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Chapter 1: Q4. (page 17)

For an answer to be complete, the units need to be specified. Why?

Short Answer

Expert verified

It is important to specify the units to complete an answer to improve accuracy and give clearer meaning.

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Defining magnitude and unit

It is important to specify the units in an answer because it adds more meaning. The number, along with the unit, is called magnitude.

A unit is used to compare the magnitudes of quantities of similar nature. It acts as a reference for measurements.

02

Step 2. Example showing the importance of units

The value of distance only in figure, say 5, does not convey a clear meaning. After adding the unit meter, it becomes five meters, which conveys distance accurately.

The value of time as only ten does not convey a clear meaning. After adding the unit seconds, it becomes ten seconds, which conveys time accurately.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Make a rough estimate of the volume of your body (inm3).

Accuracy represents

(a) repeatability of a measurement, using a given instrument

(b) how close a measurement is to the true value

(c) an ideal number of measurements to make

(d) how poorly an instrument is operating

Hold a pencil in front of your eyes at a position where its blunt end just blocks out the moon (see the figure below). Make the appropriate measurements to estimate the diameter of the moon, given that the earth-to--moon distance is3.8×105km.

What are the merits and drawbacks of using a person’s foot as a standard? Consider both (a) a particular person’s foot and (b) any person’s foot. Keep in mind that it is advantageous that fundamental standards be accessible (easy to compare to), invariable (do not change), indestructible and reproducible.

The speed vof an object is given by the equationv=At3-Bt, where trefers to time.

(a) What are the dimensions of A and B?

(b) What are the SI units for the constants Aand B?
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