GENERAL PHYSICS 1

UNCERTAINTY IN MEASUREMENT

In reporting a measurement, you write both the certain and the uncertain digits.
The certain or exact digits are the ones that the measuring instrument can give you.
The smallest marked division in the measuring instrument is called the least count. On
the other hand, the uncertain digits are the ones that you estimate.
Suppose you want to measure the volume of a small amount of water using a
graduated cylinder. As shown in figure 1.2, the graduated cylinder has a scale marked
with 1-mL increments. This is the least count of the graduated cylinder. The bottom of
the curved surface of the liquid (called the meniscus) is the point where the reading
should be taken. You can see that the water has a volume greater than 41 mL, but less
than 42 mL.
In the reported value of 41.7 mL, the first two digits are certain, and the last digit
is uncertain. The true volume could be a little larger or smaller than 41.7 mL. Given that
the scale in the graduated cylinder is marked with 1-mL increments, the uncertainty of
the measurement using this instrument is 0.1 mL. in other words, the true value could
be somewhere between 41.6 mL and 41.8 mL. In symbols, this can be written as 41.7 ±
0.1 mL. this measurement is read as “forty-one and seven tenths plus-minus one tenth
milliliters.” When the plus-minus symbol is not used, you should assume that the
uncertainty is plus-minus one in the estimated digit of measurement.
The uncertainty of a device is dependent on the smallest scale measured by the
instrument. This graduated cylinder has an uncertainty of + 1 mL. therefore, readings
will be (42 ± 1) mL, due to the uncertainty.

Example:
In the figure presented, what is the volume reading for the three cylinders?
Assume that each scale is in mL.

Solution:
a. The graduated cylinder on the left has a least count of 0.1 mL so the uncertainty
in the measurement must be taken as 0.01 mL. reading across the meniscus, the
volume is between 5.7 mL and 5.8 mL. Aside from 5.7 as certain digits, you
should include an uncertain digit. A reasonable reading is 5.72 mL. therefore, the
reading must be reported as 5.72 ± 0.01 mL, which mean that the true volume is
between 5.71 mL and 5.73 mL.

b. The middle cylinder has a least count of 1 mL, so the uncertainty is 0.1 mL.
Given that the meniscus touches the mark, the reading should be recorded as
3.0 mL and not as 3 mL. Therefore, the measurement must be reported as 3.0 ±
0.1 mL.

c. The right cylinder has a least count of 0.1 mL, so the uncertainty must be taken
to be 0.01 mL. because the meniscus is just below the halfway mark between 0.3
and 0.4, the best approximate is 0.34 mL. you know that the true volume is
between 0.33 mL and 0.35 mL, so the measurement must be reported as 0.34 ±
0.01 mL.
If you read 0.37 mL or 0.38 mL, you were probably reading across the top of the
meniscus. Remember, read the measurement based on the lower meniscus.
 PRECISION AND ACCURACY

You always have to make sure that you have reliable measurements. One way to
do this is by repeating the measurement several times. A reliable measurement will give
the same results under the same conditions. The measurement is then precise, or it has
precision. Thus, a set of measurements is precise when it is consistent. This means
that the values are close to one another.
You can numerically describe the consistency (precision) of measurements using
variance. This measures how far or close the measurements are from the mean
(average). Variance (σ ^2) is defined as the average of the squared difference of the
measurements (x) from the mean (X). The formula to find the variance is:

σ ^2 = Ʃ(x-X)^2
N
Where N is the number of measurements done. The square root of the variance
is called the standard deviation (σ).

σ = √ σ 2=√ ∑ ( x− X )2

A standard deviation close to zero (0) indicates that the data points are close to
the mean. High standard deviation indicates that the measurements are spread out over
a wide range of values.

Example:
Five of your classmates measured the diagonal length of the board. Classmate A
measured it as 2.54 m; classmate B as 2.46 m; classmate C as 2.65; classmate D as
2.55 m; and classmate E as 2.39 m. find the variance and standard deviation of the
measurements made. Express the average measurement in a form that includes
uncertainty.

Solution:
First, compute the mean or average of the measurements.

X=
∑x
N

2.54 m+ 2.46 m+2.65 m+2.55 m+2.39 m

X=
5
 Then make a table for the calculation of deviations ( x- X) and square of
deviations ( x−X )2 for each measurement. Take note of the consistency of units.

Classmate x ( x- X) ( x−X )2
A 2.54 m 0.0220 m 0.000484 m2
B 2.46 m -0.058 m 0.003364 m
2

C 2.65 m 0.132 m 0.017424 m2

D 2.55 m 0.032 m 0.001024 m
2

E 2.39 m -0.128 m 0.016384 m2

To find the variance, you first have to get the mean of ( x−X )2.

2
∑ ( x− X )
2
σ =
N

2 ( 0.000484+0.003364+ 0.017424+0.001024 +0.0016384 ) m 2

σ =
5

2 2
σ =0.007736 m

Next, get the standard deviation by getting the square root of the variance.

σ =√ σ = √ 0.007736 m = 0.088 m
2 2