Measurements and units: JAMB Physics Past Questions and Answers

What the JAMB syllabus covers in Measurements and units

Our summary: The basic and derived units, measuring instruments, dimensions and how accurate a measurement can be.

• Fundamental units (Length, mass, time, electric charge, temperature, luminous intensity, amount of substance.)
• Derived units (Weight, area, volume, force, speed etc.)
• Measuring instruments (Vernier caliper, metre rule, micrometer screw gauge, measuring cylinder, stop watch and beam balance.)
• Fundamental physical quantities
• Derived physical quantities and their units (Combinations of fundamental quantities and determination of their units.)
• Dimensions ((i) definition of dimensions; (ii) simple examples.)
• Limitations of experimental measurements ((i) accuracy of measuring instruments; (ii) simple estimation of errors; (iii) significant figures; (iv) standard form.)

Objectives

• identify the units of length, area and volume;
• use different measuring instruments;
• determine the lengths, surface areas and volume of regular and irregular bodies;
• identify the unit of mass;
• use simple beam balance, e.g. Buchart's balance and chemical balance;
• identify the unit of time;
• use different time-measuring devices;
• relate the fundamental physical quantities to their units;
• deduce the units of derived physical quantities;
• determine the dimensions of physical quantities;
• use the dimensions to determine the units of physical quantities;
• test the homogeneity of an equation;
• determine the accuracy of measuring instruments;
• estimate simple errors;
• express measurements in standard form.

Syllabus content © The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (UTME).