The statement “To call a dimensional quantity ‘large’ or ‘small’ is meaningless without specifying a standard for comparison” emphasizes the importance of reference standards in physics. Which of the following revised statements correctly reflects this principle?
| 1. | Atoms are very small objects. |
| 2. | A jet plane moves with great speed. |
| 3. | The mass of Jupiter is very large. |
| 4. | A proton is about \(1836\) times more massive than an electron. |
The given statement is true.
Measurement is basically a comparison process. Without specifying a standard of comparison, it is not possible to get an exact idea about the magnitude of a dimensional quantity. For example, the statement that the mass of the earth is very large is meaningless. To correct it, we can say that the mass of the earth is large in comparison to any object lying on its surface.
(a) An atom is a very small object in comparison to a soccer ball.
(b) A jet plane moves with a speed greater than that of a bicycle.
(c) The mass of Jupiter is very large as compared to the mass of a cricket ball.
(d) The air inside this room contains a large number of molecules as compared to that present in a geometry box.
(e) A proton is more massive than an electron.
(f) The speed of sound is less than the speed of light.
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