It is important to know how ‘correct’ the values you have measured are.
Precise results are closely clustered round a value.
Accurate results are centred on the true value.
Accurate but not precise measurements benefit from repetition of measurement
- the average will be better than the individual points. Precise but not accurate results can only be rectified by calibration of your measurement against a known value. We can estimate experimental error and state the results as ranges rather than as single figures. We consider only uncertainties due to the way things are measured. Experimental error analysis allows for unavoidable limitations of precision and accuracy.
Types of experimental error
Random errors occur when measurements are taken and are due to the precision of the measurement. These can be reduced, but not eliminated! Systematic errors occur when measurements are not precise – when there is an offset in the measurement; Calibration can eliminate these. These are not constant in size and can be negative or positive Occur due to scale reading errors Changes in the environment – temperature, vibration, air circulation etc.
Estimating the uncertainty in readings
Conventionally, the scale reading error is half the minimum scale division. For thermometer: 0.5° C. Temperature is 20.0 °C ± 0.5 °C
For digital measuring devices: read the instructions!
The smallest unit: Temperature is 26.3 °C ± 0.1 °C
Make a reasonable estimate of the error!
It will not be half a scale division if the reading is fluctuating, the scale divisions are so large that you can estimate the reading more accurately, etc. For a stop watch: the smallest division is less than your reaction time! Don’t be a slave to the scale division rule – use common sense. There are two types of error that we can state for a quantity x: Absolute error – the value of the error – has the same units as the measurement (dx, Δx) Relative error – the error divided by the measured value (dx/x, Δx/x)
Measured value is 10.0 mm
x = 10.0 mm Absolute error is 0.5 mm dx = Δx = 0.5 mm The line is x = 10.0 mm ± 0.5 mm long. We usually quote absolute errors to only one significant figure because they are estimates.
Relative error is dx/x = Δx/x = 0.5 mm/10.0 mm = 0.05
or (0.5/10.0)*100% = 0.05*100% = 5% Line 1 is 10.0 ± 0.5 mm long.
Line 2 is 12.0 ± 0.25 cm long.
Line 2 is 120 ± 2.5 mm long.
What is the total length of 2 lines?
L = L1 + L2 = 10.0 + 120 = 130.0 mm
What is the total absolute error?
For addition and subtraction we add the absolute errors.
ΔL = ΔL1 + ΔL2 = 0.5 mm + 2.5 mm = 3.0 mm
This gives the maximum error bounds all plausible values lie within these bounds.
L = 130.0 ± 3.0 mm = 130 ± 3 mm (significant figures)!
Width is 10.0 ± 0.5 mm.
Length is 12.0 ± 0.25 cm.
Length is 120 ± 2.5 mm long.
What is the area of the rectangle?
A = L * W = 10.0 * 120 = 1200.0 mm2
What is the total absolute error?
For multiplication and division we add the relative errors. A L W A L W A 2.5mm 0.5mm 0.02083 0.05 0.07083 A 120mm 10.0mm ΔA = 0.07083 * 1200.0 mm2 = 84.996 mm2 The area is 1200.0 mm2 ± 84.996 mm2 = 1200 ± 85 mm2 Side of a cube is a = 10.0 mm ± 0.5 mm.
What is the volume of the cube?
V = a3 = (10.0) 3 = 1000.0 mm 3
What is the total absolute error?
V a V an n V a V 0.5mm 3 3 0.05 0.15 V 10.0mm
ΔV = 0.15 * 1000.0 mm 3 = 150 mm 3
The volume is 1000.0 mm2 ± 150 mm 3 Density of an unknown organic liquid compound is estimated by transferring 10 mL of the liquid in a pipette into a pre-weighed sample bottle. The mass of the empty sample bottle was 30.10 g while the mass of bottle with the liquid was 39.20 g. The tolerance of the pipette is stated as 0.02 mL, and the sensitivity of the balance is 0.005 g. What is the density of the liquid? m0 = 30.10 g mliquid V 3.099 10 3 m = 39.20 g mliquid V g 3.099 10 3 0.910 0.00282 3 mliquid m m0 V = 10.0 ml = 10.0 cm 3 cm Δm = 0.005 g mliquid 39 .20 30 .10 9.10 g g ΔV = 0.02 mL = 0.02 cm3 0.910 0.00282 0.910 0.003 mliquid m m0 cm3 mliquid m m0 V V mliquid 0.005 0.005 0.010 g 39.20 g 30.10 g g 0.910 3 0.010 0.02 10.0cm 3 cm 0.001099 0.00200 3.099 10 3 9.10 10 .0