Jose Rizal Institute

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Uncertainty of Derived
Quantity

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Estimate the uncertainty of a derived quantity from the estimated values and
uncertainties of directly measured quantities.

PRE TEST:

Choose the letter of the best answer.

1. One of the physical quantities which is not a derived quantity

a. acceleration b. force c. length d. velocity

2. This quantity is the combination of fundamental quantities using the mathematical

operations of multiplication and division.
a. base quantity b. derive quantity c. physical quantity d. SI

3. The following are examples of derived quantities EXCEPT

a. electrical quantity b. energy c. momentum d. power

4. The following quantity are examples of fundamental quantity EXCEPT

a. electrical quantity b. luminous intensity c. speed d. time

5. Multiplying width and length, and then height with the answer will give us the

a. area b. volume c. density d. mass

6. If we multiply length with width, we get the

a. area b. volume c. mass d. weight

7. For large areas such as a town, the unit of area used is

a. sq. m b. sq. km c. sq. ft d. sq. yds.

8. If we divide 1km into 1000 equal parts, each part will be equal to

a. 1m b. 1dm c. 1cm d. 1mi

9. From the various combinations of ________ derived units are obtained

a. 2 c. fundamental units
b. electrical quantities d. metric prefixes

10. What is another name for fundamental units?

a. atoms b. base units c. letter symbols d. the metric system

Lesson

1 Measurement
Derived quantities, are defined in terms of the seven base quantities via a system of quantity
equations. The SI derived units for these derived quantities are obtained from these equations
and the seven SI base units.

Derived Quantities
Derived quantities are quantities that are calculated from two or more measurements.
Derived quantities cannot be measured directly. They can only be computed. Many derived
quantities are calculated in physical science. Three examples are area, volume, and density.

Table of Derived Quantities

area square meter m2

volume cubic meter m3
speed, velocity meter per second m/s
acceleration meter per second squared m/s2
mass density kilogram per cubic meter kg/m3
force newton (N) m·kg·s2
pressure pascal m-1·kg·s2
energy, work joule (J) N-m m2·kg·s2
electric potential volt (V) m2·kg·s-3·A-1
current density ampere per square meter A/m-2
electric resistance Ohm m2·kg·s3·A-2
 dynamic viscosity pascal second m-1·kg·s3
surface tension newton/meter m·kg·s-2/m
magnetic field strength ampere per meter A/m
electric charge Coulomb (C) s·A

Calculating Area
The area of a surface is how much space it covers. It’s easy to calculate the area of a surface
if it has a regular shape, such as the blue rectangle in the sketch below. You simply substitute
measurements of the surface into the correct formula. To find the area of a rectangular
surface, use this formula:
Area (rectangular surface) = length × width (l × w)

Download from https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-middle-school-physical-science-

flexbook-2.0/section/1.27/primary/lesson/calculating-derived-quantities-ms-ps

What is the area of the blue rectangle?

Substitute the values for the rectangle’s length and width into the formula for area:
Area = 9 cm × 5 cm = 45 cm2
Can you use this formula to find the area of a square surface?
Yes, you can. A square has four sides that are all the same length, so you would substitute
the same value for both length and width in the formula for the area of a rectangle.
Calculating Volume
The volume of a solid object is how much space it takes up. It’s easy to calculate the volume
of a solid if it has a simple, regular shape, such as the rectangular solid pictured in the sketch
below. To find the volume of a rectangular solid, use this formula:
Volume (rectangular solid) = length × width × height (l × w × h)

https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-middle-school-physical-science-flexbook-
2.0/section/1.27/primary/lesson/calculating-derived-quantities-ms-ps

What is the volume of the blue rectangular solid?

Substitute the values for the rectangular solid’s length, width, and height into the formula
for volume:
Volume = 10 cm × 3 cm × 5 cm = 150 cm3

Calculating Density
Density is a quantity that expresses how much matter is packed into a given space. The
amount of matter is its mass, and the space it takes up is its volume. To calculate the density
of an object, then, you would use this formula:

Density = mass / volume

The volume of the blue rectangular solid above is 150 cm3. If it has a mass of 300 g, what is
its density?
The density of the rectangular solid is:

Density = 300 g / 150 cm3 = 2 g/cm3

Suppose you have two boxes that are the same size but one box is full of feathers and the
other box is full of books. Which box has greater density?
Both boxes have the same volume because they are the same size. However, the books have
greater mass than the feathers. Therefore, the box of books has greater density.
Units of Derived Quantities
A given derived quantity, such as area, is always expressed in the same type of units. For
example, area is always expressed in squared units, such as cm2 or m2. If you calculate area
and your answer isn’t in squared units, then you have made an error.
What units are used to express volume?
Volume is expressed in cubed units, such as cm3 or m3.
A certain derived quantity is expressed in the units kg/m3. Which derived quantity is it?
The derived quantity is density, which is mass (kg) divided by volume (m3).

Best Estimate ± Uncertainty

When scientists make a measurement or calculate some quantity from their data, they
generally assume that some exact or "true value" exists based on how they define what is
being measured (or calculated). Scientists reporting their results usually specify a range of
values that they expect this "true value" to fall within. The most common way to show the
range of values is:
measurement = best estimate ± uncertainty
Example: a measurement of 5.07 g ± 0.02 g means that the experimenter is confident that
the actual value for the quantity being measured lies between 5.05 g and 5.09 g. The
uncertainty is the experimenter's best estimate of how far an experimental quantity might be
from the "true value." (The art of estimating this uncertainty is what error analysis is all
about).

How many digits should be kept?

Experimental uncertainties should be rounded to one significant figure. Experimental
uncertainties are, by nature, inexact. Uncertainties are almost always quoted to one
significant digit (example: ±0.05 s). If the uncertainty starts with a one, some scientists quote
the uncertainty to two significant digits (example: ±0.0012 kg).
Wrong: 52.3 cm ± 4.1 cm
Correct: 52 cm ± 4 cm

Always round the experimental measurement or result to the same decimal place as the
uncertainty. It would be confusing (and perhaps dishonest) to suggest that you knew the
digit in the hundredths (or thousandths) place when you admit that you unsure of the tenths
place.
Wrong: 1.237 s ± 0.1 s
Correct: 1.2 s ± 0.1 s

Comparing experimentally determined numbers

Uncertainty estimates are crucial for comparing experimental numbers. Are the
measurements 0.86 s and 0.98 s the same or different? The answer depends on how exact
these two numbers are. If the uncertainty too large, it is impossible to say whether the
difference between the two numbers is real or just due to sloppy measurements. That's why
estimating uncertainty is so important!
 Measurements don't 0.86 s ± 0.02 s and 0.98 s ±
agree 0.02 s

0.86 s ± 0.08 s and 0.98 s ±

Measurements agree
0.08 s

If the ranges of two measured values don't overlap, the measurements are discrepant (the
two numbers don't agree). If the ranges overlap, the measurements are said to be consistent.

Estimating uncertainty from a single measurement

In many circumstances, a single measurement of a quantity is often sufficient for the
purposes of the measurement being taken. But if you only take one measurement, how can
you estimate the uncertainty in that measurement? Estimating the uncertainty in a single
measurement requires judgement on the part of the experimenter. The uncertainty of a single
measurement is limited by the precision and accuracy of the measuring instrument, along
with any other factors that might affect the ability of the experimenter to make the
measurement and it is up to the experimenter to estimate the uncertainty.

ACTIVITY:

1. The radius of a solid sphere is measured to be (6.5 ± 0.2) cm. Determine the volume of the

sphere with its uncertainty.

2. A resistor is marked as having a value of 5.9 Ω ± 2%. The power P dissipated in the resistor,

when connected in a simple electrical circuit, was to be calculated from the current in the

resistor, which measured as (1.40 ± 0.05) mA. What is the value of calculated P together with

its associated uncertainty?

3. A car accelerates uniformly from rest and travels a distance of (100 ± 1) m. If the acceleration

of the car is (6.5 ± 0.5) m/s2, what would be its final velocity, together with its associated

uncertainty, at the end of the distance covered?