2.

02 Measurements and Uncertainties

Notes

Precision - A measure of how close a measurement is to the

mean value.
- It only gives an indication of the magnitude of
random errors, not how close data is to the true
value.
- If the spread is smaller the data is more precise.
- It can also be used to mean resolution - how many
decimal places an instrument can read to.
Accuracy - A measure of how close a measurement is to the
true value.

Systemati - Caused by the instruments used or the way in which they are used.
c Errors - Causes all readings to differ from the true value by a fixed amount.
- Systematic error cannot be corrected by repeat readings, instead a
different technique or apparatus should be used.
- Systematic errors will affect accuracy if not corrected. It will not affect the
precision as all values changed by same amount.
Zero - A form of systematic error, caused when a measuring instrument doesn’t
Errors read zero at a value of zero.
- This results in all measurements being offset by a fixed amount.
Random - Caused by unknown and unpredictable changes during the experiment
Errors - Caused by factors such as humidity and temperature changes or human
error.
- Random errors will give results scattered above and below the correct
value, therefore calculating the mean will provide a better result.

Absolute uncertainty is ± the smallest division on the measuring instrument, written to 1s.f.
For multiple readings:
Absolute uncertainty = range / 2
Absolute uncertainties have the same units as the quantity.
Percentage uncertainty:
In one value-

percentage uncertainty =  100

In repeat readings-
percentage uncertainty = ½ x range  100
mean

Combining uncertainties:

What happens in the formula What to do to calculate uncertainties

A+B or A-B Add absolute uncertainties

AxB or A÷B Add percentage uncertainties

An Multiply the percentage uncertainty by n

2.02 Measurements and Uncertainties

Worked Examples

I Do You Do
 I Do You Do

2.02 Measurements and Uncertainties

Practice
1 Write down these measurements with their absolute uncertainty.
 a 6.0 cm length measured with a ruler marked in mm
b 0.642 mm diameter measured with a digital micrometer
c 36.9 °C temperature measured with a thermometer which has a quoted accuracy of: ‘±
0.1 °C (34 to 42 °C), rest of range ± 0.2 °C’.

2 Calculate the percentage uncertainty in these measurements.

a 5.7 ± 0.1 cm
b 2.0 ± 0.1 A
c 450 ± 2 kg
d 10.60 ± 0.05 s

3 Calculate the absolute uncertainty in these measurements.

a 1200 W ± 10%
b 34.1 m ± 1%
c 330 000 Ω ± 0.5%
d 0.008 00 m ± 1%

4 Calculate the absolute and percentage uncertainty in the total mass of suitcases of masses
x, y, and z.
x = 23.3 ( 0.1) kg, y = 18 ( 1) kg, z = 14.7 ( 0.5) kg

5 A piece of string 1.000 ( 0.002) m is cut from a ball of string of length 100.000 (
0.002) m. Calculate the length of the remaining string and the uncertainty in this length.

6 A runner completes 100 ( 0.02) m in 18.6 ( 0.2) s. Calculate his average speed and the
uncertainty in this value.

7 A car accelerates, with constant acceleration, from 24 ( 1) m s–1 to 31( 2) m s–1 in 9.5 (
0.1) s. Calculate the acceleration. State your answer with its absolute uncertainty.

8 A cube has a mass of 7.870 ( 0.001) kg and sides of length 10.0 ( 0.1) cm. Give the
value of the density of the cube.

9 Calculate the uncertainty in the resistance of a bulb. The equation is R=V/I and the
following measurements were taken:
Potential Difference = 1.1 V
Current = 0.4 A

10 Calculate the uncertainty in the velocity of a football. The equation is v = s/t and the
following measurements were taken:
Displacement = 26.5 ± 0.5 m
Time = 0.6 s
2.02 Measurements and Uncertainties Exam
Questions
H156/01 2021
H156/01 2020
H156/02 2019
H156/01 2018
H156/01 2017

H556/01 2019

H556/01 2021
H556/01 2020