Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University

MID LA UNION CAMPUS

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS-LAB

(ENSC 102L)
 EXPERIMENT 1:
MEASUREMENTS: VERNIER CALIPER AND MICROMETER

Objective:

To study the principles of measurement using the micrometer and vernier

caliper.

Theory:

Measurement – consists of comparing the item being measured with a

standard unit of measurement.

The Micrometer Caliper

The micrometer caliper is an instrument used for very precise

measurements of external dimensions. The object to be measured is placed
between the anvil and the spindle. The thimble is then rotated to advance the
spindle until the object is gripped gently between the two jaws of the caliper. The
ratchet is used to tighten up the grip by the same amount each time and thus
avoid using too much force.

The caliper consists of a fixed main scale on the sleeve and a movable
auxiliary scale on the thimble. The auxiliary scale is circular and has 50 divisions.
One revolution of the thimble moves the spindle by half a millimeter. This implies
that the distance between adjacent lines on the thimble corresponds to 0.01 mm.
 Micrometer Caliper
The main scale has 25 main divisions etched on the sleeve or barrel, which
is located along the trunk of the micrometer caliper. The distance between the
lines is 1.0 mm. Thus, the maximum reading possible is 25 mm. The lines just
below the main divisions divide the upper lines such that the distance between an
upper line and an adjacent lower line is 0.5 mm.

How to use the micrometer caliper:

1. Check the zero position of the caliper. A properly calibrated micrometer

caliper must have the main and auxiliary scales simultaneously giving a zero
reading when the jaws (the anvil and the spindle) of the caliper are completely
closed. In case of error, add the correction (may be either positive or negative)
to every reading.

2. Place the body to be measured between the anvil and the spindle. Rotate the
thimble until the object is gripped gently between the two jaws of the caliper.
Turn the ratchet slowly until it clicks several times. This prevents an error due
to varying degrees of tightness of the jaws.

3. Read the main scale and the circular scale. Refer to the examples below.

Example # 1:

Main scale reading: 7.00 mm

Circular scale reading: + 0.435 mm

1. 435 mm

Final reading

Converted to cm: 0.7435 cm

Example #2:
 Main scale reading: 6.50 mm
Circular scale reading: + 0.203 mm

6. 703 mm

Final reading

Converted to cm: 0.6703 cm

Example #3:

Main scale reading: 7.00 mm

Circular scale reading: + 0.224 mm

7. 224 mm

Final reading

Converted to cm: 0.7224 cm

The Vernier Caliper

The vernier caliper consists of a fixed part with a main engraved scale and
a movable jaw with an engraved Vernier scale.
The main scale is calibrated in inches on the upper part and millimeters on
the lower part. The lower calibration has a maximum of 200 divisions with each
division equal to one mm.
The vernier scale usually has 10 major divisions. The least count of the
caliper is the smallest value that can be read directly from a vernier scale.

For example, if the least count indicated on the caliper is 0.05 mm and its vernier
scale has 20 divisions, each division corresponds to a 0.05 mm. This means that
the vernier scale divides one division on the main scale into 20 subdivisions. When
the jaws are closed the zero line or index of the vernier scale coincides with the
zero line on the main scale. When the jaws are opened, the fraction of the main
scale division that the vernier scale has moved is determined by noting which
vernier divisions coincides with a main scale division.
 Vernier Caliper
How to use the vernier caliper:

The vernier caliper measure lengths, outer and inner diameters, and
internal depths with the use of its outside jaws or calipers, inner calipers, and
depth gauge respectively. To measure the width of a small rectangular block,
open the movable jaw and place between the outside jaws the block to be
measured. Close the jaws on the object and do the following steps to get the
reading:

1. Observe where the zero line or index of the vernier scale falls on the main
scale. For example, the figure below shows the zero line of vernier scale just
after the 21 mm mark of the main scale. Thus, the main scale reading is 21
mm.

2. Note the line on the vernier scale that coincides on the main scale. In the
figure below, the vernier division marked “1” coincides exactly with a line on
the main scale. This division is the second from the zero line. If the least count
of the vernier is 0.05 mm, this means that two divisions correspond to 0.05 mm
x 2, which is equal to 0.1 mm. So, the scale marked “1” in the vernier
coinciding with the main scale corresponds to a 0.1 mm reading.

3. Obtain the final reading by adding the main scale reading obtained in number 1
and vernier scale reading in number 2. That is:
Main scale reading: 21.0 mm
Circular scale reading: + 0.1 mm
21.1 mm

Final reading
Or 2.11 cm

Apparatus/Materials:

Rectangular Block, new peso coin, ID Card, Ruler, Vernier Caliper,

Micrometer Caliper

Procedure:

A. Volume of a Rectangular Block

1. Measure the length (L), width (W), and thickness (T) of the rectangular
block using a ruler.
2. Calculate the volume (V) of the block by multiplying the length, width and
height using the rules of significant figures for multiplication. (Volume of a
 rectangular block = L x W x H)
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 using a vernier caliper. Tabulate the results.
Volume and Surface Area of a Coin

4. Measure the diameter (D), and the thickness or height (H) of a coin using a
ruler.
5. Calculate the volume (V) and the area (A) of the coin using the rules of
significant figures for multiplication. (𝑆𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 (𝐴) =
𝜋𝑟2; 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑐𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 = 𝜋𝑟2𝐻 where 𝑟 is the radius of the
cylinder.)
6. Repeat steps 1 & 2 using a vernier caliper and a micrometer caliper.
Tabulate the results.

Perimeter and Thickness of an ID Card

7. Measure the thickness (T) of three identical ID cards using a vernier caliper.
Divide the reading by three to get the thickness of one ID card.
8. Repeat the above procedure using a micrometer caliper. Tabulate the
results.
9. Measure the length (L), and width (W) of an ID card using a ruler.
10.Calculate the perimeter of the card by adding twice the length and twice
the width using the rules of significant figures for multiplication (𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝐼𝐷 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑑 = 2𝐿 + 2𝑊).

Data Sheet:

A. Volume of a Rectangular Block

Instrument L W T V
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm3)
Ruler 61mm 21mm 11mm 14,091mm3
Vernier 61mm 21mm 11mm 14,091mm3
caliper

B. Surface Area and Volume of a Coin (new 1 peso coin)

Instrument R H A V
(cm) (cm) (cm2) (cm3)
Ruler 23mm 2mm 415.4756mm2 830.9513mm3
Vernier 23mm 2mm 415.4756mm2 830.9513mm3
caliper
Micrometer 22.548mm 1.533mm 399.3061 mm2 612.1362mm3
caliper
C. Perimeter and Thickness of an ID Card

Thickness Thickness
of three ID of one ID L W Perimeter
Instrument cards card (cm) (cm) (cm)
(measured) (calculated)
(cm) (cm)
Ruler 3mm 1mm 85mm 54mm 278mm
Vernier 3mm 1mm 85mm 54mm 278mm
caliper
Micrometer 3mm 1mm 85mm 54mm 278mm
caliper

*Since the maximum length that the micrometer caliper can measure is only
2.5 cm, use the value obtained using the vernier caliper. Be sure to maintain the
accuracy of each instrument as reflected by your decimal places. Observe the
correct number of significant figures in your calculations.
QUESTIONS:

1. Indicate the number of significant figures in the following:

2 a. 50 students
2 b. 24 hours/day
3 c. 230 kg
3 d. 7.80 m
6 e. 100,480 cm
2 f. 0.0025 cm3

2. Perform the indicated operations for the following measured values:

a. 4.0659 cm x 3.81 cm = 15.4911 cm2

b. 378.2 m – 56 m = 322.2m

c. 0.005 mm + 8.25 mm + 127.3 mm = 135.555m

d. 9.70 x 108 m/s ÷ 1.5 s = 698.4m

3. Solve the following problems:

a. A rectangular paperboard measures 8.7 cm long, 4.3 cm wide and

1.75 mm thick. Find the volume of the paperboard in cubic
centimeter.

b. What is the volume of a cylinder whose radius measures 10.29 mm

and has a height of 6.28 cm? Express the unit in cubic centimeter.
 4. Specify the measuring instrument (meter stick, vernier caliper, and
micrometer caliper) that is appropriate in measuring the following:

Vernier caliper a. radius of an ordinary ring

Vernier caliper b. depth of a small can
Micrometer c. thickness of a credit card
Micrometer d. diameter of a small spherical metal ball
Meter stick e. height of a table

CONCLUSION: This experiment focuses on using a Vernier caliper and micrometer. It teaches us
how to measure objects using these tools. We measure 3 objects volume of a rectangular block,
the surface area and volume of a coin, and the perimeter and thickness of an ID card. In object 1
volume of a rectangular block (eraser), we used a ruler to measure its length, width, thickness,
and volume. After that, the second tool that we used to measure it was the Vernier caliper. We
also measure its length, width, thickness, and volume using the Vernier caliper. To solve the
volume we multiply the length, width, and thickness of a rectangular block (eraser). The second is
a coin's surface area and volume (new 1 peso coin). The same as the first one, we use the ruler to
measure the diameter, thickness, area, and volume. The second tool is also the Vernier caliper
and the last one is the micrometer caliper. The last one is the perimeter and thickness of an ID
card. We used a ruler, Vernier caliper, and micrometer caliper to measure the thickness of three
ID cards, the thickness of 1 ID card, length, width, and perimeter. We measure the objects in mm.