Understanding the concept of using a Vernier Caliper to find out the volume and density of an object.
Measurement Laboratory
Objective:
The purposes of this lab are to learn the use of a vernier caliper, make some basic length measurements and to use these measurements to calculate volumes and densities.
Parts and Equipment Required:
- Vernier caliper
- Various coins (U. S. or Canadian): for example quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies
Introduction:
Exact numbers are those that result from counting (such as the number of cars in a parking lot or the number of apples in a bushel) or by definition (1 hour = 60 minutes, 1 inch = 2.54 cm). ANY number that is the result of a measurement is by nature approximate. It is very important to express the result of any measurement to the correct number of significant digits (defined by your text as the accuracy of the number). Too many digits written out imply that the number is more accurate than you measured. Too few digits imply that you haven't worked hard enough. In physics, words that might seem to be synonyms are not. For example, precision and accuracy may be used almost interchangeably in everyday language but as technical terms these words have very different meanings. The precision of an approximate number is the value or position of the least significant digit. Review the rules of significant digits in your text.
Volume is the total amount of space (in cubic units) that any object occupies. Mass density is the ratio of the mass of an object to its volume. For most solids and liquids the mass density is a constant property of the material. A table of the standard masses of U.S. and Canadian coins is below. Stay this table handy; you would require it for later experiments.
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coin
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Cent (penny)
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Nickel
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Dime
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Quarter
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Half-dollar
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Dollar
|
|
U. S. (g)
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2.500
|
5.000
|
2.268
|
5.670
|
11.340
|
8.1
|
|
Canadian (g)
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2.35
|
3.95
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1.75
|
4.4
|
6.9
|
7
|
A vernier caliper (see figure) is a device used by machinists, technicians, engineers and scientists to measure the dimensions of object ranging in size from the fraction of a centimeter to 15 cm to a precision of a fraction of a millimeter. The reason of this assignment for you to use your caliper to measure the dimensions of some common objects.