Physics Department JARIS

Grade 9 JARIS
Chapter # 1
SECTION 2 Accuracy and Precision
Qualitative Measurements
• Qualitative measurements give results that are
descriptive and non-numerical.

• Example: Colors, smells

Quantitative Measurements
• Quantitative measurements give results that are
definite, usually as numbers and units.

• Example: 27mL
Accuracy and Precision
• Measurements work best when they are
accurate and precise
 Accuracy and
Precision:
• The quality of a scientific measurement is determined by two
different characteristics.
• The first is accuracy, which is a measure of how close the measured
value is to the actual value.
• The second is precision, which is a measure of how close together the
values of a series of measurements are to one another.
• The figure in the next slide illustrates the differences between
situations where accuracy and precision are either good or poor.
To evaluate the accuracy of a measurement, the measured value
must be compared to the correct value. To evaluate the precision of
a measurement, you must compare the values of two or more
repeated measurements.
 Accuracy and Precision
Darts on a dartboard illustrate the difference
between accuracy and precision.

Good Accuracy, Good Precision Poor Accuracy, Good Precision Poor Accuracy, Poor Precision

The closeness of a dart to the bull’s-eye corresponds to the degree of

accuracy. The closeness of several darts to one another corresponds to
the degree of precision.
Precision & Accuracy
• In this picture, all of the darts land on the bulls-eye which
illustrates good precision and accuracy.

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Precision & Accuracy
• In this picture, all of the darts land near each other, but away from
the bulls-eye which illustrates good precision, but poor accuracy.

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Precision & Accuracy
• Here the darts are not close to each other, but are close to the bulls-
eye indicating poor precision, but good accuracy.

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Precision & Accuracy
• Finally, the darts are not close to each other or near the bulls-eye
indicating both poor accuracy and poor precision.

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Example
• Each of five students used the same ruler to measure
the length of the same pencil. The results are as follows:
15.33 cm, 15.34 cm, 15.33 cm, 15.33 cm, 15.34 cm. The
actual length of the pencil was 15.85 cm. Describe
whether accuracy and precision are each good or poor
for these measurements?

Good Precision & Accuracy

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Practice Questions
Q1) The volume of a liquid is 26 mL. A student
measures the volume and finds it to be 26.2 mL,
26.1 mL, 25.9 mL, and 26.3 mL in the first, second,
third, and fourth trial, respectively. Which of the
following statements is true for his
measurements?
a. They are neither precise nor accurate.
b. They have poor accuracy.
c. They have good precision.
d. They have poor precision.
Q2) The volume of a liquid is 20.5 mL.
Which of the following sets of
measurement represents the value with
good accuracy?
a)18.6 mL, 17.8 mL, 19.6 mL, 17.2 mL
b) 19.2 mL, 19.3 mL, 18.8 mL, 18.6 mL
c) 18.9 mL, 19.0 mL, 19.2 mL, 18.8 mL
d) 20.2 mL, 20.5 mL, 20.3 mL, 20.1 mL
Practice
Readings are 78.1 mL, 43.9 mL, 2 mL (should be 100mL).

a)Precise b)Accurate c)Both d)Neither

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Practice
Readings are 68.1 mL, 68.2 mL, 68.0 mL (should be 68.1mL)

a)Precise b)Accurate c)Both d)Neither

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