Measurement is a technique that is required to measure and quantify various parameters of an object. Measurement is the essential metric to express any quantity of objects, things, and events that help us to compare that object with other similar objects. In our daily lives, we use measurement in various ways such are weighing vegetables at the mandi, measuring milk and petrol, etc.
In this article, we will learn about, Measurement Definition, Measurement Unit Table, Examples of measurement, and others in detail.
Measurement Definition
Measurement is the process of assigning a numerical value to a physical quantity or attribute of an object or phenomenon. Measurement helps us to compare, describe, and understand the world around us. For example, we can measure the length of a pencil, the mass of an apple, or the time it takes to run a race.
Measurement Unit Table
To measure different quantities, we need to use different units of measurement. A unit of measurement is a standardized quantity that can be used to express the magnitude of a physical quantity. For example, a meter is a unit of length, a kilogram is a unit of mass and a second is a unit of time.
There are different systems of units, such as the International System of Units (SI), the British Imperial System, and the US Customary System. The SI system is the most widely used and accepted system of units in the world. It consists of seven base units and several derived units. The table below shows some of the common units of measurement in the SI system and their symbols.
Quantity | Unit | Symbol |
|---|
Length | meter | m |
Mass | kilogram | Kg |
Time | second | s |
Temperature | kelvin | K |
Electric current | ampere | A |
Luminous intensity | candela | cd |
Amount of substance | mole | mol |
Types of Measurement
Basic types of measurement that we deal in several areas of mathematics and sciences are,
- Time
- Length
- Mass
- Volume
- Area
- Temperature
Measurement Conversion
Sometimes, we need to convert between different units of measurement to compare or calculate different quantities. For example, we may need to convert from metres to centimetres or from kilograms to pounds. To do this, we need to use conversion factors, which are ratios that relate one unit to another. For example, the conversion factor from metres to centimetres is 100, because 1 metre is equal to 100 centimetres. Similarly, the conversion factor from kilograms to pounds is 2.205, because 1 kilogram is equal to 2.205 pounds.
To convert from one unit to another, we need to multiply or divide by the appropriate conversion factor.
For example, to convert 5 metres to centimetres, we need to multiply by 100:
5 m × 100 = 500 cm
To convert 3 kilograms to pounds, we need to multiply by 2.205:
3 kg × 2.205 = 6.615 lb
To convert 10 seconds to milliseconds, we need to multiply by 1000:
10 s × 1000 = 10000 ms
To convert 25 degrees Celsius to kelvin, we need to add 273.15:
25 °C + 273.15 = 298.15 K
Also, Check Metric Conversion Chart
Measurement of Length
Length is the measure of how long or how far something is. The SI unit of length is the metre, which is defined as the distance travelled by light in a vacuum in 1/299792458 of a second. Some other common units of length are the kilometre (km), the centimetre (cm), the millimetre (mm), the micrometre (µm) and the nanometre (nm).
The table below shows some of the conversion factors between different units of length.
From | To | Conversion Factor |
|---|
km | m | 1000 |
m | cm | 100 |
cm | mm | 10 |
mm | µm | 1000 |
µm | nm | 1000 |
Also, Check Length Converter
Measurement of Mass
Mass is the measure of how much matter an object contains. The SI unit of mass is the kilogram, which is defined as the mass of a platinum-iridium cylinder kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in France. Some other common units of mass are the gram (g), the milligram (mg), the microgram (µg) and the nanogram (ng).
The table below shows some of the conversion factors between different units of mass.
From | To | Conversion Factor |
|---|
kg | g | 1000 |
g | mg | 1000 |
mg | µg | 1000 |
µg | ng | 1000 |
Also Check,
Measurement of Time
Time is the measure of how long an event or process lasts. The SI unit of time is the second, which is defined as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom. Some other common units of time are the minute (min), the hour (h), the day (d) and the year (y).
The table below shows some of the conversion factors between different units of time.
From | To | Conversion Factor |
|---|
hr | min | 60 |
min | s | 60 |
day | hrs | 24 |
year | day | 365 |
Measurement of Area
The table below shows some of the conversion factors between different units of Area.
From | To | Conversion Factor |
|---|
m2 | cm2 | 10000 |
m2 | feet2 | 10.764 |
m2 | yd2 | 1.196 |
feet2 | yd2 | 9 |
Also, Check Area Conversion Calculator
Measurement of Volume
The table below shows some of the conversion factors between different units of Volume.
From | To | Conversion Factor |
|---|
l | ml | 1000 |
m3 | l | 1000 |
cm3 | ml | 1 |
m3 | cm3 | 1000000 |
Also, Check Volume Converter
Measurement of Temperature
The table below shows some of the conversion factors between different units of temperature.
From | To | Formula |
|---|
°C | °F | (0°C × 9/5) + 32 = 32°F |
°C | K | 0°C + 273.15 = 273.15K |
°F | °C | (32°F − 32) × 5/9 = 0°C |
Learn More,
Measurement Instruments
Various Instruments that are used for measuring various physcial quantites are,
Image of various measurement instruments is added below,
Application of Measurement
Measurement is essential for many fields of science, engineering, technology, and everyday life. Measurement allows us to observe, analyse and understand natural phenomena and human activities. Measurement also enables us to design, build, and operate machines, devices, and systems that improve our quality of life.
Some examples of the application of measurement are:
- Astronomy: Measurement of the distance, size, mass, temperature, brightness, and motion of celestial bodies, such as stars, planets, moons, asteroids and comets.
- Biology: Measurement of the structure, function, and behaviour of living organisms, such as cells, tissues, organs and systems.
- Chemistry: Measurement of the composition, properties, and reactions of matter, such as atoms, molecules, elements and compounds.
- Physics: Measurement of the fundamental forces and interactions of nature, such as gravity, electromagnetism, nuclear and quantum.
- Engineering: Measurement of the performance, efficiency, and reliability of machines, devices, and systems, such as bridges, cars, planes, rockets and computers.
- Medicine: Measurement of the health, diagnosis, and treatment of human and animal diseases, such as blood pressure, temperature, pulse, glucose and drugs.
- Economics: Measurement of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, such as GDP, inflation, unemployment and trade.
- Education: Measurement of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of students, teachers, and schools, such as tests, grades and rankings.
- Sports: Measurement of the speed, strength, endurance, and accuracy of athletes, teams, and games, such as time, distance, score and record.
Related Articles:
- Scales Of Measurement
- Length Measurement
- Software Measurement and Metrics
- Measuring Software Quality using Quality Metrics
- Scales of Measurement in Business Statistics
Examples on Measurement
Here are some examples of how we can use the concept of measurement to solve problems or answer questions.
Example 1: How many litres of water can a cylindrical tank with a radius of 1.5 m and a height of 2 m hold?
Solution:
To find the volume of water that the tank can hold, we need to use the formula for the volume of a cylinder:
Given,
V = πr2h
Plugging in given values, we get:
V = π(1.5)2(2)
V ≈ 14.14 m3
To convert from cubic metres to litres, we need to multiply by 1000, since 1 cubic metre is equal to 1000 litres. Therefore, the tank can hold about 14140 litres of water.
Example 2: How long does it take for light to travel from the sun to the earth?
Solution:
To find the time that light takes to travel from the sun to the earth, we need to use the formula for the speed of light:
c = d/t
Rearranging the formula, we get:
t = d/c
Distance from the sun to the earth is about 149.6 million km, and the speed of light is about 300,000 km/s. Plugging in these values, we get:
t = 300000149600000
t ≈ 498.67 s
To convert from seconds to minutes, we need to divide by 60, since 1 minute is equal to 60 seconds. Therefore, it takes about 8.31 minutes for light to travel from the sun to the earth.
Example 3: How much does a gold bar with a mass of 12.5 kg cost, if the price of gold is 50000 rupees per 10 grams?
Solution:
To find the cost of the gold bar, we need to multiply the mass of the gold bar by the price of gold per unit mass. However, before we do that, we need to convert the units of mass and price to the same unit.
Since the price of gold is given in rupees per 10 grams, we need to convert the mass of the gold bar and the price of gold to grams and rupees per gram, respectively.
To convert from kilograms to grams, we need to multiply by 1000, since 1 kilogram is equal to 1000 grams. To convert from rupees per 10 grams to rupees per gram, we need to divide by 10, since 10 grams is equal to 10 times 1 gram.
Therefore, we get:
m = 12.5 kg × 1000 = 12500 g
p = 50,000 rupees / 10 g = 5000 rupees per g
Now, we multiply mass of gold bar by price of gold per gram to get cost of gold bar:
c = m×p
c = 12500 g × 5000 rupees per g
c = 62500000 rupees
Therefore, the gold bar with a mass of 12.5 kg costs 62.5 million rupees.
Sample Questions on Measurement
Some Questions on Measurement are,
What is Difference between Accuracy and Precision in Measurement?
Accuracy is the degree of closeness of a measured value to the true value of the quantity. Precision is the degree of consistency or repeatability of a measured value. For example, if you measure the length of a table several times with a ruler, your measurements may be accurate but not precise, if they are close to the actual length but vary a lot. On the other hand, your measurements may be precise but not accurate, if they are consistent but far from the actual length.
What are Sources of Error in Measurement?
There are two main types of error in measurement:
- Systematic Error
- Random Error
Systematic error is the error that occurs due to a flaw in the instrument, method, or procedure of measurement. It causes the measured values to be either consistently higher or lower than the true value. Random error is the error that occurs due to unpredictable factors, such as human error, environmental conditions, or noise. It causes the measured values to fluctuate around the true value.
Significant figures are the digits in a measured value that are known with certainty plus one digit that is uncertain or estimated. They indicate the precision of the measurement. For example, the value 3.14 has three significant figures, while the value 3.140 has four significant figures. The rules for determining the number of significant figures in a value are:
- All non-zero digits are significant. For example, 123 has three significant figures.
- Zeros between non-zero digits are significant. For example, 1003 has four significant figures.
- Zeros at the beginning of a value are not significant. They are only placeholders. For example, 0.0012 has two significant figures.
- Zeros at the end of a value are significant if there is a decimal point in the value. For example, 12.00 has four significant figures, while 1200 has two significant figures.
Unsolved Practice Problems: Measurement
- What will it cost to carpet a room with indoor/outdoor carpet if the room is 10 feet wide and 12 feet long? The carpet costs 12.51 per square yard.
- If the perimeter of a rectangular house is 44 yards, and the length is 36 feet, what is the width of the house?
- What is the volume of a cube whose width is 5 inches?
- Sally has three pieces of material. The first piece is 1 yd. 2 ft. 6 in. long, the second piece is 2 yd. 1 ft. 5 in long, and the third piece is 4 yd. 2ft. 8in long. How much material does Sally have?
- A can’s diameter is 3 inches, and its height is 8 inches. What is the volume of the can?
- If the area of a square flowerbed is 16 square feet, then how many feet is the perimeter of the flowerbed?
- Of the following units which would be more likely used to measure the amount of water in a bathtub?
- If a match box is 0.17 feet long, what is its length in inches the most closely comparable to the following?
- What is the cost in dollars to steam clean a room W yards wide and L yards long it the steam cleaners charge 10 cents per square foot?
- One inch equals 2.54 cm, How many centimeters tall is a 76 inch man?
FAQs on Measurement
What Do you Mean by Measurement?
Measurement is the quantification of features of an object, that tells us about various properties of object and help usto compare various objects on various parameters.
What are 3 Types of Measurement?
The three types of measures are
- Descriptive
- Diagnostic
- Predictive
What are 7 Main Units of Measurement?
Seven basic SI Units are,
- Electric Current - ampere (A)
- Amount of Substance - mole (mole)
- Luminous Intensity - candela (cd)
Is Light Year Unit of Time?
No, Light Year as the name suggest is not a unit of time but is a unit of Length. It is the distance travelled by light in an year and is equal to 9.4607 × 1012 km.