Lab Manual

Physics, like other fields of science, is based on observation and experiment. A wide diversity of measurements is routinely used in physics, including measurements of length, volume, mass, and temperature. Making these measurements depends heavily on the ability to make accurate and precise measurements.

Suppose you use a ruler to measure the length of a piece of string marked as 30.48 cm (or 0.3048 m). Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the correct value for that measurement. If you measure the string three different times and all three measurements are very close to 30.48 cm, then the measurements are accurate. Precision refers to the difference between a group of repeated measurements, also known as the spread of the measurements. Precision also considers the range between measurements as well as how often you get repeated measurements. For example, if the measurements of the string do not vary drastically, then they are precise.

In this lab you will learn:

how to measure volume using the displacement method;

how to measure mass using a triple beam balance, spring scale, and electric balance;

how to measure distance using rulers, meter sticks, and string.