Practice paper (Errors) (Lecture-2) Errors 1

1. The refractive index of water is found to have the values 1.29, 1.33, 1.34, 1.35,
1.32, 1.36, 1.30 and 1.33. Calculate the mean value, absolute error, the relative
error and the percentage error.
Ans. Mean value : 1.33
Absolute errors :
1  0.04  2  0.00
3  0.01  4  0.02
5  0.01  6  0.03
 7  0.03 8  0.00
Mean absolute error = 0.02
0.02
Relative error = 
1.33
Percentage error =  1.5%

2. The lengths of two cylinders are measured to be l1  5.62  0.01 cm and

l2  4.340.02 cm.Calculate difference in lengths with error limits. l' = 1.28 cm

Ans. l' =  0.03
3. The length and breadth of a rectangular lamina are measured to be  2.3  0.2  cm
and 1.6  0.1 cm. Calculate arae of the lamina with error limits.

A =  3.68  0.55 cm2.

4. Calculate percentage error in the determination of g  4 2 l / t 2 when l and t are

measured with  2% and  3% errors respectively.
Ans.  8%
5. A body travels uniformly a distance of 13.8  0.2  m in a time  4.0  0.3 s. Calculate
its velocity with error limits. What is percentage error in velocity?
Ans. v =  3.5  0.31 ms1
% age error in velocity = 9 %
a 2b 3
6. A physical quantity x is calculated from the relation x percentage error in
c d
a, b, c, d are respectively 1%, 2%, 2%, 4%.
Ans.  12 %

7. The resistance R = V/I, where V = 100  5 V and I = 10  0.2  A. Find the
percentage error in R.
Ans.  7 %
8. What is percentage error in volume of a sphere, when error in measuring its radius
is 2 % ?
Ans.  6 %
 Errors 2
9. What is error in density of a cube when its mass is uncertain by 2 % and length
of its edge is uncertain by 1 % ?
Ans.  5 %
10. The resistance R is the ratio of potential diff. V and current I. What is the %
age error in R if V (100  5) volt and I = (10  0.2) A ?
Ans.  7 %
11. Which of the following length measurement is most accurate and why ?
(i) 4.00 cm (ii) 0.04 cm (iii) 40.00 cm.
Ans. The last observation has the least fractional error and hence it is most accurate.
12. Two rods have lengths measured as (1.8  0.2) m and (2.3  0.1) m. Calculate
their combined length with error limits.
Ans. (4.1  0.3) m

ab 2
13. A physical quantity x is calculated from x . Calculate % error in x, when
c
% error in measuring a, b, c are 4, 2 and 3 respectively.
Ans.  9.5 %
14. A physical quantity x is calculated from the relation x  a 3b 2 / cd . Calculate
percentage error in x, if a, b, c, d are measured respectively with an error of
1%, 3%, 4% and 2%.
Ans.  12%
15. A physical quantity P is related to four observables a, b, c and d as follows :

P  a 3b 2 /  cd 
The percentage errors of measurement in a, b, c and d are 1%, 3%, 4% and
2%, respectively. What is the percentage error in the quantity P?
Ans. 13%
16. Two resistances, R1 = (6  0.2) ohm and R2 = (8  0.6) ohm are connected in series. Find the
maximum percentage error in the resistance of the combination.
Ans = 5.7%
17. Which of the following measurements is most accurate and which is most precise
:
(i) 4.00 mm (ii) 4.00 cm (iii) 4.00 m (iv) 40.00 ?
Ans. As relative error in measurement of 40.00 m is minimum, therefore, it is most
accurate measurement. However, the least count of measuring instrument is minimum
in case (i) being equal to 0.01 mm. Therefore, measurement (i) is most precise.
18. Two resistances R1 =(16  0.3) ohm and R2 = (48  0.5) ohm are connected
in parallel. Find the total resistance of the combination and maximum percentage
error.
Ans. R p  12 ohm R p  0.20 ohm

R p 0.20
 100   100  1.6 %
Rp 12