Review on measuring things in science

1. CAN YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM?
 Using basic school resources, find a way to
estimate the thickness of one, single sheet of
paper…

2. 1.2 DAY 2: EXPERIMENTS
How can
measurements
affect what we
discover in science?

3. MAKING MEASUREMENTS
The how-to and why of measuring…

4. MEASUREMENTS
 In your lab journal,
title a new page
“Measurements”
 Get ruler and a
“Conceptual Physics”
book from the front
of the room and measure it.
 Draw a picture of the book and record the
height, width and depth
 Measure in centimeters.
height
depth width

5. MAKING A GOOD, SCIENTIFIC MEASUREMENT
 In order to make a scientific measurement, you always
record one decimal place more than you can know for
sure.
 How many decimal places should you measure using
this ruler?
cm
0 1 2 3

6. MAKING A GOOD, SCIENTIFIC MEASUREMENT
 What would be a scientific measurement of this arrow?
cm
0 1 2 3

7. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
 What is the difference between the following
measurements?
 1
 1.0
 1.00
 1.000
cm
0 1 2

8. MAKING A GOOD, SCIENTIFIC MEASUREMENT
 What would be a scientific measurement of this arrow?
cm
0 1 2 3

9. MAKING A GOOD, SCIENTIFIC MEASUREMENT
 What would be a scientific measurement of this arrow?
cm
0 1 2 3

10. THINK ABOUT IT: MEASUREMENTS
Do you need to go back and adjust the
measurements you made the first time
you measured the dimensions of your
book?
 In making these measurements, what is
one way you
could be precise,
but not accurate? height
depth width

11. HOW MANY BOOKS?
How many books
would I need to
stack them up
from the floor to
the ceiling?

12. NOW WHAT?
 Working with the person next to you, find a way to
estimate the thickness of one, single sheet of
paper…
 be quiet, people around you are listening!!!

13. LAB JOURNAL ENTRY:
MEASUREMENTS
Writing procedures:
 bring in written instructions that would explain
exactly how to estimate the thickness of one sheet of
paper.
 Use full sentences.
 Write them as instructions.
 Make them simple instructions.
 Do NOT number the instructions… make a
paragraph.
 This is basically practice for writing the “Procedures”
section of a formal lab write up.

14. MEASUREMENT
meas⋅ure⋅ment [mezh-er-muhnt]
noun
1. the act of measuring.
2. a measured dimension.
3. extent, size, etc., ascertained by measuring.
4. a system of measuring or measures: liquid
measurement.

15. Term: Measurement My understanding: Fill in the circle that
communicates your level of understanding.
    
Definition:
In my own words: Visual Representation: My examples:

16. QUANTITY
quan⋅ti⋅ty [kwon-ti-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. a particular or indefinite amount of anything: a small
quantity of milk; the ocean's vast quantity of fish.
2. an exact or specified amount or measure: Mix the
ingredients in the quantities called for.
3. a considerable or great amount: to extract ore in
quantity.

17. Term: Quantity My understanding: Fill in the circle that
communicates your level of understanding.
    
Definition:
In my own words: Visual Representation: My examples:

18. UNIT
u⋅nit /yoo-nit]
–noun
Also called dimension. any specified amount of a
quantity, as of length, volume, force, momentum, or
time, by comparison with which any other quantity of
the same kind is measured or estimated.

19. Term: Unit My understanding: Fill in the circle that
communicates your level of understanding.
    
Definition:
In my own words: Visual Representation: My examples:

20. WHICH UNIT?!
 Which unit would you use to measure…
 the length of a football field?
 the length of a pencil?
 the distance across the United States?
 the thickness of your desk?
 the radius of the moon?
 Why are different units useful?
 What other things can we measure?
 What are some of the different units we could use to
measure these things?

21. MEASUREMENTS?!
 The world grew!
 Countries started trading goods.
 Everyone had they’re own system for measuring
things…
 Length, for example, could be measured in…
 feet,
 inches,
 miles,
 spans,
 cubits,
 hands, furlongs, palms, rods, chains, leagues, and more.
 What to do?!

22. THE METRIC SYSTEM!
 In 1790, the French established a decimal based
system of measuring called the metric system.
 In 1960, the metric system was named the Système
International d'Unités (or SI for short).
 The metric system is currently used by most
countries except the United States.
 Changing units, or converting, in the metric system
is easy, because it is based on multiples of ten…

23. Prefix Symbol Factor
femto- f 10-15 = 0.000,000,000,000,001
pico- p 10-12 = 0,000,000,000,001
nano- n 10-9 = 0.000,000,001
micro- μ 10-6 = 0.000,001
milli- m 10-3 = 0.001
centi- c 10-2 = 0.01
deci- d 10-1 = 0.1
Base Units 100 = 1
deka- da 101 = 10
hecto- h 102 = 100
kilo- k 103 = 1,000
mega- M 106 = 1,000,000
giga- G 109 = 1,000,000,000
tera- T 1012 = 1,000,000,000,000
peta- P 1015 = 1,000,000,000,000,000

24. THE METRIC SYSTEM!
 Because the metric system is based on powers of
ten, it is very easy to convert…
 1 gram = 1,000 milli-grams
 1 meters = 1,000 milli-meters
 1 liter = 1,000 milli-liters
 The prefix holds the same value in the metric
system…
 1,000 grams = 1 kilo-gram
 1,000 meters = 1 kilo-meter
 1,000 liters = 1 kilo-liter
 So, if you know the value of the prefix, you can
convert any metric unit!

25. CONVERTING NON-METRIC UNITS…
 How do I go from one set of units to another?
 What if you are trying to make a recipe that calls for
milliliters, but you only have teaspoons, tablespoons
and cups?
 What if you go on a trip to Europe and all the speeds
and distances to the next city are posted in kilometers
per hour (km/h) and kilometers, not miles per hour and
miles?
 What if your crazy physics teacher wants you to tell
them how many millimeters are in a mile?
 There are several methods…
 I will show you my favorite!