portion of a
rotating top moves more distance than the
inner portion. When an object rotates on an
axis, different parts of the object move
different distances, based on their distance
from the axis.
Rotational motion is different from
circular motion. In circular motion, an
object as a whole travels along a circular
path, but in rotational motion, the object
spins on an axis.
Motion and Measurement of Distances
Moon’s Orbit
Earth
Moon
Fig.16 Moon revolving around the Earth
exhibits circular and periodic motion
Periodic Motion
When a body moves in such a way that its
motion repeats aer the same interval of
time, it is said to be in periodic motion.
Periodic motion is also called repetitive
motion. e motion of the hands of a clock
and the motion of the Earth around the Sun
are examples of periodic motion. Watch the
second hand of a clock. It is exactly in the
same position aer every minute.
A swinging pendulum also has periodic
motion. We will study about the motion of a
pendulum in detail, in Class 7.
Non-Periodic Motion
When the motion of a body does not repeat
aer the same interval of time, it is said to
be in non-periodic motion. Motions of a
moving bus, leaves of a plant, and moving
people are examples of non-periodic motion.
e motion of a body may be classi ed into
more than one type. For example, when you
walk into your school, it is a rectilinear and
149
non-periodic motion. e motion of the
Moon around the Earth is circular and
periodic motion.
Multiple Motion
Sometimes, a moving object performs two or
more types of motions simultaneously. Such
a motion is called multiple motion. Some
examples of multiple motions are:
u A rider on a bicycle, riding through a
path. e wheels and the pedals perform
rotatory motion and the bicycle as a
whole, moves in a curved or straight
path, exhibiting a cur vilinear or
rectilinear motion.
u A drill used by a carpenter for drilling a
hole in a piece of wood exhibits both
translatory and rotatory motions. When
the drill is rotated (rotatory motion), it
a ls o gets pierce d into t he wo o d
(translatory motion).
STORY OF TRANSPORT
Motion is one of the characteristics of living
beings. Plants cannot move from their
position, but their parts move in different
directions. Animals move from one place to
another for various reasons, such as nding
food, looking for mates and escaping from
predators.
Fig.17 Modes of transportation before 20 century
150 Exploring Science-6
Motion is very important to humans too.
Human beings move to many places in their
lifetime. e need for travelling helped them
evolve an efficient transport system.
Today, we have several modes of transport—
we can go from one place to another by cycle,
rickshaw, car, bus, train, aeroplane, etc.
However, long ago, people did not have any
means of transport.
In the beginning, humans used to walk from
one place to another. Later, they started using
animals for going long distances and to carry
their load. ey also learned to move across
water bodies on wooden logs. Gradually, they
developed logs into ras and boats.
e invention of the wheel brought a
revolution in transportation. ey rst
designed carts and carriages. Animals were
used to pull carts that moved on wooden
wheels. Until the beginning of the 19 century,
people still depended on animals, boats and
ships to take them from place to place.
e next invention was the steam engine,
which was brought in trains. Railroads were
made for steam engine-driven carriages and
wagons. Later came automobiles. Motor-
driven cars, trucks, buses and even boats and
ships were widely used. Animal-power was
replaced by engine power.
 Fig.18 Modes of transportation in the 21 century

e dawn of the 20 century saw the
invention of air travel. The Wright Brothers
made the rst airplane and humans started
traveling by air.
Throughout the 1900s, these modes of
transport were improved and made more
efficient to carry passengers as well as goods.
Electricity was utilised for transport with the
advent of the electric train and the monorail.
Now, humans have travelled to space and the
moon through spacecra.
However, most of the modern modes of
transport consume large amounts of fuel.
As the fuels available to us are non-
renewable, we need to conserve them very
carefully. We also need to do research and
look for alternative sources of energy, which
are renewable as well as economical.
e 21 century is now seeing the rise of
personalised electric vehicles, like electric
cars and electric bikes.

Checkpoint-2 Fig.19 Electric vehicle

Fill in the blanks

1. Motion of a body in a straight line is called ______________ motion.
2. When a body turns along a xed axis, it is said to be in ______________ motion.
3. e invention of the ______________ brought a revolution in transportation.
4. e rst airplane was made by the ______________.
5. Humans have travelled to space and the Moon through ______________.

Motion and Measurement of Distances 151

 Fun-Facts
Enjoy these interesting facts about ancient measurement units.
Inch: In the fourteenth century, King Edward II of England ruled that 1 inch is equal to 3
grains of barley placed end to end lengthwise. Today, one inch is equal to 2.54 cm.
Hand: A hand was approximately 5 inches or 5 digits ( ngers) across. Today, a hand is 4
inches and is used to measure horses (from the ground to the horse's withers, or
shoulder).
Span: A span was the length of the hand stretched out, about 9 inches, for an adult hand.
Foot: In ancient times, the foot was 111/42 inches. Today, it is 12 inches the length of the
average adult man's foot.
Yard: A yard was originally the length of a man's belt or girdle, as it was called in the twelh
century. King Henry I of England xed the yard as the distance from his nose to the
thumb of his outstretched arm. Today, it is 36 inches, about the distance from the
nose to the outstretched arm of a man.
Cubit: In ancient Egypt, a cubit was the distance from the elbow to the ngertips. Today, a
cubit is 18 inches.
Lick: A lick was used by the Greeks to measure the distance from the tip of the thumb to the
tip of the index nger.
Pace: e ancient Roman soldiers marched in paces, which were the length of a double step,
about 5 feet; 1000 paces was a mile. Today, a pace is the length of one step, 2½ to 3 feet.

Keywords
Unit : A standard value of a quantity.
SI units : International System of Units which is accepted all over the world.
Motion : e change in position of an object with reference to a stationary point.
Rectilinear motion : Motion in a straight line.
Curvilinear motion : Motion in a curved line.
Circular motion : e motion on a round path, with the distance of the object remaining
same from the central point.
Periodic motion : e motion which repeats aer the same interval of time.
Non-periodic motion : e motion which does not repeat aer the same interval of time.

152 Exploring Science-6

 Points to Remember
u Measurement is important for all kinds of work that we do.
u To measure a quantity, it is compared with a standard value called a unit.
u e unit of length is 'm', the unit of mass is 'kg', the unit of time is 's' and the unit of
temperature is 'K.'
u e SI units are used all over the world to maintain uniformity.
u To measure short distances, units like 'cm' and 'm' are used, whereas to measure large
distances, 'km' is used.
u While measuring the length of an object, we should:
Ÿ place the ruler parallel along the length to be measured;
Ÿ avoid using worn-out portions of the ruler; and
Ÿ keep your eye vertically above the point where the measurement is to be taken.
u An object is said to be in motion when its position changes with time, with respect to a
stationary point.
u Rectilinear motion is the motion of an object in a straight line.
u Curvilinear motion is the movement of an object along a curved path.
u In a circular motion, the path of the object in motion remains the same and its distance also
remains the same from a central point.
u When a motion repeats aer the same interval of time, it is called periodic motion.
u When a motion does not repeat aer the same interval of time, it is called non-periodic
motion.

Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. In the scienti c language, estimation is called ______________.
(a) assessment (b) measurement
(c) arrangement (d) access
2. 1 g = ?
(a) 0.1 kg (b) 0.01 kg
(c) 0.001 kg (d) None of these

Motion and Measurement of Distances 153

 3. e distance between the elbow and the tip of the middle nger of a hand is called _______.
(a) hand-span (b) cubit
(c) footstep (d) foot-span
4. e S.I. unit of electric current is __________.
(a) kelvin (b) mole
(c) ampere (d) candela
5. When the motion of a body does not repeat aer the same interval of time, it is said to be in:
(a) periodic motion (b) non-periodic motion
(c) translatory motion (d) circular motion
B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. _______________ is the measure of the amount of matter in an object.
2. e _______________ system was adopted by many countries because it was scienti c and
simple.
3. e motion of a body on a curved path is called _______________ motion.
4. e motion of a top and the motion of the Earth are examples of _______________ motion.
5. _______________ is the distance between the tips of the little nger and the thumb of a
hand when it is stretched.
C. Very Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. Which unit is suitable to measure the length and breadth of a room?
2. How can the distance between Delhi and Mumbai be best expressed?
3. Where was the Metric System rst developed?
4. What is the SI system of unit?
5. e S.I. system was developed in 1960 in France. True or False?
6. When is a body said to be in motion?
7. A bullet is just shot from a gun. What kind of motion is the bullet in?
8. In rotational motion, the inner portion of the rotating object moves a lesser distance than
the outer portion. True or False?
9. e movement of the hands of a running fan can be said to be in rotational and periodic
motion. True or False?
10. When you kick a football, it rolls on the ground. is rolling football is in rotational as well
as rectilinear motion. True or False?
154 Exploring Science-6
 11. e height of a person is 1.65m. Express it in terms of cm and mm.
12. While measuring the length of a knitting needle, the reading of the tape at one end is 3.0cm
and at the other end is 6.3 cm. What is the length of the needle?

D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. Give two examples of estimations we do in our daily life.
2. De ne with an example:
(a) length (b) volume (c) mass
3. Why was an SI system developed?
4. What instructions should we keep in mind while measuring the length of any object?
5. What is translational motion? What kinds of motion can it be further divided into? Give
examples.
6. How is circular motion a speci c type of curvilinear motion?
7. Differentiate between rectilinear and curvilinear motion.
8. State one difference between circular motion and rotational motion.
9. Differentiate between periodic and non-periodic motion.
10. During the rolling of a ball on the ground, which types of motion are performed.

E. Long -Answer-Type Questions

1. What are the seven basic SI units of measurement? Give their units and symbols with an
example of each.
2. Why cannot 'pace' or a 'foot-step' be used as a standard unit of length?
3. With the help of an experiment, describe how we can measure the length of a curved line
using a string.
4. Give a brief note on the different types of motion you have studied.
5. Give a summarised account of the story of transportation in human history.

HOTS
1. While moving in a train, the objects outside appear to be moving, but the person sitting near
you appears to be stationary. Explain the reason.
2. What would happen if the Earth moved with only rotatory motion?

Motion and Measurement of Distances 155

 Activity Zone
A. Complete the crossword puzzle with the help of the given clues:
Down
Ë

1. The string of the guitar is an example of ______________ motion.

2. The whirling of stone tied with a thread is an example of ______________ motion.
1
4. When the object does not P
move with time, it is said
to be at _____________.
5. When the object moves
with time, it is said to be
in ______________.
2
C
Across Ë
3. e movement of a
3 4 5
snail on the ground is R R M

a ______________
motion. 6
M
6. SI stands for
international
______________ of
unit.

Central beam
B. Aim: Understanding the working of a K1 K2
S1 S2
physical balance. Balancing
Screw
Beam
Materials required: A physical balance, support
various objects and xed weights.
Working: A physical balance can be used
Central
to measure the weight of an object. pillar
Basically, a physical balance is a simple Plumbine
Pan Pan
weight measuring instrument. It is used
to measure the weight of an object with Levelling
screw Scale and pointer
the help of other objects (having known Wooden board

weight). Physical balance

Measure the weight of general objects you have on a physical balance.

156 Exploring Science-6

Project Work
C. Measure the height of your classmates using a measuring tape. Make a table to note down your
ndings. Then determine who is the tallest and who is the shortest.

Science Excursion

D. Visit different shops in different types of market places. Find out about the measuring devices
and the units used there.

Memory Map

Rotational
TYPES OF
Periodic Non-translatory Translatory
MOTION
Non-periodic
Rectilinear Curvilinear

Circular

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more resources on
this chapter:
https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-1-science/b-1-exploring-science-6/c-20/motion-and-measurement-
of-distances.html

Motion and Measurement of Distances 157