Length and time

1.2 Speed, velocity and acceleration

Length and time

  1. Length

    1. Length can be measured using a ruler, which typically has a precision of 10-3 m
    2. A Vernier caliper has a precision of 10-4 m. The least significant figure is derived from which marking of the vernier scale, 9 gradations of 0.9 mm, is aligned with the millimetre reading
    3. Micrometers are made even more precise by using a screw to amplify small distances
    4. A zero error, the reading given at zero, must be subtracted from the measurement

  2. Volume

    1. Volumes can be calculated using standard formulae or from the displacement of water into a measuring cylinder

  3. Time

    1. Time can be measured using a clock or a stopwatch
    2. A regular short period of time can be measured more accurately by taking the mean of multiple intervals