MEASUREMENT

Part 2
UNCERTAINTIES
Measurement and experimentation is
fundamental to Physics.
Measurement is a primary skill for
all scientists.
A value that is measured should have an estimate
together with the uncertainty value.

How do you report the correct estimate of a true

value?
Reported Measurement = best estimate uncertainty
Using a weight balance or
digital weight balance, it
will show an exact mass of
17.43 grams.
SINCE THE BALANCE SHOWS THE MASS
IN 2 DECIMAL PLACES…
Measured mass = 17.43 0.01 grams
Obtaining several more readings…
Reading 1: 17.46 g
Reading 1: 17.42 g
Reading 1: 17.44 g
Hence, the average mass will be in the range of
17.44 0.02 grams
PRECISION refers to the closeness of
two or more measurements to each
other.
ACCURACY refers to the closeness of
a measured value to a true or accepted
value.
Neither precise
nor accurate Precise but not
accurate

Accurate but Precise and

not precise Accurate
A Vernier caliper allows to
measure length including
outside dimensions, inside
dimensions and depth of smaller
objects with more precision and
accuracy. It can measure up to
or decimal place in which makes
it good to use in small and
precise measurements.
Micrometer is used to
make accurate
measurements of the
thickness of a sheet of
paper and the external
diameter of thin wires. It
can measure up to or
decimal place in.
 PRECISION IS EXPRESSED IN A
RELATIVE OR FRACTIONAL
UNCERTAINTY:
Relative Uncertainty = uncertainty/measured quantity 100

Example: If mass (m) = 75.5 0.5 g, the relative or fractional

uncertainty is obtained as
uncertainty/measured quantity 100
0.5/75.5 100 = 0.0066 100 = 0.66%
 ACCURACY IS EXPRESSED
USING RELATIVE ERROR:
Relative error = measured value-expected value/expected
value 100

Example: If the expected value of mass = 80.0g, the relative

error is
75.5-80.0/80.0
-4.5/80.0 100 = 0.056 100 = 5.6%
Uncertainty in measurement is the
doubt that exists about the result of
any measurement. This is the amount
by which the measurement can be
more or less than the original value.
Error
 inevitable part of measurement, it is
not an accident or mistake
 naturally results from the instruments
value, the way we use them, and factors
outside our control.
 RANDOM ERRORS
are defined as variations in the measured
data brought by the limitations of the
measuring device. Random errors use
statistical analysis. Averaging the large
numbers of observation can reduce errors.
result from unknown or unpredictable
variations in experimental situations. They
are also referred to as accidental errors and
are sometimes beyond the control of the
observer doing the experiment.
 SYSTEMATIC
ERRORS
are defined as reproducible inaccurate data
that are constantly in the same direction. For
example, if the error is identified due to
calibration of a measuring instrument based
on standard, applying a correction factor to
compensate the effect can reduce the
favored measurement.
are associated with particular measuring
instruments or techniques. These errors
can usually be reduced if something is
done about the device or the procedure
that introduces these systematic errors.
A bias in a measurement can be
associated to systematic errors
that could be due to several
factors consistently contributing
a predictable direction for the
overall error.
 CAUSES OF ERROR IN DOING
PHYSICS LAB EXPERIMENTS
1. Inadequate definition (either systematic or random)
Example: In measuring the length of the rope, one student
may stretch the rope with a different force. To reduce the
error, determine specific conditions that may affect the
measurements.
2. unable to include a factor (systematic)
Example: When measuring free fall, air resistance was not
considered.
3. Factors due to the environment (either systematic
or random)
Examples: vibrations, temperature, noise, or other
conditions that may affect the measuring instrument
4. Limited scale of the instrument (random)
Example: a meterstick cannot measure exactly in
the smallest scale division
5. Unable to calibrate or check zero scale of the
instrument (systematic)
6. variations in the physical measurement
(random)- take several measurements over a
whole range that is being measured
7. parallax (either systematic or random)
Example: whenever an experimenter’s eye is
not aligned with a pointer in a scale
8. personal errors- occurs from carelessness,
poor method, or bias measurement
 APPROXIMATING
UNCERTAINTY FOR A SINGLE
MEASUREMENT
Example: A meter stick is used to measure the
diameter of a tennis ball where the uncertainty
was 5 mm. If a Vernier caliper is used, the
uncertainty can be reduced to 2 mm. Then, the
diameter of the tennis ball = 6.7 0.2 cm.