MEASUREMENTS

BASE QUANTITIES WITH

THEIR SI UNITS
BASE QUANTITY SI UNIT

LENGTH meter (m)

MASS kilogram (kg)
VOLUME liter (L)
TIME second (s)
TEMPERATURE Kelvin (K)
Accuracy & Precision
 Accuracy
 Accuracy – Compares a
measurement to the true value
 A measured data is accurate
when it is close to the accepted
or true value.
.
 Example: Accuracy
 Who is more accurate when measuring a book
that has a true length of 17.0 cm?
Susan:
17.0 cm, 16.0 cm, 18.0 cm, 15.0 cm

Amy:
15.5 cm, 15.0 cm, 15.2 cm, 15.3 cm
 Precision
 Precision = describes how closely
measurements are to each other and
how carefully measurements were
made
 Which set is more precise?
a. 18.2 , 18.4 , 18.35
b. 17.9 , 18.3 , 18.85
c. 16.8 , 17.2 , 19.44
 Example: Precision

Who is more precise when measuring the same

17.0 cm book?

Susan:
17.0 cm, 16.0 cm, 18.0 cm, 15.0 cm

Amy:
15.5 cm, 15.0 cm, 15.2 cm, 15.3 cm
 Accuracy vs. Precision

High Accuracy High Precision

High Precision Low Accuracy
Let’s Try.....
 Can you hit the bull's-eye?

Three
targets with
three
arrows each
to shoot.
Both Precise Neither
How do
accurate but not accurate
they
and accurate nor
compare?
precise precise
 Evaluate whether the following are
precise, accurate or both.

Low Accuracy Low Accuracy High Accuracy

Low Precision High Precision High Precision
Neither Accurate
nor Precise
GOLF
Let’s Have an
ACTIVITY!
(Accuracy and Precision Worksheet)
EVALUATION
1. A measurement that closely agrees
with accepted values is said to be
_____.

A. Accurate
B. Precise
C. Reliable
D. Significant
 2. Which experiment is most
precise?
A B

C D
 3. Which experiment is the
least precise?
A B

C D
4. Which experiment is
accurate and precise?
A B

C D
 5. Which experiment is
precise but not accurate?
A B

C D
6. The precision of a
measurement
A. is how close it is to the true value.
B. does not depend on the instrument
being used to measure the object.
C. describes how closely measurements
are to each other.
D. is something that scientists rarely
achieve.
7. Look at the target and decide whether
the “hits” are accurate, precise, both
accurate and precise, or neither accurate
nor precise:
8. Which set is more
precise?
A. 18.2 , 19.4 , 21.35
B. 17.9 , 18.3 , 18.85
C. 16.8 , 17.2 , 19.44
D. 13.8 , 13.5 , 13.6
9. A 3 groups of students measures the mass
of a product from the same chemical reaction.
The groups recorded data of 8.83 g, 8.84 g
and 8.82 g. The known mass of the product
from that reaction is 8.60g. The group values
are _____.

A. Accurate
B. Precise
C. Accurate & precise
D. neither accurate nor precise
 10. Which set of data is
accurate when measuring a
stick which is 21.5cm?
A. 18.5cm, 18.8 cm, 18.7cm
B. 20.0 cm, 21.4cm, 22.0cm
C. 19.3cm, 19.5cm, 19.6cm
D. 20.0cm, 20.8 cm, 22.3cm
Lets Check!
1. A measurement that closely agrees
with accepted values is said to be
_____.

A. Accurate
B. Precise
C. Reliable
D. Significant
A
 2. Which experiment is most
precise?
A B

C D

D
 3. Which experiment is the
least precise?
A B

C D

B
4. Which experiment is
accurate and precise?
A B

C D

D
 5. Which experiment is
precise but not accurate?
A B

C
C D
6. The precision of a
measurement
A. is how close it is to the true value.
B. does not depend on the instrument
being used to measure the object.
C. describes how closely measurements
are to each other.

C
D. is something that scientists rarely
achieve.
7. Look at the target and decide whether
the “hits” are accurate, precise, both
accurate and precise, or neither accurate
nor precise:

precise
but not
accurate
 8. Which set is more
precise?
A. 18.2 , 19.4 , 21.35
B. 17.9 , 18.3 , 18.85
C. 16.8 , 17.2 , 19.44

D
D. 13.8 , 13.5 , 13.6
9. A 3 groups of students measures the mass
of a product from the same chemical reaction.
The groups recorded data of 8.83 g, 8.84 g
and 8.82 g. The known mass of the product
from that reaction is 8.60g. The group values
are _____.

A. Accurate
B. Precise

B
C. Accurate & precise
D. neither accurate nor
precise
 10. Which set of data is
accurate when measuring a
stick which is 21.5cm?
A. 18.5cm, 18.8 cm, 18.7cm
B. 20.0 cm, 21.4cm, 22.0cm
C. 19.3cm, 19.5cm, 19.6cm

B
D. 20.0cm, 20.8 cm, 22.3cm