AP1-DFA

2nd Semester
Chapter 1: Experimental measurements Problem set
29/03/21 Teaching Assistant:
Studying: 1.5 h/teaching hour José J. Rodes Roca

Significant figures—Errors—Tables—Graphics

1. How many significant figures do each of the following physical quantities?

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p = 354 kp cm−2 . L = 0.0168 m. r = 0.84 m.
E = 47.80 kWh. M = 1935 kg. S = 428.50 m2 .
T = 40.8 ◦ F. t = 86000 s. d = 1.3540 g/cm3 .

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2. Write the following magnitudes with the correct number of significant figures. Then,
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calculate the percent uncertainty, i.e. its relative error, for each measurement.

v = (1.249 ± 0.34) × 108 m/s. V = 1.5843 ± 0.02187 m3 .

T = 4.4182 ± 0.1284 K. S = 1342 ± 34 cm2 .
m = 190.8 ± 2.57 kg. d = 0.82469 ± 0.003847 g/cm3 .
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p = 486 200 ± 2700 Pa. t = 86479.474 ± 1.3892 s.

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v = 428.3514 ± 1.653 mm/s. S = 3.2768 ± 0.00149 mm2 .

3. An engineer have to measure a length L = 2.6 m with a maximum percent uncertainty

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of 1%, what should be the maximum absolute error of this measurement?

4. If the experimental measurements of the two sides of a rectangular surface have been
a = 56 ± 1 cm and b = 23 ± 1 cm, what is the absolute and relative error in the
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measurement of the area?

5. An engineer has to measure the sides of a rectangular parallelepiped with an absolute

error of less than 25 cm3 . If the approximate measures of the parallelepiped are approx-
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imately 25 cm, 40 cm and 55 cm, calculate the absolute error of these lengths.

6. What, approximately, is the absolute error in the area S and volume V of a sphere of
radius r = 4.00 ± 0.01 cm.
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7. A student of architecture has measure the diameter of a circle with a vernier calliper
obtaining as a result D = 0.026 ± 0.002 cm. Determine:
(a) The area of the circle taking into account that we take only three decimal places in
the value of π.
(b) how much the precision of the result will vary if five decimal places are taken in the
value of π instead of using three decimal places?
(c) What can be deduced from this result?

8. Write on the right column the correct expression, with the suitable notation, for the
measurements values given in Table 1. Express then in the International System (IS) of
units.

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Table 1: Remember: write it in the IS of units!!
Magnitude Correct answer
7.56 × 105 ± 29.8 × 104 cm2
56.72 ± 1.62 J
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3.876 × 10−2 ± 17.8 × 10−4 kg
0.00001267 ± 0.000005 cm3
3465.5 ± 0.3847 kN
0.01622 ± 0.00024 m
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17.6542 ± 1.23 s
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24746 ± 33.6 g cm/s

9. Suppose we hang a mass m on a spring and a new equilibrium position is established.

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According to Newton’s 2nd law, the magnitude of the restoring force is equal to the
magnitude of the weight of the hanging mass. Initial position of the spring is 500±1
mm, measured with a ruler of sensitivity 1 mm. Assume as gravity acceleration this
value g = 9.80 ± 0.01 m/s2 . The equilibrium positions of the spring for different masses
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are:

Table 2: Measurements of the position of the spring

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Mass (g) 20.0±1.0 40.0±2.0 60±3 80±4 100±5 120±6 140±6

Length±1 (mm) 560 620 680 740 800 860 920

(a) Do a table with weights in N and displacements in m. Write it with the correct
significant figures.
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(b) Do a graph of the applied forces (weights, X axis) and the displacements (∆L, Y
axis) relative to the initial length of the spring, i.e. with no hang mass. Draw also
the error bars on the plot.
(c) Draw a straight line through all the points and derive the equation which describes
the relationship between weights and displacement. Identify the physical meaning
of the slope and write it value, absolute error and units.

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1. Solution: 5. Solution:

• Do it yourself, please. • εL = 0.005 cm.

2. Solution:
v = (1.2 ± 0.3) × 108 m/s; εrv = 0.25.
T = 4.42 ± 0.13 K; εrT = 0.03.
m = 191 ± 3 kg.; εrm = 0.016.
p = 486 000 ± 3000 Pa.; εrp = 0.006.
v = 428.4 ± 1.6 mm/s.; εrv = 0.004.
V = 1.584 ± 0.022 m3 .; εrV = 0.014.
S = 1340 ± 30 cm2 .; εrS = 0.022.
6. Solution:
• εS = 1.0 cm2 and εV = 2.0 cm3 .
7. Solution:
(a) S = (53 ± 8) × 10−5 cm2 .
(b) S = (53 ± 8) × 10−5 cm2 .

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d = 0.825 ± 0.004 g/cm3 .; εrd = 0.005. (c) Both results are equivalent, so four
t = 86479.5 ± 1.4 s.; εrt = 0.000014. significant figures should be enough.
S = 3.2768 ± 0.0015 mm2 .; εrS = 0.0005.
8. Solution:
3. Solution:

• εL = 0.024 m. S • Do it yourself, please.

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4. Solution: 9. Solution:

• S = 80 cm2 and εrS = 6.2%. • Do it yourself, please.

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