UNCERTAINTY: PROBLEMS & ANSWERS

IB Physics Core: Problems 1 through 11; AHL Problems 1 through 19.

1. Four students measure the same length of string and their results are as follows:

l1 = 38.6cm, l2 = 38.7cm, l3 = 38.6cm, l 4 = 38.5cm

What is the average or mean measurement?

l1 + l2 + l3 + l 4 38.6cm + 38.7cm + 38.6cm + 38.5cm 154.4cm

l ave = = = = 38.6cm
nl 4 4

What is the range of measured values?

R = l max - l min = 38.7cm - 38.5cm = 0.2cm

Repeated measurement of the same quantity can improve the overall acceptable value of
that measurement. What is the mean and its absolute uncertainty for the length of string?

R l max - l min 0.2cm

Dl ave = = = = ±0.05cm
n 4 4

but we have only 0.1 decimal place, hence Dl ave = ±0.1cm

Therefore: l ± Dl = (38.6 ± 0.1)cm

2. What is the width and its absolute uncertainty of the object being measured in the sketch
below?
width = w Dw

Units = mm

3.80 3.90 4.00 4.10

SOLUTION: w = w2 - w1 = 4.12 mm = 3.93mm = 0.19mm

Smallest division is Dw = 0.01mm

w ± Dw = 0.19mm ± 0.01mm = (0.19 ± 0.01)mm

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3. The analogue voltmeter below measures a voltage on a scale of zero to 5 volts. What is the
measured voltage and what is the absolute uncertainty shown here?

SOLUTION: Scale reads V = 3.85V

We can discern one half the smallest division so DV = ±(0.5 ¥ 0.1V ) = ±0.05V

V ± DV = (3.85 ± 0.05)V

4. The digital stopwatch was started at a time t0 = 0 and then was used to measure ten swings
of a simple pendulum to a time of t = 17.26 s .

1 7 . 2 6

If the time for ten swings of the pendulum is 17.26 s what is the minimum absolute
uncertainty in this measurement?

SOLUTION: D(10T ) = ±0.01 s

What is the time (period T) of one complete pendulum swing and its absolute uncertainty?

SOLUTION:

(17.26 ± 0.01)s
10T = (17.26 ± 0.01)s Æ T ± DT = = (1.726 ± 0.001)s
10

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5. Add the following lengths: 12.2cm + 11.62cm + 0.891cm

SOLUTION: 12.2cm + 11.62cm + 0.891cm = 24.711cm ª 24.7cm

We cannot improve precision beyond the limit of 0.1 cm.

6. Add the following distances and express your result in units of centimeters (cm).

1.250 ¥ 10 -3 m + 25.62cm + 426 mm

SOLUTION: 0.01250cm + 25.62cm + 42.6cm = 68.2200125cm

When adding we cannot improve in precision,
hence we limit the sum to the 0.1cm place
Therefore the total ª 68.2 cm

s
7. Average speed is the ratio of distance to time: v = .
t

That is the average speed if s = 4.42 m and t = 3.085s ?

s 4.42 m
SOLUTION: vave = = = 1.4327391 m s -1
t 3.085 s

We only know to 3 SF, hence vave ª 1.43 m s -1

8. Given two masses, m1 = (100.0 ± 0.4)g and m2 = ( 49.3 ± 0.3)g , what is their sum, m1 + m2 ,
and what is their difference, m1 - m2 , both expressed with uncertainties.

Sum: (149.3 ± 0.7) g Difference: (50.7 ± 0.7) g

We add the uncertainties in both cases.

9. With a good stopwatch and some practice, one can measure times ranging from about a
second up to many minutes with an uncertainty of 0.1 second or so. Suppose that we wish
to find the period t of a pendulum with t ª 0.5 s . If we time one oscillation, we will have
an uncertainty of about 20%, but by timing several successive oscillations, we can do much
better.
If we measure the time for five successive oscillations and get 2.4 ± 0.1s , what is the final
answer (with an absolute uncertainty) for the period? What if we measure 20 oscillations
and get a time of 9.4 ± 0.1s ?

For five oscillations: (2.4 ± 0.1)s = 5 T Æ T = (0.48 ± 0.02 )s

For twenty oscillations: (9.4 ± 0.1)s = 20 T Æ T = (0.047 ± 0.005 )s ª (0.047 ± 0.01)s

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10. A computer interface is used to measure the position ( s / cm) of an object under uniform
acceleration ( a / cm s -2 ) as a function of time (t ) . The uncertainty in the time measurement
is very small, about Dt = ±0.0001s , and so you can ignore it, while the uncertainty in the
distance is significant, where Ds = ±0.1cm . Here is the data.

Time Distance
t/s t 2 / s2 s / cm
0.0000 No data point 0.0
0.0493 0.002430 0.1
0.1065 0.011342 0.5
0.1608 0.025857 1.1
0.1989 0.039561 1.7

The motion of the body can be described by the equation s = (1 2)a t 2 = m t 2 where the
constant m = 0.5 a . A graph of distance against the square of time should have a slope of
“m”. Acceleration is determined by first finding the slope, where a = 2 ¥ slope . Use the
above data and graph distance against time squared, construct uncertainty bars for the
distance points, and then determine the best straight line and solve for the acceleration. Do
not include the origin in your data points.

Distance against Time Squared

s / cm
2.0

0 t^2 / s^2
0 0.05

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 Distance against Time Squared
2.0

s / cm
y = 44.000x R^2 = 1.000

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05

T^2 / s^2

Acceleration: a = 2 ¥ slope = 2 ¥ ( 44.0cm s -2 ) = 88.0 cm s -2 ª 88 cm s -2

11. In an optical experiment a deflected ray of light is measured to be at an angle q = (23 ± 1)∞ .
Find the sine of this angle and then determine the minimum and maximum acceptable
values of this experimental value.

Next, express the experimental result in the form tan q ± D( tan q ) .

For the angle: sin 23∞ = 0.3907311 ª 0.39

For the maximum angle: sin(23 + 1)∞ = sin 24∞ = 0.4067366 ª 0.41

For the minimum angle: sin(23 - 1)∞ = sin 22∞ = 0.3746066 ª 0.37

tan q ± D( tan q ) = 0.39 ± 0.2

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Higher Level Only

12. On your graph above (in problem 10) draw the minimum and maximum slopes on graph
and determine the range of acceleration based on these two extreme slope values.

Distance against Time Squared

2.0
s / cm

y = 44.000x R^2 = 1.000

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05

T^2 / s^2

È (1.90 - 0.12)cm ˘
amin = 2 ¥ slopemin = 2 Í 2 ˙
= 79.1cm s -2
Î (0.045 - 0)s ˚

È (1.90 - 0)cm ˘
amax = 2 ¥ slopemax = 2 Í 2˙
= 101.3 cm s -2
Î (0.040 - 0.0025)s ˚

Range is about 22.2cm s -2 which is not symmetrical but close to being ±11cm s -2 .

Hence we can say that the acceleration is a ± Da ª (88 ± 11) cm s -2 .

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 m
13. Density is the ratio of mass to volume, where r = .
V

What is the density of a material if m = 12.4 kg and V = 6.68 m 3 ?

Determine the least uncertainty in the mass and in the volume, and then calculate the
uncertainty in the density value.

Express the uncertainty in the density r as an absolute value ±Dr , as a fractional ratio
Dr
± , and as a percentage ±Dr% .
r

m 12.4 kg
r= = = 1.8562874 kg m -3 ª 1.86 kg m -3 (to 3 SF)
V 6.68m 3

0.1kg
Uncertainty in mass: Dm = ±0.1 kg or ¥ 100% = 0.80645% ª 1%
12.4 kg

0.01m 3
Uncertainty in volume: DV = ±0.01 m 3 or ¥ 100% = 0.1497006% ª 0.1%
6.68m 3

Uncertainty in density is the sum of the uncertainty percentage of mass and volume,
but the volume is one-tenth that of the mass, so we just keep the
resultant uncertainty at 1%.

r = 1.86kg m -3 ± 1% (for a percentage of uncertainty)

Where 1% of the density is 0.0186 kg m -3 we can then write:

r = 1.86 kg m -3 ± 0.0186 kg m -3 = Ê1.86 ±

0.02 ˆ
kg m -3 for fractional uncertainty, and
Ë 1.86 ¯

r = 1.86 kg m -3 ± 0.0186 kg m -3 = (1.86 ± 0.02)kg m -3 for absolute uncertainty

14. What is the uncertainty in the calculated area of a circle whose radius is determined to be
r = (14.6 ± 0.5) cm ?

Area: A = p r 2 where r = (14.5 ± 0.5)cm

0.5cm
Percentage of uncertainty: ¥ 100% = 3.42%
14.6cm

The percentage is times 2 when squared = 2 ¥ 3.42% = 6.849%

Area: A = p (14.6cm) = 669.66189cm 2

2

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 Area uncertainty is about 7%, or in absolute terms, 6.849% ¥ 699.6cm 2 = 45.86cm 2 ª 46cm 2

Therefore area: A ± DA = (670. ± 46)cm 2 ª (6.7 ± 0.5) ¥ 10 2 cm 2

15. An electrical resistor has a 2% tolerance and is marked R = 1800 W . What is the range of
acceptable values that the resistor might have? An electrical current of I = (2.1 ± 0.1) mA
flows through the resistor. What is the uncertainty in the calculated voltage across the
resistor where the voltage is given as V = I R ?

Resistance: 1800 W ¥ 2% = ±36 W with a range from 1764 W to 1836W

0.1mA
Voltage: V = I R where DR% = 2% and DI % = ¥ 100% = 4.76%
2.1mA

The sum of the percentages is 2% + 4.76% = 6.76% ª 7% and this is the uncertainty in
the calculated voltage: V = 7938mV = 7.938V at 6.76% ¥ 7.928V = 0.5359V

Therefore: V ± DV = (7.9 ± 0.5)V

16. An accelerating object has an initial speed of u = (12.4 ± 0.1) m s -1 and a final speed of
v = (28.8 ± 0.2) m s -1 . The time interval for this change in speed is Dt = ( 4.2 ± 0.1)s .
Acceleration is defined as a = (v - u) Dt . Calculate the acceleration and its uncertainty.

v - u 28.8m s -1 - 12.4 m s -1
a= = = 3.90 m s -2
t 4.2 s

Uncertainty in numerator: Du + Dv = 0.1m s -1 + 0.2 m s -1 = 0.3m s -1

0.3m s -1
As a percentage: ¥ 100% = 1.829%
28.8m s -1 - 12.4 m s -1

0.1s
Percentage in time: ¥ 100% = 2.380%
4.2 s

Percentage of uncertainty in acceleration is the sum: Da% = 1.829% + 2.380% = 4.209%

Therefore acceleration: 3.90 m s -2 ± 4% = (3.90 ± 0.16)m s -2 ª (3.9 ± 0.2)m s -2

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17. What are the volume and its uncertainty for a sphere with a radius of r = (21 ± 1) mm ?

4 3 1mm
Volume V = p r where r = (21 ± 1)mm . As a percentage: ¥ 100% = 4.76%
3 21mm

4p (21mm)
3
V= = 38792.39 mm 3
3

The cube on the radius made the 4.76% increase three times: 3 ¥ 4.76% = 14.28%

The volume = 38792.39cm 3 ± 14.28% ª (38792.39 ± 5539.55)cm 3

In correct form, that would be: V ± DV ª (3900 ± 6000)cm 3 = (3.9 ± 0.6) ¥ 10 4 cm 3

As a percentage, 3.9 ¥ 10 4 cm 3 ± 14%

18. Frequency and period are related as reciprocals. What are the period and its absolute
uncertainty when the frequency of 1.00 ¥ 10 3 Hz is known to 2%?

1
2% ¥ 1000 Hz = 20 Hz and where T =
f

1 1 1 1
Max. Period: Tmax = = = = = 0.001020408s
fmin f - Df 1000. Hz - 20 Hz 980 Hz

Max. to 3 SF is thus Tmax = 1.024 ¥ 10 -3 s

1 1 1 1
Min. Period: Tmin = = = = = 0.000980392 s
fmax f + Df 1000. Hz + 20 Hz 1020 Hz

Min. to 3 SF is thus Tmin = 0.980 ¥ 10 -3 s

Uncertainty Above: (1.02 ¥ 10 -3 s) - (1.00 ¥ 10 -3 s) = 0.02 ¥ 10 -3 s

Uncertainty Below: (1.00 ¥ 10 -3 s) - (0.98 ¥ 10 -3 s) = 0.02 ¥ 10 -3 s

Period: T ± DT = (1.00 ± 0.02) ¥ 10 -3 s

—continued—

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 If we ignore the asymmetry here (which cancels out with SF) and
just carry through the percentage, we would get:

1 1
T= = = 0.00100 s or 1.00 ¥ 10 3 s
f 1000 Hz

At 2% of this period time we get ±0.00002 s or 0.02 ¥ 10 -3 s

Therefore the period can be written as T ± DT = (1.00 ± 0.02)s

19. Einstein’s famous equation relates energy and mass with the square of the speed of light,
where E = m c 2 . What is the percentage of uncertainty and the absolute uncertainty of the
energy for a mass m = 1.00 kg where the speed of light is c = 3.00 ¥ 108 m s -1 ?

E = m c 2 = (1.00 kg)(3.00 ¥ 108 m s -1 ) = 9.00 ¥ 1016 J

2

0.01
The minimum uncertainty in mass is the least significant digit: ¥ 100% = 1%
1.00

0.01 ¥ 108 m s -1 0.01

The same for the speed of light: -1
¥ 100% = ¥ 100% = 0.333%
3.00 ¥ 10 m s
8
3.00

We double the uncertainty percentage when squaring, hence Dc 2 % = 2 ¥ 0.333% = 0.667%

The percentage of uncertainty in energy is then the sum of these: 1% + 0.667% = 1.667%

This is about 2% or in absolute terms, ±1.5003 ¥ 1015 J or ±0.15003 ¥ 1016 J

Therefore: E ± DE% = 9.00 ¥ 1016 J ± 2%

Therefore: E ± DE = (9.00 ± 0.15) J ª (9.0 ± 0.2) J

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