TITTLE : Experiment 1: MEASUREMENT AND UNCERTAINTY

OBJECTIVES : At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. measure length of various objects; and

2. determine the uncertainty of length of various objects.

THEORY :Measuring some physical quantities is part and parcel of any physics experiment. It is
important to realize that not all measured values are the same as the actual values.
This could be due to errors that we made during the measurement, or perhaps the
apparatus that we used may not be accurate or sensitive enough. Therefore, as a rule,
the uncertainty of a measurement must be taken, and it has to be recorded together
with the measured value.

The uncertainty of a measurement depends on the type of measurement and how it is

done.
For a quantity � with the uncertainty ∆� its measurement is recorded as : � ± ∆�
∆�
The relative uncertainty of the measurement is defined as: �
and therefore its
∆�
percentage of uncertainty is: �
× ���%

SINGLE READING
a) If the reading is taken from a single point or at the end of the scale we use:
�
∆� = × �������� �������� �� ��� �����
�
b) If the reading are taken from two points on the scale:
�
∆� = � × × �������� �������� ���� ��� �����
�
c) If the apparatus has a Vernier scale:
∆� = � × �������� ���� �� ��� ������� �����

REPEATED READING
For a set of n repeated measurements, the best value is the average value, that is,
�
�=� ��
�=
�
Where n is the number of measurements taken and �� is the ��ℎ measurement value.
�
�=� �−��
The uncertainty is given by, ∆� = �
the result should be written in the form of, � = � ± ∆�

APPARATUS:

NAME RANGE SENSITIVITY UNCERTAINTY

Two books - - -
A 30 cm ruler 0.0-30.0 cm 0.1 cm +-0.1 cm
A Vernier callipers from website 0.0-50.0 mm 0.1 mm +-0.1 mm
A micrometer screw gauge from website 0.0-25.00 mm 0.01 mm +-0.01mm
Two oval shape objects from website - - -
Two dumbbells from website - - -
PROCEDURE:

1. Choose the appropriate instrument for measurement of the:

(i) length of a book.

(ii) diameter of an oval shape object.

(iii) width of a dumbbell handle.

2. For task (i) to (iii), perform the measurement and record your data in the following table for at
least 5 readings. Refer to Table 3.1 as an example.

No Length of the book 1, l ±�. ��� � − �� ��

1
2
3
4
5
� �
Average �
�=� � �=�
� − ��
�= = ∆� = =
� �
Length of the book, � = � ± ∆� =
Percentage of uncertainty =

3. Repeat step (2), for another one object with a different size.

4. Determine the percentage of uncertainty for each set of readings.

5. For task (ii) and (iii), use the following websites:

(for best experience, use computer/laptop)

http://bit.do/MICROMETERSCREWGAUGE

http://bit.do/VERNIERCALLIPER

http://bit.do/VernierCaliper

6. Screenshot the best picture of the measurement with one reading for each task. Attach the
picture in your lab report.
OBSERVATION:

TASK 1: LENGTH OF TWO BOOKS

BOOK 1
PICTURE:

READING

No Length of the book 1, l ±�. ��� � − �� ��

1 20.0 cm |20.1-20.0|=0.1 cm

2 20.1 cm |20.0-20.1|=0.1 cm

3 20.0 cm |20.1-20.0|=0.1 cm

4 20.1 cm |20.1-20.1|=0.0 cm

5 20.2 cm |20.1-20.2|=0.1 cm
 � �
Average �= �=� ��
=20.0+20.1+20.0+20.1+20.2 ∆� = �=� �−��
=0.1+0.1+0.1+0.0+0.1 =0.4 cm
� �

=100.4 cm =0.4/5 =0.1cm

=100.4/5 =20.1 cm

Length of the book, � = � ± ∆� =(20.1±0.1)cm

Percentage of uncertainty =0.1/20.1

=0.005x100

=0.50%

TASK 1: LENGTH OF TWO BOOKS

BOOK 2
PICTURE:
READING:

No Length of the book 2, l ±�. ��� � − �� ��

1 18.6 cm 18.5-18.6=0.1 cm

2 18.5 cm 18.5-18.5=0.0 cm

3 18.4 cm 18.5-18.4=0.1 cm

4 18.4 cm 18.5-18.4=0.1 cm

5 18.5 cm 18.5-18.5=0.0 cm

� �
Average �= �=� ��
=18.5 cm ∆� = �=� �−��
=0.06 cm
� �

Length of the book, � = � ± ∆� =(18.5±0.06)cm

Percentage of uncertainty =0.3%

TASK 2: DIAMETER OF TWO OVAL OBJECTS

OVAL 1
PICTURE:
READING:

No Diameter of the Oval 1, � − �� ��

d ±�. ����

1 4.40 mm 0.03 mm

2 4.44 mm 0.01 mm

3 4.43 mm 0.00 mm

4 4.45 mm 0.02 mm

5 4.43 mm 0.00 mm

� �
Average �=1 �� ∆� = �=1 �−�
=0.012 mm
�= =4.43 cm �
�

Diameter of the Oval 1, � = � ± ∆� =(4.43±0.012) mm

 Percentage of uncertainty =0.27%

TASK 2: DIAMETER OF TWO OVAL OBJECTS

OVAL 2
PICTURE:
READING:

No Diameter of the Oval 1, � − �� ��

d ±�. ����

1 5.22 mm 0.01 mm

2 5.25 mm 0.02 mm

3 5.20 mm 0.03 mm

4 5.23 mm 0.00 mm

5 5.25 mm 0.02 mm

� �
Average �= �=1 ��
=5.23 mm ∆� = �=1 �−�
=0.016 mm
� �

Diameter of the Oval 2, � = � ± ∆� =(5.23±0.016)mm

Percentage of uncertainty =0.31%

TASK 3: WIDTH OF DUMBBELL HANDLE

DUMBELL 1
PICTURE:
READING:

No Width of the Dumbbell Handle 1, w � − �� ��

±�. ���

1 4.6 cm 1.68 cm

2 5.0 cm 1.28 cm

3 6.7 cm 0.42 cm

4 7.2 cm 0.92 cm

5 7.9 cm 1.62 cm
 � �
Average �= �=1 ��
=6.28 cm ∆� = �=1 �−�
=1.18 cm
� �

Width of the Dumbbell Handle 1, � = � ± ∆� =(6.28±1.18)cm

Percentage of uncertainty =18.79%

TASK 3: WIDTH OF DUMBBELL HANDLE

DUMBELL 2
PICTURE:
 READING

No Width of the Dumbbell Handle 2, w � − �� ��

±�. ���

1 4.7 cm 1.6 cm

2 5.2 cm 1.1 cm

3 6.7 cm 0.4 cm

4 7.2 cm 0.9 cm

5 7.7 cm 1.4 cm
 � �
Average �= �=1 ��
=6.3 cm ∆� = �=1 �−�
=1.1 cm
� �

Width of the Dumbbell Handle 2, � = � ± ∆� =(6.3±1.1)cm

Percentage of uncertainty =17.46%

DISCUSSION :

1. The uncertainty of ameasurement depends on the type of measurement and how it is

done. This could be due to errors that we made during the experiment or maybe the apparatus
is no tbe accurate or sensitive . Through this experiment we can observe which measuring
apparatus are the more sensitive and less sensitive. The ruler is considered as the least
sensitive following by vernier callipers and the most sensitive is the micrometer screw gauge.

PROBLEMS AND WAYS TO SOLVE

Actual measurement is not same as the result Check for the zero error before doing the
of measurement when using multiple same experiment
measuring apparatus

Difficult to determine the correct reading of Ensure the view of eye is perpendicular to the
measurement on measuring reading scale

Measuring errors during measurement Avoid doing simple mistakes such as zero
errors

CONCLUSION :

Based from the experiment 1 that I have conducted, I can make a conclusion that;

1) The percentage of uncertainty in lenght for both book 1 and book 2 is 0.50% for book 1 and
0.30% for book 2 .

2) The percentage of uncertainty in diameter for both oval 1 and oval 2 is 0.27% for the oval 1
and 0.31 for the oval 2 .

3) The percentage of uncertainty in width for both dumbell handle is 18.79% for dumbell 1 and
17.46% for dumbell 2 .