Understanding Measurement Accuracy and Precision, Study notes of Physics

Download Understanding Measurement Accuracy and Precision and more Study notes Physics in PDF only on Docsity! Measurements, Accuracy, & Precision Accuracy Vs. Precision Accuracy • How correct you are • How close your answer is to the expected or actual value • How accurate is determined by the person making the measurement • Calculated with the percent error formula % 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙−𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑥 100 Precision • How close your measurements are to one another • How precise is determined by the smallest increment (division) on the measuring tool • Determined (shown) by the number of significant digits used to record measurement. Ruler Centimeter Scale Precision of Instrument: 0.1cm Uncertainty: 0.05cm Sample Reading: 1.45cm +/- 0.05cm Meter stick 1 Centimeter Scale (up to 100.00cm) Precision of Instrument: 0.1cm Uncertainty: 0.05cm Sample Reading: 5.00cm +/- 0.05mm Meter stick 2 Centimeter Scale (up to 100.00cm) Precision of Instrument: 0.5cm Uncertainty: 0.25cm Sample Reading: 23.3cm +/- 0.25mm Showdown 3 Ruler Measurement Reading: 36.0mm +/- 0.05mm 10mm 20mm 30mm 40mm 50mm Showdown 4 Ruler Measurement Reading: 4.00cm +/- 0.05cm Showdown 5 Ruler Measurement Reading: 2.55cm +/- 0.05cm Showdown 8 Ruler Measurement Reading: 2.05cm +/- 0.05cm Showdown 9 Ruler Measurement Reading: 3.10cm +/- 0.05cm Showdown 10 Ruler Measurement Reading: 6.50cm +/- 0.25cm | Scm 10cm 15¢m 10cm 15cm Showdown 13 Ruler Measurement Reading: 20.75cm +/- 0.25cm 20cm 25cm Showdown 14 Ruler Measurement Reading: 4.50cm +/- 0.25cm I PEITPIPETT PETE TEEPE 10cm 15cm Showdown 15 Ruler Measurement Reading: 12.50cm +/- 0.25cm