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CAIE A-Level Physics P3.7 Practical Apparatus and Measurement

Practise selecting and reading calipers, micrometers, meters and other laboratory instruments, applying suitable measurement technique and practical safety.

Syllabus
2028–2030
Course
Physics 9702
Level
AS

Exam points

  • read common laboratory instruments and select a suitable instrument for a measurement
  • apply appropriate measurement technique and laboratory safety to practical apparatus

P3.7-Apparatus familiarity and safe practice question 1

[Maximum number: 1]

A smooth pebble, made from uniform rock, has the shape of an elongated sphere as shown in Fig. 1.1.

Fig. 1.1

Fig. 1.1

The length of the pebble is L. The cross-section of the pebble, in the plane perpendicular to L, is circular with a maximum radius r.

A student investigating the density of the rock makes measurements to determine the values of L, r and the mass M of the pebble as follows:

L=(0.1242±0.0001)mr=(0.0420±0.0004)mM=(1.072±0.001)kg.\begin{aligned} L & =(0.1242 \pm 0.0001) \mathrm{m} \\ r & =(0.0420 \pm 0.0004) \mathrm{m} \\ M & =(1.072 \pm 0.001) \mathrm{kg} . \end{aligned}

State the name of a measuring instrument suitable for making this measurement of L.

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