Experiment 1.

Measurements
and Uncertainty
Measurements are described by numbers

Physical Quantities is the physical phenomena described by these

measurements. Examples include:

Length of an object

Weight of a wooden block

Height of a person

No measurement is absolutely precise. Every measurement is associated

with a certain uncertainty which can be due to:

Limited accuracy of measuring instrument

Incapability of an instrument to read some fraction of the smallest

division

Personal bias of experimenter

Standard and True Values

True value is the value which would be measured if all sources of error
can be eliminated from the experiment. However, since it is impossible
to eliminate all sources of error, true values cannot be measured

Standard values are not true values

Experiment 1. Measurements and Uncertainty 1

 ☢ Experimental Discrepancy is the practice of comparing a
measured value with a standard value of a certain physical
quantity

In making a measurement, the uncertainty is taken to be at least 1 of

the smallest unit on the instrument used

The percent uncertainty is the ration of the uncertainty to the

measured value times 100, which is represented in:

p/m × 100

Precision and Accuracy

Precision refers to the repeatability of the measurement using a given

instrument

High precision instruments have relatively small random errors

Accuracy refers to the closeness of the measurement to the true value

High accuracy instruments have small random errors and small

systematic errors

Estimated uncertainty takes both accuracy and precision into account

The difference between systematic and random errors are illustrated

below:

(a) shows high accuracy and high precision

(b) shows some accuracy but low precision

Experiment 1. Measurements and Uncertainty 2

 (c) is inaccurate but highly precise

(d) is neither accurate nor precise

☢ The Average Deviation from the Mean is the average of all the
absolute values of the deviations which serves as a measure of
reliability

(∑ ∣xi − x
ˉ∣)
ADM =
n
Random and Systematic Errors

Random Errors

These errors arise from unpredictable or unknown variations in the

experimental environment. These includes:

 Operator errors

 Fluctuating or varying experimental conditions

 Inherent variability of the measuring instruments

Minimized by repeating the measurements and taking the average

value

Systematic Errors

These errors are caused by a particular instrument or experimental

technique. Examples of this include:

Miscalibrated instruments

Using incorrect constants in the equation

Reading a scale incorrectly

These errors are called systematic because when the measurement

is repeated multiple times, the error retains the same size and
algebraic sign for each measurement

Harder to detect and thus more serious

Getting the average of several measurements does not minimize

the effect of systematic errors

Experiment 1. Measurements and Uncertainty 3

 Operations in Uncertainties

Given two quantities, x and y measured with uncertainties Δx and Δy,

respectively, the basic operations between x and y, with their
corresponding uncertainties are as follow:

Uncertainty Propagatition

Vernier Caliper

A vernier caliper is a measuring device more precise than an ordinary ruler.

It consists of a fixed scale and a moving vernier scale.

The vernier scale is used to read fractions of small divisions on the

main scale

Experiment 1. Measurements and Uncertainty 4

 The metric vernier is marked in centimeters and millimeters

The vernier scale usually consists of ten equally spaced marks but with
spacings different from the marks of the main scale

Taking the measurement of an object using the Vernier Caliper

 Write down where the index mark (zero of the vernier scale) is
located on the main scale

 Locate which of the marks on the vernier scale lines up best with a
main scale

 The number of that vernier scale mark represents the fractions of a

main scale which must be added
Example:

The index mark falls between 9.1 and 9.2, so we write down 9.1 cm.
Looking at the vernier scale, the 3rd vernier scale mark coincides

Experiment 1. Measurements and Uncertainty 5

 with a main scale mark. Thus, our measurement is 9.13 cm
Answers:

 3.64 cm

 2.38 cm

 4.89 cm

 1.95 cm

 2.18 cm

Questions to ask the Professor:

 Will we always write down the value to the left of the index
mark?

 What if there are multiple marks that line up with the main
scale? Which one would we choose?

Micrometer Caliper

A micrometer caliper is a measuring device more precise than an ordinary

ruler and widely used for accurate measurements in science, engineering,
and mechanics

Reading the following Micrometer Caliper measurements

 Write down the length reading on the main scale

 Note the reading on the thimble and multiply it by 0.01 mm/div

Experiment 1. Measurements and Uncertainty 6

  Add the length and thimble reading to get the measurement

Example:

The reading on the main scale is more than 5.5 but less than 5.6, so we
write down 5.5. The thimble reading is 27.5. So, the final measurement
is 5.5 mm + 27.5 div)(0.01 mm/div) = 5.775 mm

Answers:

 15.35

 9.68

 22.22

 0.83

 11.01

Experiment 1. Measurements and Uncertainty 7