Mechanical Measurements (MENG 204)

Nile University Midterm Exam

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences Spring 2023
Mechanical Engineering Program 05/04/2023

MIDTERM EXAM

Course Title Mechanical Measurements

Course Code Meng 204
Year/Semester Spring 23
Course Professor Dr. Tarek Ahmed Mahmoud
Exam Duration 1 Hours
Exam Number of pages 4
Full mark 15 Points
Material Permitted None
Additional Instructions None

For STUDENTS use: Please write your name and ID below

Student Name

Students ID

For Faculty use only

Assessment Method Full Grade Student Grade

Question 01 4

Question 02 4

Question 03 7

Total 15

With all my best Tarek Ahmed Mahmoud Page 1/4

 Model Answer
Question 1 [4 points]
True or False (Correct the false one)
1) For the passive instrument, the output is entirely produced by modulating some external power
source.
Answer
( False )
Correct one:
For the active instrument, the output is entirely produced by modulating some external power source.

2) The sensitivity of an instrument is a measure of how close the output reading of the instrument is to
the correct value.
Answer
( False )
Correct one:
The accuracy of an instrument is a measure of how close the output reading of the instrument is to the
correct value.

3) Accuracy is a measure of how well the output returns to a given value when the same input is applied
several times.

Answer
( False )
Correct one:
Repeatability is a measure of how well the output returns to a given value when the same input is applied
several times.

4) As the standard deviation increases for a measurement set, we can express greater confidence that the
calculated mean value is close to the true value.
Answer
( False )
Correct one:

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As the standard deviation decreases for a measurement set, we can express greater confidence that the
calculated mean value is close to the true value.

Question 2(4 points)

What is meant by:

1- The resolution of an optical encoder that measures the rotary motion is 12 degrees.

Answer
It means that the minimum degree of the measured position that can produce a change in the output of
the optical encoder is 12 degrees.

2- The measurement sensitivity of a platinum resistance thermometer is 0.5 Ω/°C.

Answer
It means that when the measured temperature increases by 1°C, the resistance of the platinum resistance
.thermometer will increase by 0.5 Ω

3. The time constant of a liquid in glass thermometer is 30 seconds.

Answer
It means that thermometer needs 30 seconds to reach 0.63 of its steady-state value.

4. The cutoff frequency of a low pass filter is 300 Hz.

Answer
It means that all frequencies above 300 Hz will be prevented to pass by the filter.

Question 3 [7 points]:
The elements in the DC bridge circuit shown in Figure (1) have the following values:
R1= R2 = R3 = 300 Ω, and Vi =10 V. Consider the unknown resistance Ru is a platinum resistance
thermometer with a range of 0°–50°C, whose resistance at 0°C is 400 Ω and whose resistance varies with
temperature at the rate of 2 Ω /°C.
1) Calculate the zero drift (assuming the internal resistance of the voltmeter is neglected).

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2) Calculate the output voltage at 25 °C (assuming the internal resistance of the voltmeter is neglected).
3) At 25 °C, calculate the measurement system relative error which is induced when the internal
resistance of the voltmeter is 10 𝑘 Ω .

Figure (1)

Answer
1) The zero drift value is the output voltage (Vo) of the bridge for 0°C meanly Ru =400 Ω.
Hence :

𝐑𝐮 𝑅1 400 300
𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝑖 (𝑅 −𝑅 ) = 10 (300+400 − 300+300) = 0.71 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡
3 +𝐑𝐮 2 +𝑅1

(2 points)

2) For 25 °C, Ru =400+25*2=450 Ω.

Hence :

𝐑𝐮 𝑅1 450 300
𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝑖 (𝑅 −𝑅 ) = 10 (300+450 − 300+300) = 1 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡
3 +𝐑𝐮 2 +𝑅1

(2 points)
3) At 25 °C, to calculate the relative error for the internal resistance of the voltmeter is 10 𝑘 Ω , first we
should calculate :

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 𝐑𝐮
True value =𝑉𝑜 ( 25 °C) when the internal resistance of the voltmeter is 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 =𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝑖 (𝑅 −
3 +𝐑𝐮

𝑅1 450 300
) = 10 ( − ) = 1 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡
𝑅2 +𝑅1 300+450 300+300

Second , the measured value can be calculated as:

𝑅𝑚
𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝐷𝐵 (
𝑅𝑚 + 𝑅𝐷𝐵 )

Where

𝐑𝐮 (25 °C) 𝑅1 450 300

𝑉𝐷𝐵 = 𝑉𝑖 ( − ) = 10 ( − ) = 1 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡
𝑅3 + 𝐑𝐮(25 °C) 𝑅2 + 𝑅1 300 + 450 300 + 300

𝐑𝐮 (25 °C)𝑅3 𝑅 𝑅
𝑅𝐷𝐵 = 𝑅 + 𝑅 1+𝑅2 = 180 + 150 = 330 Ω
3 +𝐑𝐮(25 °C) 2 1

Then , the measured value is

𝑅𝑚 10 𝑘 Ω
𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝐷𝐵 ( =1∗ = 0.968 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡
𝑅𝑚 + 𝑅𝐷𝐵 ) 10 𝑘 Ω + 330 Ω

(2 points)

Finally, the relative error can be calculated as below

𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒−𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 1−0.968
Relative error = = = 0.032
𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 1

(1 points)

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