fh would be hard to overstate the importance of taking proper measurements inthe Physics lab. The goal of most of ‘the experiments that you perform this year will be to compare the results of calculations to some known sl 7 determine your source of error. Obviously, these calculations can only be as accurate as the measurements that they: based on. For this reason, you must take each measurement to the maximum accuracy allowed by the instrument you use. The accuracy of each measurement is limited by two things; the limitations of the instrument, and the care of the: experimenter. You must also make sure that you don't accidentally claim that a measurement or caleulation is more: ‘accurate than it actually is. For example, let us look at the picture below. s: | - Figure 1 Inches 4 You should see that a small section of a rod has been place in between two different rulers. Before we go over the example, let us remember that when taking a measurement in Science, itis assumed that a measurement is made up of a number of digits that are certain, and one additional digit which represents estimation. For example, if you read that ‘an object had a mass of 27.865 g. The last digit, the 5, would be an estimated digit. Units must also be included with each u ‘measurement. o : The ruler on the left has line markings for each inch. We can accurately say that the rod is in between 1 and 2 iy inches. Each measurement that we report must contain one estimation digit. We might estimate that the rod is 30%-50% beyond the 1-inch mark. Our final recorded measurement might be 1.4 inches, with our estimation digit in _ tenth place. _ The ruler on the right has line markings for each tenth of an inch. Because there are more markings on this rt our measurement with higher accuracy. We can accurately say that the rod is in between 1.4: that we report must contain one estimation digit. Our final measurement with our estimation digit in the hundredth place.‘Meter stick, thermometer, balance, 10m! graduated cylinder, 250ml graduated cylinder, 250m! wood block, screw. Procedure and Gathering of Data Determining the limitations of common laboratory instruments. 1) Observe the smallest place value represented by the lines on your meter stick (on the metric side). Record this) with the appropriate unit (ie. hundredth of a cm, or 0.01cm), as the "smallest certain place value" for the meter} in Table A of the data section for this lab. 2), Add one decimal place value (ie. tenth becomes hundredth, or hundredth becomes thousandth) to the: ‘the previous step. This is your estimation digit for this instrument. Record this value, with the apy Table A of the data section for this lab 3) Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each of the following instruments; thermometer, balance, 10m! graduated graduated ojinder, 250m beaker. Record these values, with the appropiate units, in Table Aof the data section ‘Measuring Length 4). Using the metric side of the meter stick, measure the length, width and height of your wood block. Make! you include an estimation digit, for each measurement, that matches the place value determined in part activity. Record your values, with units, in Table 8 of the data section ‘Measuring Mass '5) Zero out your balance before each of the following steps. 6) Determine the mass of a clean, dry 10m! graduated cylinder. Record this value in Table C of the data ‘to include an estimation digit, and unit with your answer. AIRED of weter to the redtustad cinder. Dry the outside of the cylinder to avoid45) Take the temperature of the lab room and record in Table F. 436) Take and record the temperature of some water in a beaker Vv. Data and Results: Table A ‘Measuring Instrument | | \x is y 1 Smallest Place Value Waele sek W d-OL [yd 0 ml Graduated Cylinder 7250 ml graduated cylinder ‘250ml beakerObject ] Omi Graduated Cylinder a 250 mi graduated cylinder | _ 250ml beaker Waterin a Beaker Vi. Conclusion/Generalization/Observation/Discussion. Wearuring Various Or fandom — dewes the precive end renittr i ‘ae