General

Chemistry 1
Accuracy and Precision

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Target competencies:
1. Differentiate accuracy from precision.
(STEM_GP12EU-la2)

2. Differentiate random errors from systematic errors.

(STEM_GP12EU-la3)

3. Estimate errors from multiple measurements of physical quantity.

(STEM_GP12EU-la24)

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Let’s Connect!

● A good result of a measurement is achieve if error made is less or

limited.
● Accuracy and Precision are prime consideration in every
measurement made.
● Errors in measurement are unavoidable due to several factors and it
can be random or systematics depending on how measurement is
made.

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Let’s Connect! Dart!

● Imagine you are playing Dart and given five darts to hit the target. You
are given four chances to play. The results of each play is illustrated
below.

1 2 3 4

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Let’s Connect! Dart!

1 2 3 4

Interpretation
Illustration 1 2 3 4

Accuracy poor good poor good

Precision poor poor good good

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Factors why errors in every measurement

1. The kind of measuring device use.

2. Methods in getting the measurement.

3. Condition under which the measurement is made.

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 Types of Error
1. Random Error or unsystematic error.

Random error has no pattern, it is inconsistent.

Example, in your first reading, you taught it might be too small, then the next
reading might be too large. So nobody can predict random error and this
cannot be avoided, even scientist doing their experiments.

2. Systematic Error. Systematic error is consistent and repeatable

error due to the kind of measuring device used as mentioned above.
It is also due to flawed experimental design.

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 To minimize errors in
measurement, more
trials must be made.
● The mean or average value of these trials will be taken
to represent the entire set of data. From this, the degree
of accuracy and precision can be determined.

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 Accuracy
● Accuracy is the closeness or nearness of measurement to the
accepted value.

● In the imaginary dart game, the bulls eye is the accepted value.
The closer your measurement to the accepted value, the more
accurate is your measurement.

● Accuracy is express in terms of absolute error or percentage of

error.

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 Accuracy
● Accuracy is the closeness or nearness of measurement to the accepted
value.

Where:
𝐴 𝐸=0 − 𝐴 – absolute error
0 - observed value/ measured value
A - accepted value
The parallel lines indicates that the value is
Percentage of error = x 100%
absolute.

Percentage of accuracy = 100% - % of error

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Example 1. An experiment dropped a stone from a 5 story building and hit the ground, taking the time to fall
of 3 seconds. Based from the date collected, the experimenter was able to measure the acceleration of the stone
2 2
to be 9.7 m/s . The actual value of the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s . What is the percentage of
accuracy of the experimenter?

Given: 2
Accepted Value (A) = 9.8 m/s
2
Observed Value (O) = 9.7 m/s
Percentage of error = x 100%
𝐴 𝐸=0 − 𝐴
Solution:
9.8 m/s
2
= x 100%
¿ 0.1 m / s 2
= 1.02 %

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Example 1. An experiment dropped a stone from a 5 story building and hit the ground,
taking the time to fall of 3 seconds. Based from the date collected, the experimenter was
2
able to measure the acceleration of the stone to be 9.7 m/s . The actual value of the
2
acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s . What is the percentage of accuracy of the
experimenter?

Percentage of accuracy = 100% - % of error

= 100 % - 1.02%
= 98.98 %

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 Precision
● Precision is the agreement of several measurements made in
the same way.

● In illustration #3 of the dart game, same area, though far

from the bullseye, we can say that the measurements made
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are precise.

● Precision is express in terms of deviation or percentage of

deviation.

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 Precision
● Precision is express in terms of deviation or percentage of deviation. The
formula below will help you determine the precision of one’s measurement.

𝐴 𝐷=0 − 𝑀 Where:
– absolute deviation
0 - observed value/ measured value
M - mean of several measurements

Percentage of deviation = x 100%

Percentage of precision = 100% - % of deviation

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 Precision
● Example 2. A student is doing a laboratory experiment about falling body. He obtained three
trials in measuring the time of fall of a ball 3 meters above the ground. The measurements are
summarize below:
Trial 1 = 0.80 s
Trial 2 = 0.79s
Trial 3 = 0.77 s
What is the percentage of precision of the student?

Then, find the average absolute deviation.

(0.80s – 0.787s) + (0.79s =

= ----------------------------------------- – 0.787s)
0.011 s+ (0.77s – 0.787s)

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Precision
● Example 2. A student is doing a laboratory experiment about falling body. He obtained three trials in
measuring the time of fall of a ball 3 meters above the ground. The measurements are summarize below:
Trial 1 = 0.80 s
Trial 2 = 0.79s
Trial 3 = 0.77 s

What is the percentage of precision of the student?

Solve for the percentage of deviation. Percentage of precision = 100% - % of deviation

𝐴 𝐷 (𝑎𝑣𝑒) = 100 % - 1.4%
= ---------- x 100% = 98.6 %
M

= 0.011 s
_______ x 100 %
0.787 s

= 1.4 %

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Accuracy: refers to how close to a true,
accepted or target value.

Precision: Refers to the reproducibility of

a series of measurements

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 EXERCISES!
A. John and Sally performed an experiment to measure the density of aluminum
(2.7 g/mL). John’s measurement is 2.649g/mL while Sally’s measurement is
2.731 g/mL. Who is more accurate between the two. Compute of the
percentage of accuracy for both measurement. SHOW YOUR SOLUTION.

B. In an outdoor experiment. Tokyo is testing his football robot kicking a ball and
hitting the goal. She obtained 4 trials measuring the velocity of the ball. The
measurement are summarized below.
Trial 1 : 4.712 m/s Trial 3: 5.210 m/s
Trial 2: 5.080 m/s Trial 4: 4.810 m/s
What is the percentage precision of the robot?
SHOW YOUR COMPLETE SOLUTION.

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