Page 1
JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026):
Units & Measurements
(January 2026)
Q1. The time period of a simple harmonic oscillator is . Measured value of mass
(m) of the object is 10 g with an accuracy of 10 mg and time for 50 oscillations of the spring is
found to be 60 s using a watch of 2 s resolution. Percentage error in determination of spring
constant (k) is ________%.
(a) 3.43
(b) 7.60
(c) 3.35
(d) 6.76
Ans. D
Sol. The formula for the time period of simple harmonic oscillator is
Using propagation of error, when quantities are multiplied or divided, their relative errors
(percentage errors) are added. The constants have no error.
The measured value of mass is, m=10g
Accuracy/Error in measurement of mass is, ?m = 10mg = 0.01g
Page 2
JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026):
Units & Measurements
(January 2026)
Q1. The time period of a simple harmonic oscillator is . Measured value of mass
(m) of the object is 10 g with an accuracy of 10 mg and time for 50 oscillations of the spring is
found to be 60 s using a watch of 2 s resolution. Percentage error in determination of spring
constant (k) is ________%.
(a) 3.43
(b) 7.60
(c) 3.35
(d) 6.76
Ans. D
Sol. The formula for the time period of simple harmonic oscillator is
Using propagation of error, when quantities are multiplied or divided, their relative errors
(percentage errors) are added. The constants have no error.
The measured value of mass is, m=10g
Accuracy/Error in measurement of mass is, ?m = 10mg = 0.01g
So, percentage error in measurement of mass
The percentage error in the time period (T) is the same as the percentage error in the total time (t)
measured for n oscillations.
T otal time measured is, t=60s
Resolution/Error in measurement of time is, ?t=2s
So, percentage error in measurement of time is,
So, using propagation formula:
Percentage error in k = (% error in m) + 2 × (% error in t)
= 0.1% + 2 × 3.33% = 6.76%
Therefore, the correct option is (d).
Q2. The speed of a longitudinal wave in a metallic bar is 400 m/s. If the density and Young's
modulus of the bar material are increased by 0.5% and 1%, respectively then the speed of the
wave is changed approximately to ______ m/s.
(a) 398
(b) 402
(c) 401
(d) 399
Ans. (c)
Sol. The formula for the speed of a longitudinal wave ( v ) in a solid metallic bar is given as
Where, Y = Young's modulus and its ? is its density
Page 3
JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026):
Units & Measurements
(January 2026)
Q1. The time period of a simple harmonic oscillator is . Measured value of mass
(m) of the object is 10 g with an accuracy of 10 mg and time for 50 oscillations of the spring is
found to be 60 s using a watch of 2 s resolution. Percentage error in determination of spring
constant (k) is ________%.
(a) 3.43
(b) 7.60
(c) 3.35
(d) 6.76
Ans. D
Sol. The formula for the time period of simple harmonic oscillator is
Using propagation of error, when quantities are multiplied or divided, their relative errors
(percentage errors) are added. The constants have no error.
The measured value of mass is, m=10g
Accuracy/Error in measurement of mass is, ?m = 10mg = 0.01g
So, percentage error in measurement of mass
The percentage error in the time period (T) is the same as the percentage error in the total time (t)
measured for n oscillations.
T otal time measured is, t=60s
Resolution/Error in measurement of time is, ?t=2s
So, percentage error in measurement of time is,
So, using propagation formula:
Percentage error in k = (% error in m) + 2 × (% error in t)
= 0.1% + 2 × 3.33% = 6.76%
Therefore, the correct option is (d).
Q2. The speed of a longitudinal wave in a metallic bar is 400 m/s. If the density and Young's
modulus of the bar material are increased by 0.5% and 1%, respectively then the speed of the
wave is changed approximately to ______ m/s.
(a) 398
(b) 402
(c) 401
(d) 399
Ans. (c)
Sol. The formula for the speed of a longitudinal wave ( v ) in a solid metallic bar is given as
Where, Y = Young's modulus and its ? is its density
T aking the natural log on both sides of
Differentiating both sides gives the fractional change:
Initial speed = v = 400m/s
Increase in Young's modulus
Increase in density
So, the percentage change in speed,
% change in
Since the result is positive, the speed increases by 0.25%
So, new speed (v’) Initial Speed + Change in Speed
Hence, the correct option is (C).
Q3. Match List - I with List - II.
Page 4
JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026):
Units & Measurements
(January 2026)
Q1. The time period of a simple harmonic oscillator is . Measured value of mass
(m) of the object is 10 g with an accuracy of 10 mg and time for 50 oscillations of the spring is
found to be 60 s using a watch of 2 s resolution. Percentage error in determination of spring
constant (k) is ________%.
(a) 3.43
(b) 7.60
(c) 3.35
(d) 6.76
Ans. D
Sol. The formula for the time period of simple harmonic oscillator is
Using propagation of error, when quantities are multiplied or divided, their relative errors
(percentage errors) are added. The constants have no error.
The measured value of mass is, m=10g
Accuracy/Error in measurement of mass is, ?m = 10mg = 0.01g
So, percentage error in measurement of mass
The percentage error in the time period (T) is the same as the percentage error in the total time (t)
measured for n oscillations.
T otal time measured is, t=60s
Resolution/Error in measurement of time is, ?t=2s
So, percentage error in measurement of time is,
So, using propagation formula:
Percentage error in k = (% error in m) + 2 × (% error in t)
= 0.1% + 2 × 3.33% = 6.76%
Therefore, the correct option is (d).
Q2. The speed of a longitudinal wave in a metallic bar is 400 m/s. If the density and Young's
modulus of the bar material are increased by 0.5% and 1%, respectively then the speed of the
wave is changed approximately to ______ m/s.
(a) 398
(b) 402
(c) 401
(d) 399
Ans. (c)
Sol. The formula for the speed of a longitudinal wave ( v ) in a solid metallic bar is given as
Where, Y = Young's modulus and its ? is its density
T aking the natural log on both sides of
Differentiating both sides gives the fractional change:
Initial speed = v = 400m/s
Increase in Young's modulus
Increase in density
So, the percentage change in speed,
% change in
Since the result is positive, the speed increases by 0.25%
So, new speed (v’) Initial Speed + Change in Speed
Hence, the correct option is (C).
Q3. Match List - I with List - II.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
(a) A-I, B-II, C-IV , D-III
(b) A-IV , B-III, C-I, D-II
(c) A-IV , B-I, C-II, D-III
(d) A-I, B-III, C-II, D-IV
Ans. (b)
Sol.
From Newton's law of viscosity, the force is , where A is area and is the
velocity gradient.
Surface tension is de?ned as the force acting per unit length.
Page 5
JEE Main Previous Year Questions (2021-2026):
Units & Measurements
(January 2026)
Q1. The time period of a simple harmonic oscillator is . Measured value of mass
(m) of the object is 10 g with an accuracy of 10 mg and time for 50 oscillations of the spring is
found to be 60 s using a watch of 2 s resolution. Percentage error in determination of spring
constant (k) is ________%.
(a) 3.43
(b) 7.60
(c) 3.35
(d) 6.76
Ans. D
Sol. The formula for the time period of simple harmonic oscillator is
Using propagation of error, when quantities are multiplied or divided, their relative errors
(percentage errors) are added. The constants have no error.
The measured value of mass is, m=10g
Accuracy/Error in measurement of mass is, ?m = 10mg = 0.01g
So, percentage error in measurement of mass
The percentage error in the time period (T) is the same as the percentage error in the total time (t)
measured for n oscillations.
T otal time measured is, t=60s
Resolution/Error in measurement of time is, ?t=2s
So, percentage error in measurement of time is,
So, using propagation formula:
Percentage error in k = (% error in m) + 2 × (% error in t)
= 0.1% + 2 × 3.33% = 6.76%
Therefore, the correct option is (d).
Q2. The speed of a longitudinal wave in a metallic bar is 400 m/s. If the density and Young's
modulus of the bar material are increased by 0.5% and 1%, respectively then the speed of the
wave is changed approximately to ______ m/s.
(a) 398
(b) 402
(c) 401
(d) 399
Ans. (c)
Sol. The formula for the speed of a longitudinal wave ( v ) in a solid metallic bar is given as
Where, Y = Young's modulus and its ? is its density
T aking the natural log on both sides of
Differentiating both sides gives the fractional change:
Initial speed = v = 400m/s
Increase in Young's modulus
Increase in density
So, the percentage change in speed,
% change in
Since the result is positive, the speed increases by 0.25%
So, new speed (v’) Initial Speed + Change in Speed
Hence, the correct option is (C).
Q3. Match List - I with List - II.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
(a) A-I, B-II, C-IV , D-III
(b) A-IV , B-III, C-I, D-II
(c) A-IV , B-I, C-II, D-III
(d) A-I, B-III, C-II, D-IV
Ans. (b)
Sol.
From Newton's law of viscosity, the force is , where A is area and is the
velocity gradient.
Surface tension is de?ned as the force acting per unit length.
Pressure is de?ned as force acting per unit area.
Surface energy (U
s
) is de?ned as the work done by surface tension in changing the surface area
Hence, the correct option is (b)
Read More