5.

4 Double slit interference

AQA Physics Teacher notes

Determining uncertainty

Specification references
 3.1.2 Limitation of physical measurements
 M0.3 Use ratios, fractions, and percentages
 M1.5 Determine uncertainty when data are combined by addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, and raising to powers

Learning objectives
After completing the worksheet students should be able to:
 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of percentage errors and uncertainties
 evaluate absolute and percentage uncertainties
 determine uncertainty when data are combined by addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, and raising to powers.

Introduction
The worksheet is split into two sections. In the first section students revise what we mean by
uncertainty, how the absolute value of uncertainty is decided, and how percentage uncertainty
is calculated. The worked example also shows how to work out the final uncertainty when two
measurements are added, and Question 4 gives practice in this.
The second section has a worked example and questions on combining uncertainties to find
an overall uncertainty when the quantities measured are used in calculations that are not
simply adding or subtracting.

Teacher notes
 This work links strongly with students’ practical work and you should ensure that they are
familiar with uncertainties in measurements before trying to use them in calculations.
 It is a common misconception that ‘errors’ are due to mistakes that are made or sloppy
reading of scales. Whether the word uncertainty or error is used, it must be stressed that we
mean deviations from the true value that cannot be avoided, and that mistakes can, and should,
be avoided.
 The first worked example shows how to work out the final uncertainty when two
measurements are added. One measurement is much more precise than the other, so the
example can be used to point out how this is reflected in the percentage error and that, in cases
like this, it is the measurement with the larger uncertainty that determines the uncertainty of the
final value.
 You will probably want to discuss the procedure when measurements are added, subtracted,
multiplied, divided, and raised to a power. You could give students the task of working out the
maximum and minimum possible answers for questions 5 and 6, so that they can see why the
uncertainties are combined in this way.
 There may not be time in a single lesson for students to complete the whole sheet and
discuss their answers.

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

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 5.4 Double slit interference
AQA Physics Teacher notes

Maths skills links to other areas

Students will need to calculate uncertainties when considering precision and accuracy of
measurements and data, including margins of error, percentage errors, and uncertainties
in apparatus.

Answers
1 a 6.0 (± 0.1) cm (1 mark)
b 0.642 (± 0.001) mm (1 mark)
c 36.9 (± 0.1) °C (1 mark)
2 a ± 1.8% (1 mark)
b ± 5% (1 mark)
c ± 0.44% (1 mark)
d ± 0.47% (1 mark)
e ± 1.1% (1 mark)
f ± 0.27% (1 mark)
3 a ± 120 W (1 mark)
b ± 0.3 m (1 mark)
c ± 2000 (or 1650) Ω (1 mark)
d ± 0.000 08 m (1 mark)
4 Absolute uncertainty is  1.6 kg (1 mark)

Percentage uncertainty is   100%   2.9% (to 2 significant figures) (1 mark)

5 99.000 (1 mark)  0.004 m (1 mark)

6 Average speed  5.376 m s–1 (1 mark)
Percentage uncertainty is 0.1%  1.08%  1.18%
Absolute uncertainty is  0.063 m s–1 (1 mark) (accept percentage or absolute
uncertainty)
7 Change in speed  7 ( 3) m s–1

Acceleration  = 0.737 m s–2 (1 mark)

Percentage uncertainty   100%   100%

 42.8%  1.1%
 43.9% (1 mark)

Absolute uncertainty = ×7=3

Acceleration with absolute uncertainty  0.7 ( 0.3) m s–2 (1 mark)

8 Density  7870 kg m –3
(1 mark)

Percentage uncertainty   100%  3 

 0.01%  3%
 3% to the nearest %

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

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 5.4 Double slit interference
AQA Physics Teacher notes

Density  7900 ( 3% or  200) kg m–3 (1 mark) (accept percentage or absolute

uncertainty)

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

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 5.4 Double slit interference
AQA Physics Teacher notes

9 a i

 5.896  10–7 m
 5.9  10–7 m (2 significant figures) (1 mark)

ii % uncertainty in  

 5%  0.4%  0.2%
 5.6%
 6% (to nearest %) (1 mark)
Absolute uncertainty  6% of 5.9  10 m –7

 3.54  10–8 m
 0.4  10–7 m (1 significant figure) (1 mark)

b New % uncertainty  5%   0.2%

 5%  0.04%  0.2%
 5% to nearest % (1 mark)
Absolute uncertainty  5% of 5.9  10 m –7

 2.95  10–8 m
 0.3  10–7 m (1 significant figure) (1 mark)
c The 5% uncertainty is due to the uncertainty in the slit separation s, so a further
reduction in the uncertainty in x would not reduce the total uncertainty. (1 mark)
Allow errors carried forward from results in parts a and b.

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

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