Measurement
Concept: Measuring Instruments
- We use different measuring instruments to measure various physical quantities.
- Measuring things is an activity that we do quite often in our daily lives as it makes our life easier.
- The instruments that we use for measurement may range from simple to complex.
Measurement of length, perimeter, and area:
- Length defines how long or tall something is.
- Perimeter tells us the distance around an object or space.
- The area is the amount of space that an object or shape covers.
Measuring instruments used:
We use the same tools while measuring an object’s length, perimeter, and area.
- To get the perimeter and area of a particular shape, we need to measure the length of the sides first. To
measure this, we can use the following tools—
- Ruler (both inch ruler and centimetre ruler)
- Metre stick
- Measuring tape
- We use inch and centimetre rulers for smaller objects. For larger objects, we can use meter sticks and measuring tapes.
- Units such as inch, foot, and miles are used in the United States.
- Metric units such as centimetres, metres, and kilometres are commonly used worldwide.
Measurement of weight:
Weight indicates how heavy or light something is or how much mass is present in an object.
Measuring instruments used:
- We generally use weighing scales to measure the weight of objects.
- Scales come in different sizes; some can weigh light things, and some can weigh heavy things.
- Many shopkeepers and vegetable and fruit sellers use a balance to weigh the goods in our country.
- There are both analogue and digital weighing scales.
- Weight can be measured in grams and kilograms.
- In countries like the United States, ounces, pounds and tons are also used.
Measurement of volume of liquids:
When liquid is poured into a container, it takes up a specific space, which is its volume.
Measuring instruments used:
- We measure the volume of liquids using a beaker and a measuring cylinder.
- Beakers are marked with lines that help us tell the volume.
- Cylinders, pipettes, and burettes are used for measuring smaller volumes of liquids.
- Teaspoons and tablespoons are used to measure the volume of liquids used while cooking.
- Volume can be measured in millilitres and litres.
- In the United States, volume is also measured in gallons, pints, quarts, and cups.
Measurement of time:
- Time can be measured in terms of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds.
- We use calendars and watches to do this.
- We use stopwatches to measure how long it takes to do something.
- An hourglass or egg timer can be used to measure time.
Measuring temperature:
Temperature tells us how cold or hot the weather, a place, or a thing/ object is, which means how much heat is present in an object.
Measuring instruments used:
- We measure temperature by using a thermometer.
- There are different thermometers like digital thermometers, oral thermometers, mercury thermometers, etc.
- The units of measurement of temperature are Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F).
New Words:
Physical quantity: A physical property of a material that can be measured.
Hourglass: : A device consisting of two glass bulbs containing sand connected. It takes one hour for the sand to pass from the upper to the lower bulb. It is a device used to measure time.
Did You Know?
- A ship's speed is measured in knots, and one knot is equivalent to one nautical mile per hour.
- A compass is a measuring tool that is used to measure cardinal directions for navigation and geographic orientation.