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UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA
FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS,
PHYSICS & STATISTICS
PHY 1200 – FOUNDATION PHYSICS
(1 ST SEMESTER)
LECTURE 2
(TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 4 2018 )
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MECHANICS

Prepared by Samuel Lee – Dept. of Math, Physics & Stats, Faculty of Natural Sciences (2017/2018)
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Introduction
Reliable measurements are
an important part of physics.
But no measurement is
absolutely precise. There is
an uncertainty associated
with every measurement.
Among the most important
sources of uncertainty, are
the limited accuracy of every
measuring instrument.
(Physics: Principles with Applications by Douglas Giancoli, 7th Ed., pp.6,7)
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Measurements:
Several requirements must be met if a measurement
is to be useful.
 Number of Determinations: Customary to
repeat all measurements as many times as
possible (minimum of three), regarding the
mean value as one of the greatest correctness.
e.g. Length of board = 12.0 cm, 12.1 cm, 12.2 cm.
Mean length of board = 12.1 cm.

(Laboratory Manual (2004/2005) –Dept of Physics & Astronomy, York University, pp 6-11)
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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 Zero Reading:
Every measurement is a difference between two
readings. Check that the instrument is always
zeroed before use.
Length of board = 12.0 cm – 0.0 cm = 12.0 cm
or
Length of board = 22.0 cm – 10.0 cm = 12.0 cm
NB: If the zero graduation is not
discernible, employ the next multiple of 10
as the new reference point.
Prepared by Samuel Lee – Dept. of Math, Physics & Stats, Faculty of Natural Sciences (2017/2018)
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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 Accuracy:
Quantitative work requires accurate
measurements, within the scale range of the
instrument. Whenever uncertainty exists about
magnitude of a quantity, set the device to the
largest scale range .
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Errors:
A measured or calculated quantity must have
quantitative limits (errors indicated).
 Systematic errors:
Produces an error of the same sign and grouped as
Instrumental, Personal and External.

(Laboratory Manual (2004/2005) –Dept of Physics & Astronomy, York University, pp 6-11)
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Error Interval:
Half the smallest graduation of an instrument.
(Smallest Unit of Measurement of Instrument)
= (Difference between 2 Successive Graduations)
(Number of Divisions between the Graduations)
Absolute Errors:
Error interval has the same unit as the
measurement.
 Length of a wooden block using the half-meter
ruler = 12.0 cm ±0.1 cm
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Relative and Percentage errors:

Comparison of absolute error with the actual
measurement.
 Relative Error = Absolute Error
Actual Measurement

 Percentage Error = Relative Error x 100%

Prepared by Samuel Lee – Dept. of Math, Physics & Stats, Faculty of Natural Sciences (2017/2018)
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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(Physics: Principles with Applications by Douglas Giancoli, 7th Ed., pg.6)

 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Errors in Calculated Quantities:

Compounded error in a computation can be
calculated using the following rules:
 Rule 1: Whenever addition and/or subtraction
occur, the resultant absolute error is the sum of the
absolute errors of all the required measurements.
 Rule 2: Whenever multiplication and/or division
occur, the percentage error of the product/quotient
is the sum of the percentage errors of each
required measurement.
Prepared by Samuel Lee – Dept. of Math, Physics & Stats, Faculty of Natural Sciences (2017/2018)
 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Errors in Calculations:
When making measurements,
or when doing calculations,
you should avoid the
temptation to keep more digits
in the final answer than is
justified (see figure).

(Physics: Principles with Applications by Douglas Giancoli, 7th Ed., pg. 7)

 1.3 Errors and Significant Figures
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Significant Figures:
Number of meaningful or trustworthy digits in a
measurement or a calculated quantity.
General rule: Significant figures of calculated
quantity is less than or equal to the least accurate
of the required measurement (quantities).
Standard Notation (Powers of 10) is adopted to
remove ambiguity of a zero (‘0’).
a × 10n
Where 1≤a<10 and n is an integer
NB: Rounding off – importance of five (5).
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Significant Figures:
Exceptions to the rule:
Please review:
1. Percent Uncertainty vs Significant figures
2. Approximations
3. Accuracy vs Precision.

(Physics: Principles with Applications by Douglas Giancoli, 7th Ed., pg. 8)

 1.4 Dimensional Analysis
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The dimensions of a physical quantity indicates

how it is related to the seven base quantities.
Purposes:
1. Relationship between a physical quantity and the
seven base quantities.
2. Establish the Units of a Physical Quantity.
3. Derivation of equations.
4. Possible Correctness of an equation. The
dimensions of LHS = RHS of an equation.

Prepared by Samuel Lee – Dept. of Math, Physics & Stats, Faculty of Natural Sciences (2017/2018)
 1.4 Dimensional Analysis
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Performing A Dimensional Analysis:

1. Place square brackets around the physical
quantity to be examined.
2. Determine the relationship that the other
quantities have with the seven base quantities.
[Area] = [Length ]* [Width]
[Mass] = [M]; [Length] = [L]; [Time] = [T]

NB: Constants and numbers are

dimensionless e.g. [π] = 1; [4/3] = 1.
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 The dimensions of a quantity refer to the

combination of base quantities that comprise it.
Working with only the dimensions of the various
quantities in a given relationship makes it possible
to check a relationship for correct form.

(Physics: Principles with Applications by Douglas Giancoli, 7th Ed., pp. 16,17)
 END OF
LECTURE
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