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    Uncertainties and Errors Lab

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    juliana
    The document discusses measurement uncertainties and errors, including absolute, fractional, and percentage uncertainties. It provides examples of calculating uncertainties in sums, differences, products, quotients, and propagating uncertainties through calculations. Absolute error is the raw precision or uncertainty, while fractional error is the absolute error over the measured value and percentage error is the fractional error expressed as a percentage. To find uncertainties in sums/differences, you add the individual uncertainties, and to find uncertainties in products/quotients you add the fractional uncertainties.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Uncertainties and Errors Lab

    Uploaded by

    juliana
    105 views13 pages
    The document discusses measurement uncertainties and errors, including absolute, fractional, and percentage uncertainties. It provides examples of calculating uncertainties in sums, differences, products, quotients, and propagating uncertainties through calculations. Absolute error is the raw precision or uncertainty, while fractional error is the absolute error over the measured value and percentage error is the fractional error expressed as a percentage. To find uncertainties in sums/differences, you add the individual uncertainties, and to find uncertainties in products/quotients you add the fractional uncertainties.

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    Incertidumbres

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    The document discusses measurement uncertainties and errors, including absolute, fractional, and percentage uncertainties. It provides examples of calculating uncertainties in sums, differences, products, quotients, and propagating uncertainties through calculations. Absolute error is the raw precision or uncertainty, while fractional error is the absolute error over the measured value and percentage error is the fractional error expressed as a percentage. To find uncertainties in sums/differences, you add the individual uncertainties, and to find uncertainties in products/quotients you add the fractional uncertainties.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    105 views13 pages

    Uncertainties and Errors Lab

    Uploaded by

    juliana
    The document discusses measurement uncertainties and errors, including absolute, fractional, and percentage uncertainties. It provides examples of calculating uncertainties in sums, differences, products, quotients, and propagating uncertainties through calculations. Absolute error is the raw precision or uncertainty, while fractional error is the absolute error over the measured value and percentage error is the fractional error expressed as a percentage. To find uncertainties in sums/differences, you add the individual uncertainties, and to find uncertainties in products/quotients you add the fractional uncertainties.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 13

    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties

    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors


    Guidance:
    • Analysis of uncertainties will not be expected for
    trigonometric or logarithmic functions in
    examinations
    Data booklet reference:
    • If y = a  b then y = a + b
    • If y = a · b / c then y / y = a / a + b / b + c / c
    • If y = a n then y / y = | n · a / a |
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Absolute, fractional and percentage uncertainties
    Absolute error is the raw uncertainty or precision of
    your measurement.
    EXAMPLE:
    A student measures the length of a line with a wooden
    meter stick to be 11 mm  1 mm. What is the absolute
    error or uncertainty in her measurement?
    SOLUTION:
    The  number is the absolute error. Thus 1 mm is the
    absolute error.
    1 mm is also the precision.
    1 mm is also the raw uncertainty.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Absolute, fractional and percentage uncertainties
    Fractional error is given by
    fractional error
    Absolute Error
    Fractional Error =
    Measured Value
    EXAMPLE:
    A student measures the length of a line with a wooden
    meter stick to be 11 mm  1 mm. What is the fractional
    error or uncertainty in her measurement?
    SOLUTION:
    Fractional error = 1 / 11 = 0.09.
    FYI ”Fractional” errors are usually expressed as
    decimal numbers rather than fractions.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Absolute, fractional and percentage uncertainties
    Percentage error is given by
    percentage error
    Absolute Error
    Percentage Error = Measured Value · 100%

    EXAMPLE:
    A student measures the length of a line with a wooden
    meter stick to be 11 mm  1 mm. What is the
    percentage error or uncertainty in her measurement?
    SOLUTION:
    Percentage error = (1 / 11) ·100% = 9%
    FYI Don’t forget to include the percent sign.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Absolute, fractional and percentage uncertainties
    PRACTICE:

    SOLUTION:
    Find the average of the two measurements:
    (49.8 + 50.2) / 2 = 50.0.
    Find the range / 2 of the two measurements:
    (50.2 – 49.8) / 2 = 0.2.
    The measurement is 50.0  0.2 cm.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Propagating uncertainties through calculations
    To find the uncertainty in a sum or difference you
    just add the uncertainties of all the ingredients.
    In formula form we have
    uncertainty in sums and differences
    If y = a  b then ∆y = ∆a + ∆b
    FYI
    Note that whether or not the calculation has a + or a -,
    the uncertainties are ADDED.
    Uncertainties NEVER REDUCE ONE ANOTHER.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Propagating uncertainties through calculations
    To find the uncertainty in a sum or difference you
    just add the uncertainties of all the ingredients.
    EXAMPLE:
    A 9.51  0.15 meter rope ladder is hung from a
    roof that is 12.56  0.07 meters above the
    ground. How far is the bottom of the ladder
    from the ground?
    SOLUTION:
    y = a – b = 12.56 - 9.51 = 3.05 m
    ∆y = ∆a + ∆b = 0.15 + 0.07 = 0.22 m
    Thus the bottom is 3.05  0.22 m from the ground.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Propagating uncertainties through calculations
    To find the uncertainty in a product or quotient you
    just add the percentage or fractional uncertainties of all
    the ingredients.
    In formula form we have
    uncertainty in products and quotients
    If y = a · b / c then ∆y / y = ∆a / a + ∆b / b + ∆c / c
    FYI
    Whether or not the calculation has a  or a ,
    the uncertainties are ADDED.
    You can’t add numbers having different units, so we
    use fractional uncertainties for products and quotients.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Propagating uncertainties through calculations
    To find the uncertainty in a product or quotient you
    just add the percentage or fractional uncertainties of all
    the ingredients.
    EXAMPLE: A car travels 64.7  0.5 meters in 8.65 
    0.05 seconds. What is its speed?
    SOLUTION: Use rate = distance divided by time.
    r = d / t = 64.7 / 8.65 = 7.48 m s-1
    ∆r / r = ∆d / d + ∆t / t = .5 / 64.7 + .05 / 8.65 = 0.0135
    ∆r / 7.48 = 0.0135 so that
    ∆r = 7.48( 0.0135 ) = 0.10 m s-1.
    Thus, the car is traveling at 7.48  0.10 m s-1.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Propagating uncertainties through calculations
    PRACTICE:

    SOLUTION:
    ∆P / P = ∆I / I + ∆I / I + ∆R / R
    ∆P / P = 2% + 2% + 10% = 14%.
    Topic 1: Measurement and uncertainties
    1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
    Propagating uncertainties through calculations
    PRACTICE:

    SOLUTION:
    ∆r / r = 0.5 / 10 = 0.05 = 5%.
    A = r2.
    Then ∆A / A = ∆r / r + ∆r / r = 5% + 5% = 10%.
    a. 3
    b. 4
    c. 3
    d. 2

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