Measurement

Presented by C.E. Tanner and M.A.H. Smith
Virginia Air and Space Center
January 23, 1993

Goal:

To provide a positive science experience and introduce students to fundamental concept of measurement.

Objectives:

Understand fundamental concepts of measurement through activities (give in parentheses).

1. Absolute vs. relative measurement (balance, hygrometer, compare lengths of string)
2. Accuracy and precision (balance, linear measures)
3. Standards (body parts as units; metric overview)
4. Estimating large quantities/distances ("count" rice; Da Vinci odometer)

Take-home project: balance

Materials:

Balance:

plastic ruler with holes (x20)

ten to twenty paper clips (x20)

two 3-5 oz. plastic or paper cups (x20)

10-20 pennies (x20)

5-10 nickels (x20)

masking tape

scissors and/or 1-hole punch

Objects to be weighed (eraser, 1 ft.length of nylon cord, large nail, piece of sponge, seashell, piece of black chalk)

Weight data sheet

"standard" scientific balance

2-5 lab stands with clamps to support balances

Body:

Tape measures (various lengths, metal and cloth)

Yardsticks and other measuring sticks

machinist's rule

calipers

nylon cord (fathom, yard)

handouts about units of measure (4 sheets)

poster board or blackboard to record results

marker(s)

Rice:

10-lb. bag of rice

two large plastic buckets

1/8 cup and 4 cup measures

Misc:

pencils

scissors

MEASUREMENTS LESSON PLAN

(Times were estimated before class was taught.)

1. Introduction - talk about measurements in students' daily lives and in NASA work (15 min.).

2. Body parts as units of measurement (20 min.)
   • Discussion of historial origin of common length measurements.
   • Activity for students to measure their own inch, foot, yard, etc., and compare results.

3. Tour of Da Vinci's models (30 min.)
   • Parachute - relate to "braccio" unit of length
   • Odometer - relate to estimation
   • Milling machine - relate to concept of precision
   • Hygrometer - discuss absolute vs. relative measurements
   • Tensile strength tester - using weight measurement to estimate wire strength, relate to NASA structural load tests.

4. Standards (10 min.)
   • Review differences in body part measurements
   • Discuss need for standards
   • Overview of metric system
   • Discuss appropriate standards - demonstrate rulers and tape measures that don't agree, show metal machinist's rule and prevision calipers; talk about standard meters kept in Paris and at National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S.

5. Measuring weight (30-45 min.)
   • Build a simple balance from ruler, paper clips, and paper cups.
   • Use balance to compare weights; discuss relative and absolute measurements.
   • Students choose a standard unit (penny, nickel, or paper clip), and use their balance to weigh 6 common small objects (eraser, length of cord, nail, sponge, seashell, piece of chalk), and record results on a worksheet.
   • Convert weight measurements to grams using weight of their "standard" on a scientific balance; compare weights of same objects and disucss accuracy and precision.

6. Estimate large quantities (choose one activity or both if time permits) - problem solving (15 min. max)
   • Length of room (relate to Da Vinci odometer)
   • Number of rice grains in a large container (use balances)

The Egyptians and other ancient peoples
used parts of their bodies
as measurement units.

NAME ______________________________________

INCH	Originally was the length of three barley grains placed end to end. Distance from tip of thumb to first knuckle, or from first to second knuckle on index finger. My INCH = ____________________ INCHES
FOOT	Length of foot from longest toe to heel My FOOT = _____________________ INCHES
YARD	Distance from tip of nose to end of thumb with arm outstretched (cloth merchants, King Henry I) My YARD = _______________________ INCHES
HAND	Width of one hand, including the thumb (height of horses) My HAND = ________________________ INCHES
CUBIT	Length from point of bent elbow to middle fingertip (Egyptian pyramids, Noah's ark) My CUBIT = _______________________ INCHES
BRACCIO	Italian for "an arm's length" (Da Vinci's parachute) My BRACCIO = _______________________INCHES
FATHOM	From the Anglo-Saxon word for "embrace," it was the length of rope held between two hands with the arms outstretched. (sailors) My FATHOM = ________________________ INCHES
PACE	Length of a single step. In Roman times one pace was a double step, and our MILE came from the Latin mille passuum, meaning 1000 paces. My PACE = ___________________________ INCHES

STANDARD INTERNATIONAL (SI or metric) UNITS

METER	Defined by the french Republic in 1793 to be 1 ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator to the North Pole, as measured through Paris.
CENTIMETER	1/100 of a meter
MILLIMETER	1/10 of a centimeter
KILOMETER	1000 meters
GRAM	Weight of pure water in a cube-shaped container having each side 1 centimeter long.
KILOGRAM	1000 grams (also called KILO)
MILLILITER	Volume of pure water in a cube-shaped container having each side 1 centimeter long (also called CUBIC CENTIMETER or CC)
LITER	1000 milliliters

TO LEARN MORE. . .

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS ABOUT MEASUREMENTS

SN003-003-03096-1 (SP 304) large poster

"Modernized Metric System" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2.50 each

SN003-003-03097-0 (SP 304A) small 2-page color chart

"A Brief History of Measurement". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.25 each

SN003-003-03090-2 (SP 365) wallet-size plastic ard

"Metric Conversion Chart". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8.13 per 100

SN003-003-03089-9 (SP 376) small (17 cm) plastic ruler

"Metric Measures Up". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28.00 per 100

ORDER FROM:

Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)
Washington, DC 20402

Phone: (202) 783-3238
Fax:     (202) 512-2250

OTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM:

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Publications and Program Inquiries
Room A047, Administration Building
Gaithersburg, MD 20899

Phone: (301) 975-3058
Fax:     (301) 975-2128

Call (301) 957-3585 to make reservations for tours of the NIST facilities in Gaithersburg, conducted on Thursday mornings.

NAME _________________________________

WEIGHT DATA SHEET

My unit of weight is ____________________.

One __________________ weighs _____________ GRAMS.

OBJECT	WIEGHT IN MY UNITS	WEIGHT IN GRAMS
Eraser	______________________________	______________________________
1 ft. nylon cord	______________________________	______________________________
Nail	______________________________	______________________________
Sponge	______________________________	______________________________
Seashell	______________________________	______________________________
Black chalk piece	______________________________	______________________________

	550  mL	unsifted flour
	5 mL	baking soda
	5 mL	salt
	250 mL	butter or margarine, softened
	175 mL	granulated sugar
	175 mL	firmly packed brown sugar
	5 mL	vanilla extract
	2	eggs
	2	168 gram packages semisweet chocolate chips
	250 mL	chopped nuts
	Preheat the oven to 190oC. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Using 5 mL measure, drop by rounded measures onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 100 5 cm cookies.