Measurement Answer (with converted uncertainty)

240 ± 20 240 ± 8%
75 ± 5 % 75 ± 4
108 ± 8 108 ± 7%
45.5 ± 3 % 46 ± 1
222.22 ± .02 222.22 ± 0.009 %
68.8 ± 10 % 69 ± 7
2.

3.

10.7 ± 0.3

10.9 ± 0.5

11.0 ± 0.3

10.81 ± 0.01

10.79 ± 0.02

Central value: =(10.7+10.9+ 11.0+10.81+10.79)/5 = 10.8

The ranges of values of each measurement are:

10.4 to 11.0, 10.4 to 11.4, 10.7 to 11.3, 10.80 to 10.82, 10.77 to 10.81

The farthest distance from an endpoint to the central value is 11.3 – 10.8 = 0.5

Therefore, the answer must be reported: 10.8 ± 0.5

 1. The default uncertainty for an analog device is half its least count, but for a digital device, it is
the least count itself. Give a possible reason for this.

A possible reason is because in an analog device, measurements are read from physical markers
such as lines on a ruler. This means despite the least count, the observer can still provide a
measurement read from in between the markers hence the uncertainty can be arbitrarily set to
a value less than the least count. In this case half the least count as an uncertainty is favorable.
Whereas digital devices quantify observables based on a calibrated program and can only
measure in discrete values as opposed to continuous in analog devices. Digital devices cannot
measure lower than it’s least count therefore its uncertainty is the least count itself unless
specified otherwise depending on the digital device’s features.

Q2. The density of Aluminum is 2.7 × 103 kg/m3 and for Brass, it’s 8.4 × 103 kg/m3 . Are your results
acceptable based on these values? Why or why not?

When converted into kg/m3, our results yielded a density of 3000 ± 1000 kg/m3 for the
rectangular sample and 8100 ± 100 kg/mm3 for the cylindrical sample. The resulting density of
the rectangular metal sample is acceptable for the density of Aluminum since the accepted
value of 2.7 × 10^3 kg/m3 falls within the range provided by the uncertainty of the
measurement which is 2000 kg/m3 to 4000 kg/m3. On the other hand, the resulting density of
the cylindrical metal sample is not acceptable for the density of Brass since 8.4 × 10^3 kg/m3
does not fall within 8000 kg/m3 to 8200 kg/m3

Q3. What are the assumptions you’ve made in obtaining the densities of the samples? List down at least
two.

 The samples were a perfect cylinder and a perfect rectangular prism to obtain the
volume.
 The measuring instruments used to measure the dimensions (ruler, vernier caliper, and
micrometer caliper) are of equal accuracy and precision.