Page 1 - Lesson Notes-Traditional units of measurement
P. 1

SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

                                                        Class 6
                                                   Lesson notes
                                                 Subject- Physics
                                        Ch. - Measurement and motion

                                   Subtopic- Traditional units of measurement


               There are two types of measurement:
               1.   Non-standard measurement
               2.   Standard measurement

               Non-standard measurement: The measurements which vary from person to person
               are called non-standard measurement.
                               •  Handspan,  cubit,  yard,  foot  are  the  non-standard  units  for
                                  measuring length.
                              •  These units vary from person to person as different body parts are
                                 used to measure.
                              •  Ancient people used different body parts such as hand-span, cubit,
                                 foot and yard to measure length.
               Disadvantage of traditional unit:

               l  It changes from person to person.

               l  It creates inconsistency in measurement.



               History of the Cubit: Ancient Egypt's Measuring Unit


               The cubit is one of the oldest known units of measurement, used as early as 3000
               BCE in Ancient Egypt. It was based on the length of the forearm, from the elbow to
               the tip of the middle finger, typically measuring around 18 inches or 45.7 cm.
               Egyptians used the cubit to build temples, pyramids, and monuments, ensuring
               uniformity using a wooden or stone cubit rod. This rod helped maintain accuracy
               across large construction projects, showing that even thousands of years ago,
               people understood the importance of standardized measurements.


               Use in Pyramid Construction
                   •  Ancient Egyptians used the cubit as
                       the standard unit when designing and
                       constructing pyramids and temples.
                   •  The Great Pyramid of Giza, built
                       around 2600 BCE, was planned using
                       this unit.
                   •  Craftsmen and architects used marked
                       cubit rods to ensure accuracy in
                       measurements.
   1