MEASUREMENT CONVERSION FACTORS

a process of comparing a property of an Length Mass Volume

object with a standard
a quantitative observation consisting of a number 1 ft = 12 in 1 kg = 1000 g 1 L = 1000 mL
and a scale (commonly called unit) 1 in = 2.54 cm 1 ton (US) = 2000 lb 1 mL 1 cm3
1 metric ton = 1000 kg 1 gal = 3.788 L
SYSTEMS OF MEASUREMENT 1 ft = 30.48 cm 1 kg = 0.0685 slug 1 m3 = 1000 L
1 m = 3.28 ft 1 slug =14.95 kg 1 quart = 0.9463 L
1. English System 1 kg = 2.205 lb
1 yd = 3 ft
2. Metric System (when g = 9.807 m/s2)
1 mi =5280 ft 1 lb = 454g
3. International System of Units (SI) 1 mi = 1.61 km ( when g = 9.807 m/s2)
Fundamental Physical Quantities in SI units:
Physical Units of Unit
Quantity Measurements Symbol
length meter m Measurement of Temperature:
mass kilogram kg
o
time second s C to oF :
o
electric current ampere A F = 1.8oC + 32
amount of substance mole mol o
F to oC:
absolute temperature Kelvin K o
C = oF 32
luminous intensity candela cd
1.8
o
C to K:
PREFIXES COMMONLY USED IN METRIC SYSTEM
K = oC + 273.15

DENSITY AND SPECIFIC GRAVITY

Density mass of a substance per unit volume

Density of water at 4oC =1.0 g/mL

***Specific Gravity is equal to density if the unit of

density is in g/mL

notes in PHYS 101/mads/cscs-psd

TERMS THAT DESCRIBE QUALITY OF MEASUREMENT
1. Validity the measurement is relevant to the
question being investigated; correct conclusions can
only be drawn from valid data.
2. Accuracy describes how close a measurement to
the accepted value.
3. Precision repeatability or reproducibility of a
measurement
-refers to the agreement among repeated
measurements, the spread of the measurements
or how close they are together
4. Uncertainty a measure of how far a measured
quantity might be from the true value
Example: a measurement of 5.07 g 0.02 g means that
the experimenter is confident that the actual value for
the quantity being measured lies between 5.05 g and
5.09 g.
Common Sources of Uncertainty
1. effects of environmental conditions on the
measurement
2. judgment in reading analog instruments
3. sensitivity of instruments
4. rating or stated calibration of the instrument
5. approximations and assumptions made while doing
the measurement
6. variations in repeated readings made under
apparently identical conditions
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
The following rules will be used to determine the
number of significant figures in a measured or
calculated number:
1. All nonzero digits are always significant.
Example : 1.23 has 3 SF ; 1657 has 4 SF
2. Zeros between nonzero digits (captive zeros) are
always significant.
Example : 6.008 has 4 SF ; 170009 has 6 SF
3. Leading zeros (zeros to the left of the first nonzero
digit) are never significant.
Example : 0.0067 has 2 SF ; 0.00001273 has 4 SF
4. Trailing zeros (zeros to the right of the last nonzero
digit) in a number with a decimal point will always be
counted as significant
Example: 345.980 has 6 SF ; 0.0009800 has 4 SF
5. Trailing zeros in a number without a decimal point
generally will not be significant.
Example : 5000 has 1 SF ; 102300 has 4 SF
6. If one or more of the trailing zeros are significant,
then it is best to convert the number to scientific
notation and include only the significant zeros.
Remember, every digit included in a number
written in scientific notation is considered to be
significant.
Consider the following possibilities for the number
109000
a.) None of the trailing zeros are significant ( 3 SF)
Scientific Notation: 1.09 x 105
b.) Only the first trailing zero is significant (4 SF)
Scientific Notation : 1.090 x 105
c.) The first two trailing zeros are significant ( 5 SF)
Scientific Notation : 1.0900 x 105
d.) All three trailing zeros are significant (6 SF)
Scientific Notation : 1.09000 x 105
DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
IN THE RESULT OF A CALCULATION:
1. The result of a multiplication or division should
contain the same number of significant figures as
was present in the number with the fewest
significant figures.
Example :
2.0044 x 12.54 = 25.135176 = 25. 14 (4 SF)
notes in PHYS 101/mads/cscs-psd
 (0.00342)(1.230) = 0.000074085 = 0.0000741 ( 3 SF)
56.781

2. The result of an addition or subtraction should

contain the same number of decimal places as the
number with fewest decimal places.

Example :

3.123 + 123.23 = 126.353 = 126.35 ( 2 decimal places)

456.1 476.25 = - 20.15 = - 20.2 ( 1 decimal place)

notes in PHYS 101/mads/cscs-psd