C3 Terms

Question 1

measurement

Answer 1

a comparison of a dimension of an object or substance to an appropriate standard, usually an instrument with a calibrated scale

Question 2

dimension

Answer 2

Any measurable property of the physical universe.

Question 3

standard

Answer 3

a known quantity that everyone agrees will be used for comparison when measuring.

Question 4

instrument

Answer 4

any artificial device made for the purpose of refining, extending, or substituting for the human senses when measuring.

Question 5

unit

Answer 5

the subdivision or portion of a dimension assigned a value of 1

Question 6

calibrated scale

Answer 6

the spacing of the marks on the instrument.

Question 7

metric system

Answer 7

A system of measurement in which all units of a given dimension are related to each other by powers of 10

Question 8

SI

Answer 8

The global metric system

Question 9

a conversion factor

Answer 9

any factor equal to 1 that consists of a ratio of two units.

Question 10

error

Answer 10

The arithmetic difference between a measured value and the actual value of the dimension.

Question 11

accuracy

Answer 11

An evaluation of the measurement error; an indication of how close a measurement is to its actual value.

Question 12

precision

Answer 12

An evaluation of how exactly a measurement is made.

Question 13

Significant digits (SD)

Answer 13

A digit in a measurement used to communicate the precision of the measurement. These are all the digits known from the instrument scale plus one estimated digit.

Question 14

Scientific Notation

Answer 14

A convenient way to express very large or small numbers.

Question 15

Weight

Answer 15

The measure of the earth’s gravity acting on the matter in an object.

Question 16

spring scale

Answer 16

A laboratory instrument that measures wight by balancing the pull of the earth’s gravity in the object being weighed against the force exerted by a stretched spring inside the instrument.

Question 17

electronic scale

Answer 17

A laboratory instrument that measures weight by converting the pull of gravity on an object into an electronic signal that is processed by a computer chip.

Question 18

balance

Answer 18

A simple instrument that compares a known mass to an unknown mass using a lever arm.

Question 19

electronic balance

Answer 19

An electronic instrument that measures the wight of an object and then displays its equivalent mass.

Question 20

Volume

Answer 20

The space enclosed or occupied by an object.

Question 21

Meniscus

Answer 21

The curved surface of a liquid in a container with a narrow neck.

Question 22

density

Answer 22

The amount of matter or the mass of the substance contained in a specific volumetric unit.