Uncertainties 1 [14 marks]

1. A ball of mass (50 ± 1) g is moving with a speed of (25 ± 1) m s −1. What is [1 mark]
the fractional uncertainty in the momentum of the ball?

A. 0.02
B. 0.04
C. 0.06
D. 0.08

2. A student measures the length l and width w of a rectangular table top. [1 mark]
What is the absolute uncertainty of the perimeter of the table top?

A. 0. 3 cm
B. 0. 6 cm
C. 1.2 cm
D. 2.4 cm

3. A student wants to determine the angular speed ω of a rotating object. [1 mark]

The period T is 0.50 s ±5 %. The angular speed ω is

2π
ω=
T
What is the percentage uncertainty of ω?
A. 0.2 %
B. 2.5 %
C. 5 %
D. 10 %
4. A student measures the radius R of a circular plate to determine its area. [1 mark]
The absolute uncertainty in R is ΔR.
What is the fractional uncertainty in the area of the plate?
A. 2ΔR
R
2
B. ( ΔR
R
)

C. 2πR
ΔR

2
D. π( ΔR
R
)

5. The length of the side of a cube is 2.0 cm ± 4 %. The mass of the cube is [1 mark]
24.0 g ± 8 %. What is the percentage uncertainty of the density of the
cube?

A. ± 2 %
B. ± 8 %
C. ± 12 %
D. ± 20 %

6. A student measures the radius r of a sphere with an absolute uncertainty [1 mark]

Δr. What is the fractional uncertainty in the volume of the sphere?
3
A. ( Δrr )

B. 3 Δrr
C. 4π Δrr
3
D. 4π( Δrr )

7. A stone falls from rest to the bottom of a water well of depth d. The time t [1 mark]
taken to fall is 2.0 ±0.2 s. The depth of the well is calculated to be 20 m
using d = 12 at 2. The uncertainty in a is negligible.
What is the absolute uncertainty in d?
A. ± 0.2 m
B. ± 1 m
C. ± 2 m
D. ± 4 m
8. A sphere fits inside a cube. [1 mark]

The length of the cube and the diameter of the sphere are 10.0±0.2cm.
percentageuncertaintyofthevolumeofthesphere
What is the ratio ?
percentageuncertaintyofthevolumeofthecube

A. 43
π
B. 1
C. 2
D. 8
 To determine the acceleration due to gravity, a small metal sphere is dropped
from rest and the time it takes to fall through a known distance and open a
trapdoor is measured.

The following data are available.

Diameter of metal sphere = 12.0 ± 0.1mm

Distance between the point of release and the trapdoor = 654 ± 2mm
Measured time for fall = 0.363 ± 0.002s

9a. Determine the distance fallen, in m, by the centre of mass of the sphere [2 marks]
including an estimate of the absolute uncertainty in your answer.
0.642 (+_)2.1x10^3
0.642(+-)0.0021
9b. Using the following equation [4 marks]
2 × distance fallen by centre of mass of sphere
acceleration due to gravity =
(measured time to fall)2
calculate, for these data, the acceleration due to gravity including an estimate of
the absolute uncertainty in your answer.
3.54 (+-) 0.004ms^-2

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2022

International Baccalaureate® - Baccalauréat International® - Bachillerato Internacional®

Printed for BRITISH INTL SCH

HANOI