Final answer:
Nominal dimensions of a brick typically refer to the standard sizes used for design, which in this case are 4 x 2 2/3 x 12 inches. For the exercises, volumes are calculated by multiplying the dimensions together, and for Exercise 32, uncertainty is also factored into the calculation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nominal dimensions of a brick often refer to the advertised or the sizes used in planning rather than the actual dimensions, which might be slightly different due to the manufacturing process. However, if we take the question at face value and consider the nominal dimensions to be the ones stated (4 x 2 2/3 x 12 inches or 102 x 68 x 305 mm), these would specify the size of the brick that is widely recognized or used for design and construction purposes.
To relate this to the provided exercises:
- Exercise 2.5.5 asks for the volume of a block with dimensions 2.1 cm x 34.0 cm x 118 cm. The volume can be calculated by multiplying these dimensions together, yielding a result in cubic centimeters, which can be converted to cubic meters by dividing the result by 1,000,000, since there are 1,000,000 cubic centimeters in a cubic meter.
- In Exercise 32, calculating the volume is straightforward as well, multiplying the length, width, and height together. The challenge in this exercise is determining the uncertainty due to the possible measurement error, which is a more advanced concept typically covered in high school or college level physics, chemistry, or engineering courses.