Skip to content
PlayOwl

Science · Grade 11

Measurement, Uncertainty and Physics Models

Learners build the measurement toolkit that every later physics course relies on: SI units, prefixes and dimensional checks; reporting measurements with absolute and percent uncertainty and matching significant figures; and combining uncertainties in calculations. They then linearise data (T² against L for a pendulum) to extract a physical constant from a gradient, and judge physics models by their assumptions, their domain of validity and whether they agree with data within uncertainty.

  • 5 lessons
  • About 120 minutes
  • Measurement and models check: 10 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, estimate, draw a graph, highlight a text and match pairs
Try it now (no account) One of the five free starter courses Open in PlayOwl

What learners will discover

  • Use SI base units, derived units and prefixes to convert quantities, and check that an equation is dimensionally consistent.
  • Report a measurement as a best value with an absolute uncertainty and matching significant figures, calculate percent uncertainty, and combine uncertainties in sums, products and powers.
  • Recognise proportional, linear, inverse and square relationships, linearise a model (such as T² against L) and use the gradient, with units, to find a physical constant.
  • Identify the assumptions and domain of validity of a physics model, and decide whether a model and a measurement agree within uncertainty.

Lessons

  1. Units, prefixes and dimensions 8 steps4 practiceabout 20 min
  2. Uncertainty and significant figures 9 steps5 practiceabout 22 min
  3. Combining uncertainties 8 steps5 practiceabout 20 min
  4. Graphs that test models: linearisation 9 steps5 practiceabout 25 min
  5. Models, assumptions and limits 7 steps5 practiceabout 18 min
  6. Measurement and models check 10 questions at the end

Keep exploring

More 11th grade science

Guide for grown-ups