ICSE Class 6 Physics, Unit 2: Physical Quantities and Measurement

What this unit aims at

Whenever we make a measurement, we require a number which answers the ‘how’ part of it and a unit which tells us that we are talking about. The unit that is used for a physical quantity is universally accepted and used so that science is communicated and understood all over the world, without any ambiguities. Length, mass, time and temperature are some of the physical quantities that are discussed in detail. They have their own units and symbols for representation. Different devices are required to make measurements of these quantities. How to use a device properly for measurement is an important aspect of learning physics. Area is an example of a physical quantity that can be expressed in terms of a product of two measurements in length. Children learn to develop skills of converting the magnitude of a physical quantity from one unit to its other related unit.

Your child should be able to

• define length, mass and time
• express length, mass, time, temperature and area in proper units with proper symbols
• measure length of objects using a ruler and a measuring tape
• measure mass of an object using a beam balance and an electronic balance
• measure time using a clock, a watch and a stop-watch
• relate temperature of an object with its hotness or coldness
• measure temperature of a person using a clinical thermometer
• measure temperature of an object using a laboratory thermometer
• measure area of a regular object using a graph paper
• convert a physical quantity from one unit into other related units

Key concepts in this unit

• Measurement of Length:
• Concept of length as distance between two points.
• Measurement of length (ruler, measuring tape).
• Units (with symbol and full name). Name of Symbol unit centimetre cm meter m Kilometre km inch inch foot ft
• Measurement of Mass:
• Concept of Mass as matter contained in an object.
• Measurement of Mass (Beam Balance, Electronic Balance).
• Units (with symbol and full name).
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Measurement of Time:
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Concept of time and explanation in terms of hours, minutes and seconds.
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Measurement of Time (Clock, watch, stop watch).
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Units (with symbol and full name). Name Symbol of unit Second s Minutes min Hour h (No distinction of SI, metric, MKS, CGS).
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Measurement of Temperature:
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Temperature as a measure of degree of hotness or coldness of body.
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Measurement of temperature (clinical thermometer, laboratory thermometer).
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Normal temperature of a human body.
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Units (with symbol and full name). Name Symbol of unit Celsius °C
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Measurement of Area:
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Concept of area.
• Name of Symbol unit milligram mg gram g kilogram kg: Area of Regular shapes (using graph paper).