Re: Meauring Volts?

["Frohne, Vickie" <VFrohne@BEN.EDU>]

I have seen students confuse "units" with "methods."  For example (since I
don't recall the exact details of the incident), if you told 'em to measure
the length of an object using two different methods, they'd pick the method
of inches and the method of centimeters, using the same ruler each time. I
was not entirely successful at convincing them that this is not an adequate
response to the request to use a different method.  Does anyone else have
experience with this?

Vickie Frohne

-----Original Message-----
From: SSHS KPHOX
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Sent: 12/8/02 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: Meauring Volts?

PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu writes:
> Suppose a recipe calls for measuring out 500
> grams of sugar.
>  -- The _substance_ being measured is sugar.
>  -- The _quantity_ being measured is 500 grams.
>  -- The _unit_ of measurement is 1 gram,

Isn't the quantity to be measured the mass?
The measurement is 500 g.

Many students will say they are going to measure the grams of the sugar
when they should be saying they are measuring the mass. (Actually they
say
they are weighing it but that is another story.) A precision of language
should aid in the precision of thought.

Ken Fox
It is prohibited for anyone to disclose, copy, distribute the contents of
this message.   Benedictine University does not review, edit or censor
E-Mail communications sent out through their System.  The University
maintains and enforces policies regarding the acceptable use of its
technology resources.  All messages express views solely of the sender,
which are not to be attributed to Benedictine University, and may not be
copied or distributed without this disclaimer.