Uncertainties in measurements 1.

1 Introduction No measurements are ever exact: the uncertainties associated with them arise from a number of factors such as the resolution and accuracy of the measuring device and also the circumstances of the measurement. A proper interpretation of experimental results depends upon the estimated uncertainties in the measured quantities. 1.2 The Resolution of an instrument. The resolution of a measuring instrument is the smallest division marked on the scale. For example, the smallest division on the scale of measuring cylinder in Fig 1. is 0.5 cm3. We say in physics that the measuring cylinder has a resolution of 0.5 cm3.

The smallest division on the scale of the measuring cylinder in fig 1.2 is 2 cm3. So the resolution of this measuring cylinder is 2 cm3. The measuring cylinder in Fig 1.2 has a better resolution than the measuring cylinder in Fig 1.2, because it can make more precise measurements.

Task: Write down the resolutions of each of the instruments shown in resource sheet one.

2.0 Uncertainties in measurements. A student does an experiment to find the value of the acceleration due to freefallg. This is done by measuring how long it takes for different length pendulums to make one complete swing. The textbooks say that the value should be 9.81. The student gets a value of 10.5 from the experiment. Has the student proved that the text book ( and most of modern physics) is wrong? Clearly not. There is obviously some uncertainty in the students measurements. The stopwatch can only measure to the nearest one hundreth of a second and the meter ruler can only measure to the nearest millimeter. Whenever you record a measurement in IB physics, you must include an uncertainty in the measurement. For example, if the length of a pencil is measured using a ruler, an IGCSE student might record the answer in their notebook as 25mm. An IB student would record the answer as 25.0 0.5mm. The sign (pronounced plus minus) indicates the uncertainty in the measurement. In this example, the measurement 25.0 0.5mm indicates that the true answer could lie anywhere in the range 24.5mm - 25.5 mm. How you record the uncertainty in a measurement depends on the type of instrument you have used. Instruments can be divided into two catagories,; digital or analogue. Digital instruments include digital stopwatches, voltmeters, ammeters and so on. All digital instruments have digital displays (like the displays on your calculators). If an instrument does not have a digital display, then it is described as analogue. Analogue instruments include protractors and meter rulers. Task: State whether each instrument in resource sheet one is digital or analogue.

(a) Uncertainties in digital instruments The uncertainty in a measurement made with a digital instrument is the same as the resolution of the instrument. The resolution of the digital balance in fig 2.1 is 1 g, and so the uncertainty in the reading is 1 g and the measurement of the mass of the beaker is recorded as 100 1g. The resolution of the digital stopwatch in Fig 2.2 is 0.01 s (one hundreth of a second) and so the uncertainty in the reading is 0.01s. The time on the stopwatch is recorded as 7.28 0.01s.

Fig 2.1

Fig 2.2

(b) Uncertainties in analogue instruments The uncertainty in a measurement made with an analogue instrument is equal to half of the resolution of the instrument. The resolution of the ammeter in fig 2.3 is 0.02 A. The uncertainty in the measurement is 0.01A, equal to half the resolution of the instrument. The reading on the ammeter is recorded as 0.14 0.01A. The resolution of the measuring cylinder in Fig 2.4 is 10 cm3. The uncertainty in the measurement is 5 cm3 which is half the resolution of the instrument. The volume of liquid in the measuring cylinder should be recorded as 75 5cm3.

Fig 2.3

Fig 2.4

Task: Write down the readings on each of the instruments shown in resource sheet one. You must include the uncertainty and the unit in your answer.

3.0 Absolute, fractional and percentage uncertainties. When an uncertainty in a measurement is written in the form 75 5cm3 it is refered to as an absolute uncertainty. There are other ways of expressing the uncertainty in a measurement. (a) Fractional uncertainties. The fractional uncertainty in the reading is the absolute uncertainty expressed as a fraction of the measurement. For example, a student measures the mass of a metal block and records the answer as 50 5g.
1 1 th of 50g. So the fractional uncertainty in the measurement is simply (or 0.1 in 10 10 5 (or 75

Five grams is

decimal). Easy isnt it? Similarily, a volume recorded as 75 5cm3 has a fractional uncertainty of 0.07)

(b) Percentage uncertainties. The percentage uncertainty in a reading is the absolute uncertainty expressed as a percentage of the measurement. The percentage uncertainty in a measurement of 50 5g is 10% because 5g is 10% of the mass. A measurement of 6.4 0.8 cm3 has a percentage uncertainty of 12.5% because 0.8 cm3 represents 12.5% of the volume (
0.8cm 3 100% = 12.5% ) 6.4cm 3

Notice that neither fractional nor percentage uncertainties have units. This is important later as you will see!

Task: Print off resource sheet two ( or copy it!) and fill in all the gaps in the table.