Uncertainty

IB PHYSICS | UNIT 1 | SCIENCE SKILLS

 Precision/Accuracy
Precision: The degree of exactness in a
measurement

Accuracy: The closeness of a measured value to

the standard
 Precision/Accuracy

High Precision
Low Precision

High Accuracy
Low Accuracy
Example IB Question
 Types of Error

Random
Error

Systematic
Error
Example IB Question
 Uncertainty Game Show
Question Answer Uncertainty Actual Points
1

Total
 Measurement Precision
Analog:
0 1 Estimate to one
digit beyond the
1 cm 1 mm
smallest marking

Digital:
Only go the least
significant digit’s
place
 Estimating Uncertainty Range
Uncertainty
Analog Scale ± (half the smallest division)

0 1

Digital Scale ± (the smallest division)

 Other General Rules
Your uncertainty should typically only have one
significant digit (two are okay in some situations)

Your precision in the measurement and uncertainty

MUST match
Report these Measurements!
 Significant Digits
How many significant digits?
3.45 cm
226.5 cm
2.50 cm
0.025 cm
12060 m
0.0000250 km
25.0 mm
25000 mm *IB will give full credit as long as
2.50 × 104 mm your answer is within 1 sig fig