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Physics Matters for GCE O Level (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Measurement

Test Yourself 1.2 (page 5)

6
13 m = 13 10 m
5
= 1.3 10 m (in standard form)

Test Yourself 1.3 (page 11)

1. Zero reading = +0.02 mm

Diameter reading = 3.87 mm
Corrected diameter reading Dcorrected = 3.87 (+0.02) = 3.85 mm

2. Main scale reading = 2.5 cm

The 3rd vernier mark coincides with a marking on the main scale.
Vernier scale reading = 0.03 cm
Reading of diameter = 2.5 + 0.03 = 2.53 cm

3. The strip of mirror helps you to check that the image of the needle coincides with the needle when
taking a reading. This ensures that your eyes are positioned directly above the needle. This helps
to reduce parallax error.

Test Yourself 1.4 (page 15)

1. Moving from A to C to B covers only three-quarters of an oscillation. Hence,

3
T=3s
4
4
T=3s
3
=4s

2. At the beginning of the week (Monday), record the time at which you board the bus and the time
at which you alight the bus to go to school. The difference between the two times is the time
taken for the bus to travel from your home to school. Record these times every day over the
course of the week (until Friday). Calculate the average time taken to travel from your home to
school over the five days.

3. Start the swing in a to-and-fro motion. When the motion is steady, start the stopwatch when the
swing is at one end of its motion. Stop the stopwatch after 20 oscillations. Record the time as t1.
Repeat this for another reading t2.
t1 + t2
Calculate average t = .
2
t
The period T of the swing is given by T = .
20

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Physics Matters for GCE O Level (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 1

Get It Right (page 16)

(a) True
(b) False
The SI units for mass, length, time, temperature, current and amount of substance are the
kilogram, metre, second, kelvin, ampere and mole respectively.
(c) True
(d) True
(e) True
(f) True
(g) False
The period of a pendulum calculated from the time taken for multiple oscillations is more
accurate than measuring the time taken for one oscillation.

Lets Review (pages 1617)

Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions

1. B
Since the distance to be measured is more than half a metre, the half-metre rule and the vernier
calipers should not be used. We can use either the metre rule or the measuring tape. Both
instruments have an accuracy of 0.001 m. However, measuring tapes are usually used to
measure lengths of several metres, and curved surfaces. Therefore, the best answer is a metre
rule.

2. B
Zero error (reading when vernier calipers is closed) = +0.5 mm
Reading when steel ball bearing is being measured = 15 + 0.5 = 15.5 mm
Diameter of steel ball bearing = 15.5 (+0.5) = 15.0 mm = 1.50 cm

3. B
Zero error (reading when micrometer screw gauge is closed) = +0.06 mm
Reading when ball bearing was measured = 1.5 + 0.48 = 1.98 mm
Diameter of ball bearing = 1.98 (+0.06) = 1.92 mm

Section B: Structured Questions

1. (a) Physical quantity: Length

Numerical magnitude: Five
Unit: Metre
(b) Physical quantity: Time
Numerical magnitude: Two
Unit: Second
(c) Physical quantity: Mass
Numerical magnitude: One thousand
Unit: Kilogram

2. (b)
3
(c) 10
(d) c
4
(e) 10
(f) M

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Physics Matters for GCE O Level (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 1

3. Length to be measured Suitable instrument Precision

Several metres Tape measure 1 mm or 0.1 cm
Between one metre and several metres Tape measure 1 mm or 0.1 cm
Between 1 cm and 15 cm Vernier calipers 0.1 mm or 0.01 cm
0.01 cm Micrometer screw gauge 0.01 mm or 0.001 cm
Between 0.001 cm and 0.01 cm Micrometer screw gauge 0.01 mm or 0.001 cm

4. (a) Reading shown = 12.5 mm + 0.14 mm = 12.64 mm

(b) Use the micrometer screw gauge to take several diameter measurements (at various
points) along the wire. Take the average value of all the measurements to determine the
diameter of the wire.

5. (a) Reading = 20 mm + 0.5 mm = 20.5 mm

Width w = 2.05 cm

(b) Instrument Precision

Vernier calipers 0.01 cm
Metre rule 0.1 cm
Micrometer screw gauge 0.001 cm

(c) This method is inaccurate because the width of the slide may not be uniform. A more
accurate measurement can be obtained by measuring the width w of the slide at several
positions, using the vernier calipers to gently grip the slide perpendicularly as shown below
w1 + w2 + w3
and calculating the average width using this formula: w = . Futhermore, the
3
vernier calipers should be checked for zero error before the measurements are made. If
there is zero error, the readings will need to be corrected accordingly.


w1


glass slide w2


w3



Section C: Free-Response Question

1. (a)

Length of thread, l/m 0.35 0.65 1.00 1.45 1.95

Time for 20 oscillations, t/s 24.1 32.4 40.1 47.5 56.3
Time for 1 oscillation, T/s 1.21 1.62 2.01 2.38 2.82
2 2
T /s 1.46 2.62 4.04 5.66 7.95
2
Plot a graph of T against l.

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Physics Matters for GCE O Level (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 1

(1.75,7.0)

















(0.25,1.0)





7.0 1.0 6.0
Gradient of graph = = = 4.0
1.75 0.25 1.50
2
4
4.0 =
g
2
g = 9.9 m s

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Physics Matters for GCE O Level (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 1

Physics Today (page 18)

1. The field of nanotechnology is relatively new and the effects of the interaction of nanoparticles
(including nanorobots) with the human body are not certain. Research has shown that elements in
the nanoscale may interact differently with the environment, as compared to their larger
counterparts. For example, fullerenes, nanoparticles of carbon that possess great potential in the
medical field due to their unique properties, may pose a different threat to the human body from
their larger scale counterpart, graphite. In fact, research results point towards fullerenes having the
same level of toxicity to humans as asbestos.

Other than that, the nanorobots could malfunction in the human body, leading to the possible loss
of control of the nanorobots. The potential harm of these robots to the human body is
unpredictable.

Web references:
http://www.futureforall.org/nanotechnology/risks.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullerene
http://www.crnano.org/dangers.htm

2. The robots need to be small enough to travel through blood vessels and cells to reach the targeted
cancer cells. In order to anchor onto the cancer cells, the robots also need to be smaller than the
cells.

Average diameter of blood capillary (the smallest blood vessel in the body): 7 m
Typical cell size: 10 m

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