GAAFU DHAAL ATOLL EDUCATION CENTRE

Notes- Length and time

S tr ive to S ur pass
Grade : 9 Sub: Physics

Learning outcomes

 Use and describe the use of rules and measuring cylinders to find a length or a volume
 Use and describe the use of clocks and devices, both analogue and digital, for
measuring an interval of time
 Obtain an average value for a small distance and for a short interval of time by
measuring multiples (including the period of a pendulum).
 Understand that a micrometer screw gauge is used to measure very small distances.

Measurement of length
 Length measurements are made using a ruler, measuring tape, vernier calipers,
micrometer screw gauge…

 Correct way to measure with ruler is to keep the eye right over the mark on the scale.

 The line of sight should be perpendicular to the reading in order to avoid Parallax
error in measurement

Measuring instruments for length

Length to be Example Instrument to be used Accuracy

measured
Very short Diameter of a metal wire Micrometer screw 0.01mm
length gauge
Short Diameter of a measuring Vernier calipers 0.01cm
length cylinder
Medium Image distance of a lens Metre rule 0.1cm
length
Long length Length of physics laboratory Measuring tape 0.1cm

Grade 9/ Physics/ General physics/ Length and Time 1

 AREA

 Area of a rectangle = length x breadth

1
Area of a triangle = x base x height
2
Area of a circle =  𝑟2

 SI unit of area is square-metre (m2)

1 𝒄𝒎𝟐 = 10-4 m2

VOLUME
 It is the amount of space occupied by an object.
 SI unit of volume is cubic-metre (m3)

1cm3 = 10-6m3
Volume of a regularly shaped solid

 Volume of rectangular block = length x breadth x height

4
 Volume of a sphere = 3
 x (radius)3
 Volume of a cylinder =  x (radius)2 x height

Volume of a liquid
Volume of liquid is expressed in litres (l)

 1 litre (l) = 1000ml

1millilitre (ml) = 1cm3
1 litre (l) = 1000cm3

 Pour the liquid into the measuring cylinder and the level on the scale gives the volume
 The measuring cylinder should be kept upright on a horizontal smooth surface.
 Eye level should be perpendicular to the lower meniscus so as to avoid Parallax error

Volume of an irregularly shaped solid

Pour the liquid into the measuring cylinder. Note the initial volume(V1)
corresponding to the lower meniscus.
Immerse the solid into the measuring cylinder.
The liquid level rises.
Note the new scale reading as the final reading or the final volume(V2).

Grade 9/ Physics/ General physics/ Length and Time 2

 Volume of the irregularly shaped solid = V2 – V1

Mass

It is the measure of the amount of matter present in an object.

SI unit of mass is kilogram(kg)

1 tonne(t) = 1000kilogram(kg)
1 kilogram(kg) = 1000gram(g)
1 gram(g) = 1000milligram(mg)
1milligram(mg) = 10-6kg

Mass of an object is found using various kinds of Balance.

1. Beam balance: An unknown mass is placed in one pan and balanced

against the unknown masses in the other pan. The beam balances when
the gravitational pull on the material in each pan is the same. Each pan
then contains the same mass of the material

Beam balance

Grade 9/ Physics/ General physics/ Length and Time 3

2. Top-pan balance: A direct reading is obtained from the position on the scale of a
pointer joined to the lever system or the
reading can be directly read in a top-pan balance.

Top-pan balance

Time

SI unit is second (s)

Stopwatches and stopclocks are used to measure time.

Time Period of oscillation of simple pendulum

- Note the time for 20 oscillations of simple pendulum

- Repeat for 3 times and take the average time ‘tavg’
𝑡𝑎𝑣𝑔
- Time period , T = 20

Questions:
1. A student measures the time taken for 20 swings of a pendulum. He finds that the
time taken in 55 seconds.
a) What time does the pendulum take for one wing?
b) How could the student have found the time for one swing more accurately.
2. A student measures the diameter of a sphere three times. His values are: 3.46
cm, 3.49 cm and 3.47 cm.
Find the average diameter.

Grade 9/ Physics/ General physics/ Length and Time 4

Micrometer screw gauge

 Reading = MSR + (HSR x LC )

Where,
MSR = Main scale reading
HSR = Head scale reading
LC = 0.01 mm

Questions

1. The diameter of a copper wire is thought to be approximately 0.3mm.

Which instrument should be used to obtain a more accurate measurement of the

diameter of the wire?

A measuring tape B metre rule

C micrometer D ruler 25

2. Which measurement can be made using a micrometer screw gauge?

A the air pressure of a tyre B the diameter of a wire
C the turning effect of a spanner D the wavelength of microwaves

Grade 9/ Physics/ General physics/ Length and Time 5

Vernier calipers


Reading = MSR + (VSR x LC )
Where,
MSR = Main scale reading
VSR = Vernier scale reading
LC = 0.01 cm or 0.1mm
 MSR is the value before the vernier scale zero. VSR is the value in line with the main
scale. LC is the smallest value that can be read from an instrument.
 In vernier caliper, least count is 0.01cm if it is measured in cm. Least count is 0.1mm if
the value is measured in mm.
 Example-1

Reading = MSR + (VSR x LC)

= 2.1 + (5X0.01)
= 2.1 + 0.05
= 2.15cm

Example-2

Grade 9/ Physics/ General physics/ Length and Time 6