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Random and Systemic Errors

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31 views7 pages

Random and Systemic Errors

Uploaded by

itunesdabest49
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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By the end of this lesson, I should be

able to
Describe and give examples of random and systematic
errors.
 Distinguish between precision and accuracy.
 Explain how the effects of random errors may be
reduced
 State uncertainties as absolute, fractional and
percentage uncertainties.
 Determine the uncertainties in results
Random errors and systematic errors
Random errors
A random error, is an error which affects a reading at
random.
Sources of random errors include:
 The observer being less than perfect

 The readability of the equipment

 External effects on the observed item

Explain how the effects of random errors may be reduced.


Systematic errors

A systematic error: an error that is likely to occur at each reading.


Sources of systematic errors include:
 The observer being less than perfect in the same way every time

 An instrument with a zero offset error

 An instrument that is improperly calibrated

Systematic errors are much more problematic than


random errors because they can skew your data to lead
you to false conclusions. If you have systematic error,
your measurements will be biased away from the true
values. Ultimately, you might make a false positive or a
false negative conclusion about the relationship
Systematic error
Systematic error means that your measurements of
the same thing will vary in predictable ways: every
measurement will differ from the true measurement in
the same direction, and even by the same amount in
some cases.
Systematic error is also referred to as bias because
your data is skewed in standardized ways that hide the
true values. This may lead to inaccurate conclusions.
Types of systematic errors
Offset errors and scale factor errors are two
quantifiable types of systematic error.
An offset error occurs when a scale isn’t calibrated to a
Propagation of Unc
ertainties

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