Lab 1: Experimental Errors and Uncertainty

Name: Aaron Gruenert

Date Performed: 10 June 2015; 1100-hours
PHY 111

Section 1: Experiment and Observation

A. Objective
Students will learn about accuracy, precision, and types and sources of
experimental error. They will learn the importance of significant figures as well
as how to calculate percent error, percent difference, and standard and mean
deviation. Students will use a free fall experiment to learn how to report
measurement results, graph data, determine the slope of a line, and calculate
gravitational force and percent error.
B. Materials List
Pen and pencils
Paper, plain and graph
Computer and spreadsheet program
C. Data
Data Table 1 shows data taken from a free-fall experiment. Measurements were
made of the distance of fall (y) at each of the four precisely measured times.
Time, t (s)
0
0.5
0.75
1.0
1.25

Dist. y1
(m)
0
1.0
2.6
4.8
8.2

Data Table 1
Dist. y2
Dist. y3
(m)
(m)
0
0
1.4
1.1
3.2
2.8
4.4
5.1
7.9
7.5

Dist. y4
(m)
0
1.4
2.5
4.7
8.1

Dist. y5
(m)
0
1.5
3.1
4.8
7.4

Data Table 2 shows the data taken from table 1 in order to calculate the average
and standard deviation.
Time,
t (s)

Dist.
y1 (m)

Dist.
y2 (m)

Data Table 2
Dist.
Dist.
Dist.
y3 (m) y4 (m) y5 (m)

0
0.5
0.75
1.0
1.25

0
1.0
2.6
4.8
8.2

0
1.4
3.2
4.4
7.9

0
1.1
2.8
5.1
7.5

0
1.4
2.5
4.7
8.1

0
1.5
3.1
4.8
7.4

y
(m)
0
1.3
2.8
4.8
8.0

(m)
0
0.22
0.31
0.25
0.36

t2 (s)
0
0.25
0.56
1.0
1.56

Section 2: Analysis
A. Calculations
Calculating the average from the data allows us to find a central value the
numbers center around. The average is calculated by taking the sum of a set of
numbers and dividing it by the number of numbers in the set. An average distance
was calculated from the data provided for the experimental errors and uncertainty
experiment.
Average =

x
N

Calculation for the average distance and object falls in 0.5s (Data Table 2):
1.0+ 1.4+1.1+1.4+1.5
=1.28 1.3 m
5
Calculating the standard deviation let me see how widely spread around the
averages are. The smaller the standard deviation the closer I am to the average
value and the larger the standard deviation the more widely spread my
measurements are to the average. The calculation used for standard deviation is:
Standard Deviation = =

( xx )2
N1

Standard deviation was calculated using excel spreadsheet.

I Calculated the Slope of the graph from Figure 2. The formula for calculating the
slope of the line is:
y
Slope =
x
Calculation for the Slope of the line in Figure 2:
Slope =

81.3
=5.1
1.56.25

The equation for an object in free fall starting from rest is:
1 2
gt
Y=
2
Where 1/2g represents the slope of the graph. The following calculation was done
in order to get a value for g:

1
g
2
10 g
I calculated the percent error to determine the accuracy of the data I collected.
Determining the accuracy will tell me the difference between the experimental
data and the accepted values. The formula for calculating percent error is as
follows:
5.1 =

%Error =

Experimental valueAccepted v alue

x 100
Accepted Value

Accepted value of g = 9.8m/s2

Experimental value of g = 10m/s2
The calculation for determining the percent error:
10 m/s 29.8 m/ s2
x 100=2.0
9.8 m/s 2
B. Graph
Two graphs were plotted. The graph in figure one shows the relationship between
the average distances the falling object travelled vs. time. The graph in Figure 2
show the relationship between the average distances the falling object travelled
vs. time2.
Figure 1 shows the relationship between

vs. t from Table 2.

Figure 1: Avg. Distance vs. Time

9
8
7
6
5
distance (m)

4
3
2
1
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

1.4

time (s)

vs. t2 in accordance with the

1
> 2.
equation of motion for an object in free fall starting from rest: y =
2
Figure 2 shows the relationship between

Figure 2: Avg. Distance vs. Time2

9
8
7
6
5
distance (m)

4
3
2
1
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

time (s)2

C. Error Analysis

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

Because this experiment included information that was already provided I did not
have control of the errors that may have occurred during the initial trials. The error
analysis for this experiment was the percent difference between the accepted value of
gravity and the experimental value of gravity. There portion of the experiment that I did
have control over were the calculation which is where I could have made an error.

Section 3: Discussion and Conclusions

A. Discussion
This lab is important because it teaches students how to take given data and use it
to find further information about the experiment. The student is informed about
the nature of experimental error and uncertainty that accompanies all experiments
to some degree. They learn the importance of significant figures when keeping
data and their importance in accurate calculations. From the data collected in this
experiment the student is able to calculate the mean, standard deviation, and
percent error. They are also able to graph the data and determine the slope of a
line and calculate gravitational force. This lab met my expectations in that it was
a good introductory lab. The lab helped me familiarize myself with the tools we
will be using on the computer to collect data, make graphs and calculate
information. I learned how to collect and organize data and present it in an
efficient way that is clear for the reader. This lab also made me aware of the fact
that all experiments have errors and inaccuracies to some degree and that one way
this can be reduced is through multiple trials.
B. Results
With the data that was already provide (Data Table 1) I calculated the average and
standard deviation. In this experiment the independent variable was the time,
measured in seconds and the dependent variable was the distance the object fell,
measured in meters. We see that as the independent variable increases so to does
the dependent variable. From this information we can determine that the longer
an object was falling the further it fell. There were a total of five objects. Each of
these objects went through four timed trials (five if the trial where time is 0 is
counted).
The next part that was calculated was the standard deviation. This calculation
allowed me to see how accurate the data I collected was. The lower the number
the closer my calculations are to the average and the larger the number the more
widely spread my calculations are to the average. The standard deviation was
lowest when the object fell for .5seconds and 1second and higher when the object
fell for .75seconds and 1.25seconds. Although there was a variation in the

standard deviation calculations all the numbers are within .15 of each other is very
low inaccuracies and should not cause much concern.
C. Interpretation of Results
Data Table 2 includes the additional calculation made to find the average,
standard deviation, and time2; which was used later for graphing the data. When
the average was calculated I noticed that for every .25 seconds the time increased
there was a greater distance between the current trial and the previous trial. For
example at .50seconds the object traveled l.3meters and then at .75seconds the
object traveled 2.8meters, an increase of 1.5meters. At 1second the object
traveled 4.8meters, an increase of 2meters and at 1.25seconds the object traveled
8meters, an increase of 2.2meters. Taking into account that these numbers were
rounded, we still see a slight but stead increase the longer the object falls.
Since the initial information was already provided so there was no way for me to
have interacted with the trials. Because of this the only place where I could have
committed errors would have been in my calculations. I believe that the
calculation I made were correct given the data I was presented with at the
beginning of the lab. The calculations I made show a consistency that is
represented in Figure 1 and Figure 2.
D. Errors: Sources and Reasons
Because this experiment under went multiple trials I was able to obtain a low
percent error. This gave me a close, but not perfect, idea of the distance the object
would travel in free fall staring from rest. Some possible causes of an error
occurring might be the result of the equipment being used or how the experiment
was setup. There may have been uncontrollable environmental issues, such as
variation in temperature or humidity where the experiment was taking place.