Unit 3 & Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics

Edexcel Physics AS Level

Uncertainties in practice

Some Important terms

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Types of errors

Random error

Random errors are errors made by the person carrying out the measuring, and are usually down
to timing incorrectly, or reading the instrument incorrectly. It is important to try to reduce or limit
the effect of random errors in measuring.

Reaction time errors and parallax errors are examples of random

errors.

Random errors are caused by factors that are beyond the control of the
observers.

1. Random error can cause by

1. personal errors such as human limitations of sight
and touch.
2. lack of sensitivity of the instrument: the instrument fail
to respond to the small change.
3. natural errors such as changes in temperature or wind, while the
experiment is in progress.
4. wrong technique of measurement.
2. One example of random error is the parallax
error. Random error can be reduced by
1. taking repeat readings
2. find the average value of the reading.

Reaction time error can sometimes be

reduced by using light gates and
electronic timing or sensors connected to
a computer to record time taken for
objects like paper cake cases to fall or a
vehicle to move down a slope

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Systematic error

Systematic errors are errors which tend to shift all measurements in a systematic way so their
mean value is displaced. Systematic errors can be compensated if the errors are known.

1. Examples of systematic errors are

1. zero error, which caused by an incorrect position of the zero point,
2. an incorrect calibration of the measuring instrument.
3. consistently improper use of equipment.
2. Systematic error can be reduced by
1. Conducting the experiment with care.
2. Repeating the experiment by using different instruments

Accuracy & Precision

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Calculating Uncertainty

What is an uncertainty?

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Resolutions of several instruments

Instrument Resolution

Metre rule

Vernier caliper

Micrometre Screw gauge

Protractor

How to determine the uncertainty of a direct reading taken from an instrument

a) Protractor

b) Measuring Cylinder

(i)

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Ex:

d) Stopwatch

Ex:-

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(e) Electronic Balance

Ex: -

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How to calculate uncertainty when the measurement is a difference between two
readings

• Calculate the uncertainty of the following measurements.

a) Meter Ruler

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b) Measuring the volume of an irregular object.

Calculating uncertainty of a range of readings

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Example
A student measures the diameter of a metal canister using a ruler graduated in mm and records
these results:

• The uncertainty in the mean value (64 mm) can be calculated as follows.

a) Using the half range

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b) Using the reading furthest from the mean

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Percentage uncertainty

• The percentage uncertainty in a measurement can be calculated using:

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Example

The diameter of circular disc is recorded as 64 ± 1 mm

1. Find the absolute uncertainty of the radius.

2. Compare the Percentage uncertainties of diameter and the radius.
3. Compute the circumference of the disc
4. Find the absolute and the percentage uncertainty of the circumference

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Compounding uncertainties
• Calculations often use more than one measurement.
• Each measurement will have its own uncertainty, so it is necessary to combine the
uncertainties for each measurement to calculate the overall uncertainty in the calculation
provided all the measured quantities are independent of one another.
• There are three rules of compounding uncertainties depending on whether the
measurements in a calculation are added/subtracted multiplied/divided or raised to a
power.

o Adding or subtracting measurements

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Example

• A student wants to determine the thickness of the walls of a plastic pipe. He measures
the internal and external diameters of the pipe using vernier calipers and obtains the
following readings.
Internal diameter = 101.4 mm ± 0.1 mm
External diameter = 102.8 mm ± 0.3 mm

• Find the thickness of the pipe with the relevant uncertainty.

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o Multiplying or dividing measurements

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o Raising a measurement to a power

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Example

A metallurgist is determining the purity of a sample of an alloy that is in the shape of a cube by
determining the density of the material. The following readings are taken.

Length of each side of the cube = 24 mm ± 0.5 mm

Mass of cube = 48.23 g ± 0.05 g
Calculate,
(i) the density of the material
(ii) the percentage uncertainty in the density of the material.

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Example

A student calculates the volume of a drinks can and the percentage uncertainty for the final
value. The student determines that the radius of the metal can is 33 mm with an uncertainty of
1%.
Record the cross-sectional area A of the canister with appropriately with uncertainty.

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Example
A builder wants to calculate the area of a square tile. He uses a rule to measure the two
adjacent sides of a square tile and obtains the following results:

Length of one side = 84 mm ± 0.5mm

Length of perpendicular side = 84 mm ± 0.5mm

(i) Calculate the percentage uncertainty in the length of each side of this square tile.
(ii) Calculate the Area of the tile and record it with appropriate uncertainty.
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Example

A student is asked to measure the area of the shaded part of the

following diagram. Find the shaded area and its uncertainty.
𝑑𝑖 = 14 ± 1𝑚𝑚
𝑑𝑜 = 25 ± 1𝑚𝑚

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Uncertainties in drawing conclusions

• Often an experiment will require a comparison to a known value.

• This is when the uncertainty can be used to assess whether the measured value is accurate
or not.
• This can be achieved in the following ways

a. Calculating maximum and minimum values

b. Calculating a percentage difference
c. Observations from graphs

Calculating maximum and minimum values

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Example

A student used a simple pendulum to obtain a value of g = 10.1 m s −2. The experimental
percentage uncertainty was calculated as 4%.
Comment whether his value is acceptable or not.

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Calculating a percentage difference

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Observations from graphs

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Q:
• A student is taking measurements from a piece of wire.

(a) She measures the diameter d using a micrometer. She obtains the following readings.

d/mm 0.27 0.29 0.26 0.77 0.26

I. Find the mean diameter of the wire.

II. Estimate the percentage uncertainty in your value.

(b) She then takes following measurements

Length of the wire =663 mm
mass of wire =0.32 g

I. Use her measurements to calculate the volume of the wire.

II. Hence determine the percentage uncertainty of the volume

III. Calculate the density of the material of the wire.

IV. Hence determine the percentage uncertainty of the density.

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(c)The standard density of the wire is 8300 kgm-3

I. Find the percentage difference of density.

II. Hence state whether the experimental value is consistent with the standard value

Q: A student was asked to determine the density of the metal from which a food can is made.

(a) She calculated the volume of the metal by determining the external volume of the can and
subtracting the internal volume.

I. She measured the external height of the can using a metre rule. State the resolution
of a metre rule.

[Link] used two set squares and a metre rule to measure the external diameter of the
can. Describe how you would use this apparatus to measure accurately the diameter
of a can. Your description should include a diagram

(b) The student recorded the following results.

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 The volume of a cylinder is given by V =  r h
2

where r is the radius of the cylinder and h is its height.

(i) Use these measurements to show that the external volume is about 400 cm3.

(ii) Hence calculate a value for the volume of the metal.

(iii) Hence calculate a value for the density of the metal.

(c)
(i) Use the measurements to estimate the percentage uncertainty in the external volume. You
should assume the uncertainty in the height measurement is negligible.

(ii) Use the measurements to estimate the percentage uncertainty in the internal volume.

(iii) The volume of metal was determined by subtracting the internal volume of the can from the
external volume. This produces a percentage uncertainty for the volume of metal which is greater
than 10%. Suggest why.

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