Re: [Phys-l] Warped 2-metersticks....

[Herb Gottlieb <herbgottlieb@juno.com>]

It is doubtful that a warped 2-meter stick can provide
accurate readings within half a millimeter even after 
it has been carefully straightened out. 

A number of years ago The Physics Teacher magazine 
reported a comparative evaluation of wooden meter sticks.
I recall seeing a photograph of a stack of these "meter"
sticks that varied in length by as much as 2 or 3 millimeters.

Herb Gottlieb from New York City
(Where it is almost impossible to find a meter stick that is 
one meter long. 





On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 08:28:05 -0600 Brian Whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>
writes:
> At 07:31 PM 3/18/2006, Cherie Lehman, you wrote:
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I was just wondering if any of the processes  suggested for 
> "un-warping" the
> > warped 2-meter sticks would disturb the  spacing between the 
> hashmarks on the
> > sticks. I'd be pretty nervous about turning  it into spaghetti for 
>
> > fear that I
> > would end up with a French curve. For that  matter, would the over 
> all length
> > of the stick be changed?
> >
> > Just wondering.
> > Cherie
>
> This is an opportune question for a person interested in measuring 
> something
> with an accuracy of less than one half the smallest division mark 
> over the
>   length of the rule (which would be the rational lower limit of 
> acceptable
>   accuracy in a measuring stick). It is however, the sort of 
> question 
> only likely
>   to be answered by someone in a physics lab or class-room.
>   Other wood users can be content with slightly wider acceptable 
> tolerances.
>     The cheapest one meter sticks I've seen go under $2. A suitable 
>
> experimental
>   prospect, possibly?
>
>
> Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka! 
>
>
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