Class 6
Chapter 10 Class 6 - Motion and Measurement of Distances
  • The process of comparing an object with a standard unit of measurement.
  • Here, the known fixed quantity is called a unit .
  • Example - Length of the table is 10 length of Handspan.
  • Here, 10 is the number and Handspan is the unit selected for measurement.

Standard unit of Measurement:

 

Ancient Units:

  • People used length of foot , width of fingers and distance of a step to measure things in different parts of the world.
  • Length of elbow to the finger , known as cubit was also used as a unit of measurement in Egypt.
  • Yard of cloth was measured by the distance between the outstretched arm and their chin, Romans measured the yard of cloth with their pace or steps.
  • Angul (Finger) or Mutthi (fist) were used for measuring small length

 

Disadvantage: 

Since everyone’s body parts were of different sizes , using these units for measurement can be very confusing . Therefore, in 1790, the French created a standard unit of measurement called the metric system .

 

Modern unit:

  • For the sake of uniformity , scientists all over the world make use of the International system of unit (SI UNIT).
  • SI units of length is Metre.
  • 1 metre (m)=100 centimetre (cm)
  • 1 centimetre (cm)=10 millimetre (mm)
  • 1 kilometre (km)=1000 metre (m)
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Maninder Singh

CA Maninder Singh is a Chartered Accountant for the past 14 years and a teacher from the past 18 years. He teaches Science, Economics, Accounting and English at Teachoo