What are the sources of errors in

measurement?
Error in Measurement
Basically, the error can be defined as the difference between the measured value and
the true value. This error can be evaluated as following types

 Absolute Error
 Relative Error

Absolute Error
Absolute error = |True value-Measured Value|

Relative Error
Relative error = Absolute Error/Measured value

They are as simple as that.

While measuring a parameter with a measuring instrument there are so many factors

that determine the accuracy of the measurement, these factors are the sources of
the errors in measurement. Let’s discuss different sources of errors in
measurement.

Sources of Errors in measurement

sources of errors in measurement are nothing but the different error possibilities in
the measurement. the different types of errors are listed as a tree diagram below.
Static Errors
There are three static errors those are Reading errors, Characteristic errors,
Environmental errors. The static error means no relation to the time variation in the
measurement, only related to the physical nature of the measuring instrument. That
is what a static Error means.

i) Reading error: Reading errors such as reading with

 parallax error: Observing the readings from the dial without putting it
normal to the eye.
 Interpolation error: Taking correct interpolation when the indicator is in
between two graduations.

ii)Characteristic Error: 

 Not able to attain the theoretical performance of the Instrument in

taking an actual measurement.

iii) Environmental Errors:

 Environmental factors such as wind, surrounding temperature, humidity,

effects the on measuring instruments.
 Even the electrical and the magnetic field also influence the error in the
measuring instruments while in static measurement.
 This environmental error is also a source of an error under instrumental
loading errors.
Instrumental Loading Errors
 Instrument loading errors mean, due to the measuring instrument the
object which needs to be measured tends to change. For example, due
to applying overpressure on the object by using the measuring
instrument forcibly, the object may tend to change its shape and gives
us an error.
 The environmental factor also affects the object to change in its
parameter and becomes a source of an error as we said earlier.

Dynamic Errors
Dynamic errors mean the error caused by the time variation in the measurand(the
object being measured). The main factor causes the dynamic error are the inertia,
damping, friction in the sensing system or the display system of the measuring
instrument.

There are two different dynamic errors. They are

i) Systematic Errors:
These systematic errors are

 Regular or repeats in nature and also can be controllable. (Repeats after

a certain amount of time)
 Can be eliminated sometimes.
 Calibration errors, variation in the contact pressure, variation in the
atmospheric pressure, Parallax error, misalignment errors are the
sources of Systematic errors.

ii) Random Errors:

These Random Errors are

 Errors randomly occurred with the measuring instrument. (Unable to

predict the when the error going to happen)
 Hard to control.
 Can be corrected in the final results.
 Error due to the variation of in the setting of the workpiece and the
instrument, Due backlash and friction in the components of the
measuring instruments are the sources of the Random errors in
measurement.
Conclusion
Those are the different sources of errors in measurement. If you have any thoughts
about the sources of errors in measurement please let us know in the below
comments.