Measurement
and Dimensional Analysis

Follow the instructions below to make a series of measurements and calculations. You may work with a partner but everyone must write down the measurements and perform the calculations on their own paper. Use a appropriate equipment to make your measurements. Find most conversion factors on your Dimensional Analysis activity handout.

Part 1: Length

1. Use a ruler to measure the length of your pencil to the nearest 0.01 cm. Convert the result to millimeters (mm), showing your work. (1 cm = 10 mm)
2. Use a ruler to measure the length of your desk or table to the nearest 0.01 cm. Convert your result to feet (ft). Show your work because we are working on building your skill with doing conversions.
3. Use a ruler to measure the length and width of a floor tile to the nearest 0.01 cm. Convert your result to inches (in).
4. Measure the length of the room in its longest dimension. Use whatever units you like (except meters) to do so and then show your work to convert the result to meters (m).
5. Use the result from the previous question to calculate the length of the room in miles (mi). Do a separate calculation to calculate the length of the room in kilometers (km).
6. Choose the most practical unit for measuring the length of the room and justify your answer using your best reasoning skills. Note that some differences in answer may come down to a matter of taste and the question is asking about practicality. More than one unit may be equally practical both to make and to report the measurement.

Part 2: Volume

1. Choose a piece of lab equipment to measure about 5 mL of water to the nearest 0.1 mL. Put water your chosen equipment, spending no more than about 30 seconds to do so. Write down how much water is actually in your chosen equipment (it does not have to actually be 5 mL to be correct!). Just read what is there and write it down. Convert your answer to liters (L). 1 L = 1000 mL
2. Starting with 1 gallon (1 gal) convert this volume to milliliters (mL). Show your work here. Next, find a tool in the lab that would let you measure precisely one gallon of water to the nearest milliliter, if possible. Report what you find here.
3. Your task is to show the difference in volume between 1 quart (1 qt) and 1 liter (L). Show your work here to convert these volumes both to the unit of milliliters (mL). Next, find two identical containers that will hold enough water and measure the contents of each precisely enough to show the volume of a quart vs. a liter. Show this to your teacher for initials showing you completed this task.
4. Your teacher can provide you with a small solid object such as a glass marble. Find the volume of this object by difference using the units of mL to the nearest 0.1 mL. Check with your teacher and keeping working on this until your result is accurate. Report your result here.
5. Convert your result from the previous question to gallons (gal) and microliters (μL). 1 mL = 1,000 μL This will require two separate calculations.

Part 3: Mass

1. Use a lab balance (carry them by the base, not the balance beam) to measure the mass of the small solid object your teacher provides. A glass marble or some other item is fine. Report your result to the nearest 0.01 grams (g).
2. Convert your result from the previous problem to pounds (lb).
3. Use the lab balance to measure the mass of 350 mL of water. Convert your answer to kilograms (kg).
4. Use a lab balance to measure the mass of a paperclip. Report your result to the nearest 0.01 grams (g). Get a second paperclip and have your partner measure its mass. Report that result, too. Do the two masses agree?
5. A kitten might weigh about 4 pounds. Would it be possible to weigh the kitten on the lab balance? (Assume that the kitten is reasonably patient and will sit still). Explain your answer.
6. Based on your experience with this lab balance and scales at home or the doctor’s office do you think it is possible to weigh a person to the nearest gram or 0.01 gram? Explain.