1.Units, Dimensions and Measurement
medium

Which of the following is the most precise device for measuring length:

$(a)$ a vernier callipers with $20$ divisions on the sliding scale

$(b)$ a screw gauge of pitch $1\; mm$ and $100$ divisions on the circular scale

$(c)$ an optical instrument that can measure length to within a wavelength of light?

Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D

Solution

A device with minimum count is the most suitable to measure length.

Least count of vernier callipers

$=1$ standard division $(SD) -1$ vernier division $(VD)$ $=1-\frac{9}{10}=\frac{1}{10}=0.01 cm$

Least count of screw gauge = $\frac{\text { Pitch }}{\text { Number of divisions }}=\frac{1}{1000}=0.001 cm$

Least count of an optical device $=$ Wavelength of light $\sim 10^{-5} cm$

$=0.00001 cm$

Hence, it can be inferred that an optical instrument is the most suitable device to measure length.

Standard 11
Physics

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