MEASUREMENT AND ERRORS

Lecture - 14

DEFINITIONS
Accuracy - of a measurement system is the degree of closeness of measurements of a quantity to that quantity's actual (true) value. Precision - of a measurement system, also called reproducibility or repeatability, is the degree to which repeated measurements under unchanged conditions show the same results.

DEFINITIONS
Sensitivity - The sensitivity of an instrument is the smallest amount it can measure, of whatever it's built to measure. Anything smaller than the sensitivity of the instrument, and the instrument doesn't even notice it. Resolution - The smallest amount of input signal change that the instrument can detect reliably. Error Deviation from the true value of the measured value

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

All measurements are approximationsno measuring device can give perfect measurements without experimental uncertainty. By convention, a mass measured to 13.2 g is said to have an absolute uncertainty of plus or minus 0.1 g and is said to have been measured to the nearest 0.1 g. In other words, we are somewhat uncertain about that last digitit could be a "2"; then again, it could be a "1" or a "3". A mass of 13.20 g indicates an absolute uncertainty of plus or minus 0.01 g. An indication of the precision of the measurement, is obtained from the number of significant figures in which the result is expressed.

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
Arithmetic Mean Range of possible errors largest deviation from mean Two different degrees of accuracy the result is as accurate as the least accurate measurement

MEASUREMENT ERRORS
Gross Errors Human error in reading Improper use of recording instruments Loading effect Voltmeter & Ammeter

SYSTEMATIC ERRORS
Instrumental Errors Environmental errors Static errors limitation of the device Dynamic errors not responding fast to change in physical variable

RANDOM ERRORS

Increase the number of readings and use statistical means to obtain best approximation of true value

ABSOLUTE & RELATIVE ERRORS

+ 20 ohms absolute error + 20% - relative error Accuracy or Tolerance