Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Uncertainty is the ½ of the minimum reading of an instrument. It is also called as the Resolution
or Precision.
0 Rule
32.0cm 32.1cm
1. Single Measurement
32cm
Reading, l = 32.0cm
t1 = 2.31s t2 = 2.25s
t5 = 2.23s
= 2.2825s
= 0.055s
= 0.06s (2 d.p)
%U = 0.06 x 100
2.28
= 2.6%
a) Addition/Subtraction
L2 = (12.5 + 0.05)cm
Addition Subtraction
L L
12.5cm
L = 107.5cm L = 82.5cm
Uncertainty of L = U of L1 + U of L2
= 0.1cm = 0.1cm
Area of a rectangle
Length, L = (32.4 + 0.05)cm
Breath, b = (6.68 + 0.005)cm
A = L x b
% Uncertainty of A = %U of L + %U of b
∆A = ∆L + ∆b
A L b
∆A = A{∆L + ∆b}
L b
∆A = 216{0.05 + 0.005}
32.4 6.68
= 216{1.54x10-3 + 7.49x10-4}
= 0.495 cm2
% U of D = % U of m + % U of V
∆D = ∆m + ∆V
D m V
c) Power
V = l3
% U of V = 3 x %U of l
∆V = 3x ∆l
V l
d) Multiplied by a constant
C = πd r = ½d
%U of C = ∆C x 100 %U of r = ∆r x 100
C r
U of C(∆C) = π x U of d(∆d) U of r = ½ x U of d
∆C = π x ∆d ∆r = ½ ∆d
T = T20 = 5.56s
20 20
T = 0.28s
∆T = 1 x ∆T20
20
= 1 x 0.01
20
∆T = 5 x 10-4 s
%D = P - T x 100
T
%D = P1 - P2 x 100
(P1 + P2) / 2
= 0.04 = 1.8%
2.21
Criticizing a Table
When using the stop watch to measure a time, reaction time occurs. Reaction time
is different person to person. Normal reaction time of a person is 0.1s.
Random Errors can be identified in a graph. If the points are scattered in a graph
we know that there is random error.
Précised - This is because you can see all the points are very close
to each other.
Not Accurate- All the points are deviated from the centre of the
diagram.
x
x
x
Diagram B – Précised and Accurate
Précised - This is because you can see all the points are very close
to each other.
Accurate - All the points are close to the centre of the diagram.
x
x
x
Not Précised - This is because you can see the points are scattered.
Not Accurate- All the points are not close to the centre of the diagram.
x x
x
Diagram D – Not Précised but Accurate
Not Précised - This is because you can see the points are scattered.
Accurate - You can see the points are very close to centre of the diagram.
x x
x
How to get accurate Readings
Method 1 Method 2
Using one coin Using multiple coins
Method 1 Method 2
set square
Method 2 is better.
3. Measuring height, h
eye
Base of the meter rule is short. Therefore, when measuring height, the rule may not
be vertical. So we use the set square as shown in the diagram, in order to keep the
rule vertical.
If the bench is not horizontal, the rule still may not be vertical and we cannot
eliminate this error. So it is called systematic error.
meter rule
Eye
protractor
H
When measuring the angle,ϴ we cannot use the protractor, as the reference line
cannot be align on a bench as shown on diagram. Therefore trigonometry is used to
calculate the angle, ϴ.
Before taking any reading check the zero error of the Vernier or Micrometer.
Otherwise there will be a systematic error in your reading.
Additional Notes (not in the syllabus)
( - ) zero error
0 ( + ) zero error
0 0
Vernier zero Vernier zero
( + ) zero error
0 D main scale
d
zero error 0 vernier scale
You can see the 2nd division of Vernier is coinciding with the main scale.
Therefore short method of calculating (+) zero error is as follows.
(+) zero error = 2(count from the 0th Vernier division) x least count
= 2 x 0.01
= 0.02 cm
Actually the ( + ) zero error is the distance between two zeros. It can be calculate
as follows.
( + ) zero error = D - d
= 2 mm - (2 x 0.9mm)
= 0.2 mm
= 0.02 cm
( - ) zero error
0 main scale
D
d 10
zero error 0 vernier scale
You can see the 3rd division of Vernier is coinciding with the main scale.
Therefore short method of calculating (-) zero error is as follows.
(-) zero error = 7(count from the 10th Vernier division x least count
= 7 x 0.01
= 0.07 cm
Actually the ( - ) zero error is the distance between two zeros. It can be calculate as
follows.
( - ) zero error = d - D
= (3 x 0.9 mm) - 2 mm
= 0.7 mm
= 0.07 cm