Units & Dimensions "ERRORS"

ERRORS
Q.1Errors/1 A quantity y is related to another quantity x by the equation y = kxa where k and a are constant.
If percentage error in the measurement of x is p, then that in y depends upon
(A) k and a (B) x and a (C*) p and a (D) p, k and a all
Q.2Errors/2 A vernier callipers having 1 main scale division = 0.1 cm is designed to have a least count of 0.02
cm. If n be the number of divisions on vernier scale and m be the length of vernier scale, then
(A) n=10, m=0.5 cm (B) n=9, m=0.4 cm (C*) n=10, m=0.8 cm (D) n=10 , m=0.2 cm
Q.3Errors/3 In a vernier calliper N divisions of vernier scale coincides with N-1 divisions of main scale (in
which length of one division is 1 mm). The least count of the instrument should be
1 1
(A) N mm (B) N– 1 mm (C*) 10 N cm (D) mm
N 1
Q.4Errors/4 Which of the following quantities has smallest number of significant digits?
(A*) 0.00145 cm (B) 14.50 cm (C) 145.00 cm (D) 145.0 × 10–6 cm
3.06
Q.5Errors/5 +1.15 and express answer in correct significant digits
1 .2
(A) 3.70 (B) 3.7 (C) 3.75 (D*) 3.8
Q.6Errors/6 Two masses MA & MB (MA< MB) are weighed using same weighing machine. Absolute error
and relative error in two measurements are [Assume only systamatic errors are involved]
(A*) Absolute error same for both, relative error greater for MA and lesser for MB
(B) Absolute error same for both, relative error greater for MB and lesser for MA
(C) Relative error same for both, absolute error greater for MA and lesser for MB
(D) Relative error same for both, absolute error greater for MB and lesser for MA
Q.7Errors/7 Two numbers a = 0.92 and b = 0.08 are given. The number of significant figures present in the
result after the following operation a + b, a – b, a × b and a/b respectively are
(A) 2, 2, 2, 2 (B) 3, 3, 2, 2 (C*) 3, 2, 1, 1 (D) 3, 2, 2, 2
Q.8Errors/8 A cuboid has volume V = l × 2l ×3l where l is length of one side. If the relative percentage error
in the measurement of l is 1% then the relative percentage error in measurement of V is
(A) 18% (B) 6% (C*) 3% (D) 1%
Q.9Errors/9 The volume of a sphere of radius 3.1 cm correct to significant digits is
(A) 1.2478×102 cm3 (B*) 1.2×102 cm3 (C) 1.25×102 cm3 (D) 1.3×102 cm3
Q.10Errors/10 In certain vernier callipers 25 divisions on vernier scale have same length as 24 divisions on main
scale. One division on main scale is 1mm long. The least count of the instrument is
(A*) 0.04 mm (B) 0.01 mm (C) 0.02 mm (D) 0.08 mm
Q.11Errors/11 In a Searle's experiment for determination of Young's Modulus, when a load of 50 kg is added toa
3 meter long wire micrometer screw having pitch 1 mm needs to be given a quarter turn in order to restore
the horizontal position of spirit level. Young's modulus of the wire if its cross sectional area is 10–5 m2 is
(A*) 6× 1011N/m2 (B) 1.5 × 1011 N/m2 (C) 3 × 1011 N/m2 (D) None
Q.12Errors/12 The atmospheric pressure is measured with a Fortin's barometer having a vernier scale. 20
divisions of the vernier scale coincide with 19 main scale divisions. Each division of the main scale is
equal to 0.5 mm. Which of the following correctly expressed the atmospheric pressure ?
(A*) 71.0000 cm of Hg (B) 71.000 cm of Hg
(D) 71.00 cm of Hg (D) 71.0 cm of Hg
Q.13Errors/13 While measuring acceleration due to gravity by simple pendulum, a student makes a positive
error of 1% in the length of the pendulum and a negative error of 3% in the value of the time period. His
actual percentage error in the measurement of the value of g will be :
(A) 2% (B) 4% (C*) 7% (D) 10%
Q.14Errors/14 One centimeter on the main scale of Vernier callipers is divided into ten equal parts. If 10 divisions
of Vernier scale coincide with 8 small divisions of the main scale, the least count of the callipers is :
(A) 0.01 cm (B*) 0.02 cm (C) 0.05 cm (D) 0.005 cm

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Q.15Errors/15 A body is moving from height x = 0.1 m to x = 1.2 m in 1 sec under constant acceleration of 0.5
2
m/s . What was the initial velocity with which it started. (Correct to significant digits)
(A) 0.85 m/s (B*) 0.9 m/s (C) 1.0 m/s (D) 0.8 m/s
Q.16Errors/16 If a screw guage has a pitch of 1.5 mm and 300 divisions on circular scale, which of the following
reading can be from this screw guage?
(A) 1.05 mm (B) 3.01 cm (C*) 0.030000 m (D) 2.1185 dm
Q.17Errors/17 The percentage error in measurement of a physical quantity m given by m =  tan  is minimum
when (A*)  = 45° (B)  = 90° (C)  = 60° (D)  = 30°
(Assume that error in  remain constant)
Q.18Errors/18 The error in the measurement of volume of sphere is 1.5%. The error in the measurement of its
diameter is (A) (1.5)1/3 % (B) (0.5)1/3 % (C*) 0.5% (D) 1.5%
Q.19Errors/19 Significant figures in 0.10020 is (A*) 4 (B) 6 (C) 5 (D) 2
Q.20Errors/20 The perimeter of a rectangular sheet is to be measured. The 2 sides are 21.8 cm and 2.30
cm. What is the perimeter ?(A) 48.32 cm (B*) 48.3 cm (C) 50 cm (D) 48 cm
Q.21Errors/21 An experiment measures quantities a, b, c and then X is calculated from the following formula X
ab 2
= 3 . If the percentage error in a, b, c are ± 1%, ± 3% and ± 2% respectively, then the maximum
c
percentage error in X will be:
(A) ± 1% (B*) ± 13% (C) 15% (D) ± 2%
Q.22Errors/22 The density  of a piece of metal of mass 'm' and volume V is given by the realation,  = m/V. If
m = (275.32 ± 0.01) g and V = (36.41 ± 0.01) cm3, then the percentage error in  will be:
(A) 0.01 % (B) 0.02 % (C) 1 % (D*) 0.03 %
Q.23Errors/23 The result of the following operation 90 × 0.001 will be:
(A) 0.1 (B) 0.9 ×10–1 (C*) 0.09 (D*) 9 × 10–2
Q.24Errors/24 Magnitude of a physical quantity:
(A) depends upon the system of measurement
(B) is larger in SI than is cgs system
(C) is independent of system of measurement
(D) is proportional to the fundamental units of mass, length and time.
l3
Q.25Errors/25 Let y = l2 – where l = 2.0 ± 0.1, z = 1.0 ± 0.1 then the value of y is given by
z
(A) + 2 ± 0.8 (B) 4 ± 0.8 – (C) – 4 ± 1.6 (D) None of these
Q.26Errors/26 A small hollow metal cylinder is closed at one end. Its mass is known. Which of the following
instruments are required to find the density of the metal?
(A*) Slide callipers only (B) Slide callipers and screw gauge
(C) Screw gauge and spherometer (D) Slide callipers and spherometer
L
Q.27Errors/27 The period of oscillation of simple pendulum is T = 2 . Here L is about 10 cm and is known
g
to 1 mm accuracy. The period of oscillation 0.5 sec.. The time of 100 oscillations is measured with
wristwatch of 1 sec. resolution. What is the accuracy in the determination of g
(A) 3% (B*) 5% (C) 2% (D) 1%
Q.28Errors/28 From the point of view of significant figures which of the following statements are correct.
(i) 10.2 cm + 8 cm = 18.2 cm (ii) 2.53 m – 1.2 m = 1.33 m
(iii) 4.2 m × 1.4 m = 5.88 m2 (iv) 3.6 m / 1.75 sec = 2.1 m/sec
(A) (i) & (iv) only (B) (ii) & (iii) only (C*) (iv) only (D) (ii) & (iv) only
Q.29Errors/29 In the measurement as the focal length of a concave mirror the object distance is u = 40  0.1
cm and the image distance v = 20  0.2 cm. The maximum % error in the measurement of f is:
(A*) 1.75 (B) 0.75 (C) 0.3 (D) 2.25

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Q.30Errors/30 When the gap is closed without placing any object in the screw gauge whose least count is
0.005 mm, the 5th division on its circular scale and when a small sphere is placed, reading on main
scale advances by 4 divisions, whereas 25th division on its circular scale coincides with the reference
line on main scale. There are 200 division on the circular scale. The radius of the sphere measured
is (A) 4.10 mm (B) 4.05 mm (C) 2.10 mm (D*) 2.05 mm
[Sol. Pitch = 200 × 0.005 = 1 mm Zero error = 0.005 × 5
d = 4 mm + 25 × 0.005 – 0.005 × 5 = 4.10 mm r = d/2 = 2.05 mm ]

Q.31Errors/31 An approximate value of number of seconds in an year is  × 107. Determine the % error
in this value. (A*) 0.5 % (B) 8% (C) 4% (D) 15 %
3.15  3.14
[Sol. n = 365 × 86400 = 3.1536 × 107 Error = × 100  0.5% ]
3.14
Q.32Errors/32 When a current of 2.5 ± 0.5 A flows through a wire, it develops a potential difference of 20 ± 1
V. Find the resistance of the wire
(A*) (8 ± 2) ohm (B) (10 ± 3) ohm (C) (18 ± 4) ohm (D) (20 ± 6) ohm
Q.33Errors/33 The diagram shows part of the vernier scale on a pair of calipers.

Which reading is correct ?(A*) 2.74 cm (B) 3.10 cm (C) 3.26 cm (D) 3.64 cm
[Sol. VS = 4, MS = 2.7 = MS + VS × LC = 2.7 + 0.04 = 2.74 ]
Q.34Errors/34 Vernier callipers has 20 divisions on its vernier scale which coincide with 19 divisions on the
main scale. Least count of the instrument is 0.1 mm. The main scale division is :
(A) 0.5mm (B) 1mm (C*) 2mm (D) 0.25 mm
1( main scale) 1( main scale)
[Sol.NB Least count = 0.1 mn =
N 20
1 Main scale division = 2mm ]
Q.35Errors/35 Two masses MA and MB (MA < MB) are weighed using same weighing machine. In the measured
value :
(A*) Absolute error is same for both, relative error is greater for MA and lesser for MB
(B) Absolute error is same for both, relative error is greater for MB and lesser for MA
(C) Relative error is same for both, absolute error is greater for MA and lesser for MB
(D) Relative error is same for both, absolute error is greater for MB and lesser for MA
Paragraph for question nos. 36 to 38
Parallax refers to the different views that you see from two different positions. Try this experiment. Hold
the index finger of your left hand vertical, 20 cm in front of you. Hold the index finger of your right hand
vertical, 40 cm in front of you. Now close your left eye and, using just your right eye, move the two
fingers sideways until they line up. Now close your right eye and open the left. The closer finger has
'jumped' to the right of the further finger. Repeat a few times. Compared to a distant background, both
fingers have both jumped to the right, but the closer one jumps farther. If you measure the angles through
which they jump and the distance between your eyes, you can work out how far away the fingers are.
For distant objects, the distance between our viewing positions must be greater than the distance between
your eyes. Fortunately for astronomers, the Earth shifts our telescopes round the sun, so we can get a
separation equal to the diameter of the orbit of the Earth (16 light minutes) if we wait six months, as
shown in this diagram.

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 Units & Dimensions "ERRORS"

In this sketch, which is not to scale, imagine an observer looking at objects A and B, standing at the pole
of the Earth with his head towards us. Now he sees object A to be to the right of B. Six months ago, he
saw it to be to the left of B. Now most stars are so far away from us that we cannot observe any relative
motion in this way. However, for close stars it is possible. The next sketch shows the path of light from
a close object and from a very distant star.

From trigonometry,
D = R/tan = R/
where we have used the small angle approximation for  measured in radians. A parsec is defined as the
distance to an object that 'moves' (w.r.t. to the distant stars) by an angle of 1 second (1/3600 of a
degree) when the Earth moves by the mean radius of its orbit. In terms of this sketch, if =one second,
D = 1 parsec. Now all stars except the sun are more than one parsec distant, so to measure their
distance by parallax, we need to be able to resolve angles of about 1 second or better.
Q.36Errors/36 In the first experiment if we have two point objects A and B in place of your left and right fingers
respectively then
(A) your two eyes and A and B will lie on a circle
(B*) your two eyes and A and B will always lie in a plane
(C*) your two eye and A will form a triangle area of which is be equal to the area of the triangle formed
by A, B and your left eye
(D) none of these
Q.37Errors/37 In above if we have three objects A, B and C such that you see only A & B from your left eye
and A & C from your right eye. Angle formed by AB on your left eye equals that formed by AC on your
right eye. Then AB will
(A) always equal to AC
(B) be equal to AC if your two eye and A form an isosceles triangle
(C) be equal to AC if your two eye and A form a right angled triangle
(D*) none of these
Q.38Errors/38 Parallex method is useful only if the star whose distance is to be measure should be closer to the
earth and the reference star should be
(A) very close (B*) very far away (C) any other star (D) only pole star
Q.39Errors/39 The vernier of a circular scale is divided in to 30 divisions, which coincides with 29 main scale
divisions. If each main scale division is (1/2)o, the least count of the instrument is
(A) 0.1' (B*) 1' (C) 10' (D) 30'
[Sol. 30VS = 29MS and 1 MS = (1/2)° least count = 1MS – 1VS = 1' ]
SG

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 Units & Dimensions "ERRORS"
Q.40Errors/40 A projectile is thrown with velocity U = 20m/s ± 5% at an angle 60°. If the projectile falls back
on the ground at the same level then which of following can not be a possible answer for range.
Consider g = 10m/s2.
(A*) 39.0 m (B) 37.5 m (C) 34.6 m (D) 32.0 m
20 2  sin 120 R 24 U 2 5
[Sol. R= = 20 3 = =  R = × 200 3 = 2 3
g R U 100
20 3 – 2 3 < R < 20 3 + 2 3  31.1m < R < 38.1 m ]
Q.41Errors/41 When the gap is closed without placing any object in the screw gauge whose least count is 0.005
mm, the 5th division on its circular scale with the reference line on main scale, and when a small sphere is
placed reading on main scale advances by 4 divisions, whereas circular scale reading advances by five
times to the corresponding reading when no object was placed. There are 200 divisions on the circular
scale. The radius of the sphere is
(A) 4.10 mm (B) 4.05 mm (C) 2.10 mm (D*) 2.05 mm
[Sol. 1msd = 200 × 0.005 = 1mm
2r = 4 × 1 + 25 × 0.005 – 5 × 0.005
= 4.1 r = 2.05 mm ]
Q.42Errors/42 A voltmeter with resistance 500  is used to measure the emf of a cell of internal resistance 4 .
The percentage error in the reading of the voltmeter will be
(A) 0.2% (B*) 0.8% (C) 1.4% (D) 2.2%
 
[Sol.AG i = v =  – 4i = – ×4
504 504
 1  125 
v =  1   =  v = ]
 126  126 126
Q.43Errors/43 In a meter bridge experiment the resistance of resistance box is 16, which is inserted in right
gap.The null point is obtained at 36cm from the left end. The least count of meter scale is 1mm. What is
the value of unknown resistance? (Error = L.C. or L.C./2)
5 5 5 128 1
(A) 9 ±  (B*) 9 ±  (C) 9   (D)  
128 256 512 9 2560

x 16 x 36
[Sol. = = 9
G 16 64

dx d 0.5  10 1 0.05  9 1 1
= = dx = =  x=9±  ]
x (1  ) 36  64 36  64 5120 5120
Q.44Errors/44 In a vernier collipers having 10 Vsd, the vernier constant is 0.1 mm. When the jaws are closed,
zero of vernier lies to the left of zero of main and 7th Vsd coincides with a main scale division. When a
cylinder is placed between the jaws the main scale reading was 7.7 cm and vernier scale read 8 divisions.
What is the diameter of the cylinder ?
(A*) 78.1 mm (B) 77.5 mm (C) 77.8 mm (D) 78.5 mm
[Sol. O error = –(10 – 7) × 0.1 = – 0.3 mm D = 77.0 + 8 × 0.1 – (0.3)
= 78.1 mm ]
Q.45Errors/44 If the length and breadth of a thin rectangular sheet are measured, using a metre scale as 16.2 cm
and 10.1 cm respectively. What is the error in the estimation of area of rectangular sheet.
(A*) 1.3 cm2 (B) 1.8 cm2 (C) 2.6 cm2 (D) 3.9 cm2
[Sol. A =  ×  + b
= (16.2 + 10.1) × 0.05 = 26.3 × 0.05 = 1.315 cm2 ]

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 Units & Dimensions "ERRORS"
Q.46Errors/46 The photograph of a house occupies an area of 1.75 cm2 on a 35 mm slide. The slide is
projected on to a screen, and the area of the house on the screen is 1.55 m2. What is the linear magnification
of the projector-screen arrangement.
(A*) 8.86 × 103 (B) 8.8 × 103 (C) 8.857 × 103 (D) 8.8571 × 103
1.55 310
[Sol.  10 4 = × 103 = 8.86 × 103 ]
1.75 35
Q.47Errors/47 Consider a screw gauge without any zero error. What will be
the final reading corresponding to the final state as shown? It is
given that the circular head translates P msd in N rotations. One
msd is equal to 1mm.
(A) (P/N) (2 + 45/100) mm (B) (N/P) (2+45/N)mm
 45 P 
(C) P (2/N + 45/100)mm (D)  2    mm
 100 N 
Q.48Errors/48 A screw gauge has some zero error but its value is unknown.
We have two identical rods. When the first rod is inserted in the screw,
the state of the instrument is shown by diagram (I). When both the rods
are inserted together in series then the state is shown by the diagram
(II). What is the zero error of the instrument? 1 msd = 100 csd = 1mm
(A) –0.16 mm (B) +0.16 mm
(C) +0.14 mm (D) –0.14 mm

Q.49Errors/49 The diagram shows an incomplete sketch of a PO box.

Battery is connected between________. The unknown resistance is
connected between ________. The galvanometer is connected
between_________. The key K2 is connected between
__________.
Options:
(A) CD (B) DA (C) CE (D) DF
(E) DE (F) BF (G) CF

Q.50Errors/50 The least count of a stop watch is 1/5 sec. The time of 20 oscillations of a pendulum is measured
to be 25 sec. The minimum percentage error in the measurement of time will be
(A) 0.1% (B) 0.8% (C) 1.8% (D) 8%

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