TYPES OF ERRORS

GROSS ERROR

Due to human mistakes in reading instruments

and recording and calculating measurement
results.
Exa. A reading of 21.5 m can be read as 12.5m
How to minimize them?
 Great care should be taken in reading and
recording the data.
 Two, three or four readings should be taken for
the quantity under measurement.
SYSTEMATIC ERRORS
 1) Instrument Errors
 Due to inherent short comings in the instrument.
These errors are inherent in instruments because of their
mechanical structure. For example if a spring of an
instrument becomes weak the instrument will always read
a high value.
 Due to misuse of the instruments
 Poor zero adjustment of the instrument, using leads of too
high resistance, overloading and overheating etc.
 Due to loading effects of the instrument
A well calibrated voltmeter may give a misleading voltage
reading when connected across a high resistance circuit.
SYSTEMATIC ERRORS
 2) Environmental Error
Due to effects of temperature, pressure,
humidity, dust, vibrations etc.
Corrective measures
 Temperature should be kept constant by keeping the
instrument in a temperature controlled equipment.
 Electrostatic shields may be provided for instruments
whose readings get effected by electrostatic fields.
3) Observational Errors
Exa. PARALLAX error
PARALLAX ERROR
RANDOM ERRORS

 Random errors in experimental measurements

are caused by unknown and unpredictable
changes in the experiment.