Errors

id
ah
&

Sh
oq
ro
Uncertainties
Fa
 Precision
• It is the smallest division on the measuring device.

id
• Precision is determined by the range of values/measurements.

ah
Sh
• If the recorded values are close to each other then we say that the

oq
results are precise

ro
Fa
• If the recorded values are not close to each other then we say that
the results are not precise
 Precision
• High precision means a smaller spread in results/ smaller range.

id
• Low precision means a larger spread in results/ larger range

ah
Sh
• Are the following results precise with in 0.1mm?

oq
2.4mm, 2.3mm, 2.3mm, 2.4mm, 2.3mm YES

ro
• Are the following results precise with in 0.1mm?
Fa
2.4mm, 2.3mm, 2.2mm, 2.3mm, 2.4mm NO
 Accuracy
• The closeness of the recoded values to the true value.

id
ah
• How close to the true value, the average of the recoded values is.

Sh
• We calculate the average of the given values
• If the average is close to the true value then the results are accurate

oq
• If the average is not close to the true value then the results are not accurate

ro
Fa
• The length of the rod is 5.2mm. Are the results accurate with in 0.1mm?

5.2mm, 5.2mm, 5.3mm, 5.1mm, 5.3mm

ah
id
 Error
• The difference between the true value and the recorded value.

id
ah
• There are different types of errors.

Sh
• Parallax error

oq
• Random error
•

ro
Systematic error (zero error)
• Absolute error Fa
• Fractional error
• Percentage error
• Compound error
 Parallax Error
• The error due to wrong position of observation.

id
ah
• To prevent this type of error, the line of sight must be perpendicular

Sh
to the scale.

oq
• Its not a constant error in the measurements.

ro
• It’s a type of random error
Fa
 Random Error
• The error in the measurement

id
caused by factors which vary

ah
from one measurement to
another.

Sh
• The error which is not constant.

oq
• There is no pattern, reading

ro
might be too high or too low.
Fa
• Random error is unpredictable.
• Values are distributed on either
sides of true values
 Random Error
• How to reduce the random error in the measurements?

id
ah
• Repeat the experiment and take average of the results.

Sh
oq
ro
Fa
 Systematic Error
• The error in the measurement due to faulty equipment or flaw in the

id
experiment design.

ah
• This error is consistent / constant. Error in all recorded values is the

Sh
same.
• Caused by wrong calibration or by wrong use of measuring

oq
instrument

ro
• How to fix the systematic error?
Fa
• Find zero error and apply zero correction.
Systematic Error
• Either all values are greater than

id
the true values or smaller than

ah
the true values.

Sh
• Line of best fit does not pass
through origin.

oq
ro
Fa
 Absolute Error/Uncertainty
• It is the actual error in a

id
measurement.

ah
• Its always rounded off to

Sh
one sig. fig

oq
ro
• In one side measurement
Fa
the absolute error is half of
least count(L.C)
• Example: reading on a
thermometer
Fa
ro
oq
Sh
Example

ah
id
 Absolute Error/Uncertainty
• If readings are noted from both sides then absolute uncertainty is

id
equal to the least count (L.C)

ah
Sh
• Example: length of a rod recorded with a meter rule.

oq
ro
Fa
How to Write Absolute Uncertainty?
• Mass of a block is 500g and the absolute error is 10 g

id
m=500 ± 10 g (490g ------ 510g)

ah
Sh
• The length of a rod is 23.4cm and the absolute error is 0.1cm

oq
L= 23.4 ± 0.1 cm (23.3cm ----23.5cm)

ro
Fa
 Fractional Uncertainty
• It is the ratio between the absolute error to the measured value.

id
• fractional error in mass:

ah
mass = 500 ± 10 g = m ± ∆𝑚

Sh
∆𝑚 10
Fractional error in mass = = = 0.020

oq
𝑚 500
• Fractional error in length:

ro
Fa
Length = 23.4 ± 0.1 cm = 𝐿 ± ∆𝐿
∆𝐿 0.1
Fractional error in length = = = 0.0043
𝐿 23.4
 Percentage Uncertainty
• To get percentage uncertainty we multiply fractional uncertainty by 100

id
• %error = Fractional error × 100

ah
• % error in mass:

Sh
mass = 500 ± 10 g

oq
∆𝑚 10
%Δ 𝑚 = × 100 = × 100 = 2.0%
𝑚 500

ro
• % error in length: Fa
Length = 23.4 ± 0.1 cm
∆𝐿 0.1
%Δ𝐿 = × 100 = × 100 = 0.43 %
𝐿 23.4
 Compound Error
• The total error in the calculation due to error in quantities of the

id
formula.

ah
Sh
• We deal with compound error calculations in case of addition,

oq
subtraction, multiplication, division and powers like squares and
cubes.

ro
• There are rules for the calculation of compound error.
Fa
 Rule # 1
• If quantities are added or subtracted then we add the absolute errors

id
of the quantities.

ah
S1 = 20.5 ± 0.2 cm

Sh
S2 =15.3 ± 0.2 cm

oq
M = S 1 + S2 N = S1 – S2

ro
=20.5 + 15.3 = 20.5 – 15.3
Fa
= 35.8 ± 0.4 cm = 5.2 ± 0.4 cm
 Example
• Mass of empty beaker = 260 ± 10 g

id
ah
• Mass of beaker and water = 400 ± 20 g

Sh
• What is the mass of water alone?

oq
mass of water = 400 – 260 = 140 g
ro
Fa
mass of water = 140 ± 30 g
 Rule # 2
• If a number (scalar) multiplies or divides a quantity

id
then it also multiplies or divides the absolute error.

ah
Sh
• Diameter of a wire is:

oq
ro
Fad = 4.8 ± 0.4 cm
• Then the radius will be
r = 2.4 ± 0.2 cm
 Example
• A = 6.0 ± 0.2 cm

id
ah
• B = 2.5 ± 0.1 cm

Sh
• Calculate 2A + 3B

oq
2A + 3B = 2(6.0) + 3(2.5) =19.5 cm
ro
Fa
Error = 2(0.2) + 3(0.1) = 0.7
2A + 3B = 19.5 ± 0.7 cm
 Yours Turn
• A = 6.0 ± 0.2 cm

id
ah
• B = 2.5 ± 0.1 cm

Sh
1
• Calculate A + 2B

oq
2

ro
= 8.0 ± 0.3 cm
Fa
 Rule # 3
If two quantities are multiplying or dividing then their fractional errors

id
are added to get the fractional error in the final answer.

ah
Sh
Length = 25.4 ± 0.2 cm

oq
breadth = 12.2 ± 0.1 cm

ro
Δ𝐴
The fractional error in area Fa will be
𝐴

Δ𝐴 Δ𝐿 Δ𝑏 δ𝐴 δ𝐿 δ𝑏
= + or = +
𝐴 𝐿 𝑏 𝐴 𝐿 𝑏
 Fractional Error
Length = 25.4 ± 0.2 cm

id
ah
breadth = 12.2 ± 0.1 cm

Sh
δ𝐴 δ𝐿 δ𝑏

oq
Fractional error in area = = +
𝐴 𝐿 𝑏

ro
δ𝐴 0.2 0.1
Fa = +
𝐴 25.4 12.2
δ𝐴
= 0.016
𝐴
 Fractional Error
• Mass = 50.0 ± 0.5 g

id
• Volume = 2.6 ± 0.2 cm3

ah
Sh
Find the fractional uncertainty in Density
δρ δ𝑚 δ𝑣 Δρ Δ𝑚 Δ𝑣

oq
= + or = +
ρ 𝑚 𝑣 ρ 𝑚 𝑣

ro
δρ 0.5 0.2 Δρ 0.5 0.2
=
Fa + = +
ρ 50.0 2.6 ρ 50.0 2.6
δρ Δρ
= 0.087 = 0.087
ρ ρ
 Fractional Error Calculation
• A radio controlled car takes 2.50 ± 0.05 s to cover 40.0 ± 0.1 m

id
• Find the fractional error in speed of the car.

ah
𝑑
• V=

Sh
𝑡
δ𝑣 δ𝑑 δ𝑡
= +

oq
𝑣 𝑑 𝑡
δ𝑣 0.1 0.05

ro
= + Fa
𝑣 40.0 2.50
δ𝑣
= 0.0225
𝑣
 Finding Absolute Error in Multiplication/ Division
• Find the fractional error and multiply it with the answer of the

id
quantity to be calculated

ah
• Mass = 50.0 ± 0.5 g

Sh
50.0
• Volume = 2.6 ± 0.2 cm3 density = = 19.23 g cm-3
2.6

oq
Find density with its uncertainty (absolute uncertainty)

ro
δρ δ𝑚 δ𝑣 0.5 0.2
=
Fa + = + = 0.087
ρ 𝑚 𝑣 50.0 2.6
δρ = 0.087 × ρ = 0.087 × 19.23= 1.67
δρ = 2.0
• Density = (19 ± 2) g cm-3
 Percentage Error
• Once we know the fractional error how do we find the percentage

id
error?

ah
Sh
• Multiply the fractional error by 100

oq
δρ δ𝑚 δ𝑣
× 100 = × 100 + × 100
ρ 𝑚 𝑣

ro
or Fa
Δρ Δ𝑚 Δ𝑣
× 100 = × 100 + × 100
ρ 𝑚 𝑣
 Percentage Error in Density
• Mass = 50.0 ± 0.5 g

id
• Volume = 2.6 ± 0.2 cm3

ah
Find the percentage uncertainty in Density

Sh
δρ δ𝑚 δ𝑣
× 100 = × 100 + × 100

oq
ρ 𝑚 𝑣
δρ 0.5 0.2

ro
× 100 = × 100 + × 100
ρ Fa 50.0 2.6
δρ
× 100 = 8.7%
ρ
 Really challenging one
• No zero error so error

id
is one sided.

ah
• Take half the least

Sh
count and divide it by
the value and then

oq
times 100.

ro
Fa
 When Range of Results is Given
• We find the mean of results.

id
• Calculate the range, Range = max. – min.

ah
Sh
1
• Absolute error = (𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒)
2

oq
𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟
• Percentage error = × 100
ro
Fa 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛
Dealing with Range

id
ah
Sh
oq
ro
Fa
Graph with Error Bars

id
ah
Sh
oq
ro
Fa
Determine the percentage uncertainty in the student’s
value for η.

id
ah
Sh
oq
ro
Fa
Remaining Part of Same Question

id
ah
Sh
oq
ro
Fa
 Rule # 4
• This rule is also called POWER RULE

id
• If there is a power of some quantity in the formula then the power is

ah
multiplied to its uncertainty

Sh
• Radius of a sphere = 3.0 ± 0.2 cm

oq
what is the volume with its uncertainty?

ro
Fa
V= 110± 20 cm3
Fa
ro
oq
Sh
ah
id
We can give it a try

id
ah
Sh
oq
ro
Fa