Physics 15200 Laboratory

Lab Introduction: Measurement and Uncertainty

Laboratory #1
Introduction to Mechanics Laboratory
Measurement and Uncertainty
Objective
This is an introduction to the mechanics laboratory. Students are given a brief background on the use
of some measurement instrumentation in the lab (e.g. the Vernier caliper and digital balance).
Students are also given an introduction to error analysis (e.g. standard deviation).
The goals for this laboratory exercise are to show proficiency with measurement technique, calculation
of mass density, error estimation and propagation in the density formula, and production of a quality
lab report.
Introduction
The mechanics laboratory is a place where you will be given the opportunity to test many of the ideas
that are presented in the lecture portion of the course. It should be viewed as time where you can
solidify concepts, test or challenge theory, and formalize your learning through action. There is often a
temptation to view the lab as something extra you have to do, in addtion to homework, quizzes, tests,
etc. Avoid this temptation, and concentrate on using your scientific mind to explore the ideas found in
your book and notes. Please do challenge yourself to understand the material for each lab
experiment, and describe that experience formally through your lab report.
Each lab will be followed by a lab report, generally due at the beginning of the next lab session, unless
otherwise directed by your lab instructor. Labs will be graded on a rubric that you will receive along
with your lab syllabus. The rubric will provide the information on what is required to achieve a perfect
score on your lab reports. The underlying expectation for a quality lab report is that your peers in the
next semester of this course could use your lab report to understand the purpose and procedure of
the lab experiment, with the goal of duplicating your results.
Today, you'll be using the Vernier Caliper to measure the length-based dimensions of an aluminum
block. The caliper is shown in the figure below.

Physics 15200 Laboratory

Lab Introduction: Measurement and Uncertainty

The actual calipers you'll be using have the metric (cm-based) and standard (inch-based) scales on
the opposite edges shown, but that is a minor detail. For today, you will use the outer jaws (labeled in
the diagram as #1) to measure the length, width, and depth of a rectangular solid. For each
dimension of the block, you will take five measurements and compute a mean and standard deviation
(an estimate of the error of your measurements).
The standard deviation is the measure we will use to estimate the error of our measurements in this
laboratory, unless something more relevant is called for in specific cases. The easiest way to
understand the standard deviation is as follows. Imagine that you take several measurements of the
width of a block of wood. From these measurements, identified here as (x1, x2, x3, , xn), you can
derive an average or mean value, given as :
N

1
x .
N i=1 i

If we can define the mean, , in this way, we can reasonably ask what the uncertainty in our
measurements is that would accompany this value. Clearly, we might have measured in slightly
different locations and reached a mean value that is a little different. How different is what the error
we report with the mean is meant to indicate. If we were to compute the average of the differences
between our measurements and the mean we calculated from them, that might work. Every time we
do this, though, we find that the average of these differences is zero. That's because the differences
just amount to calculating a new version of the average, and subtracting the previously computed
average from it. What if we square the differences, such that each difference from the mean
contributes to the error as a value with the same sign (i.e. no cancellation of differences above the
mean from those below the mean). Now, if we take the average of these squared differences, we get
something called the variance. The standard deviation is the square root of the variance: e.g.
N

1
= ( xi )2 ,
N i=1
2

where 2 is the variance, and is the standard deviation. Technically, if we only use a number of
measurements from a population of all possible measurements, then we are supposed to replace the
N in the formula above with (N -1). The reasons for this go beyond this course, but suffice it to say
that you should generally have enough measures in your work to make this difference irrelevant. For
the purposes of clarity, let's use the (N - 1) formula. At the very least, it gives a slightly bigger error,
and gives us more comfort in being right about our error estimate.
You might ask, how do we deal with errors when we combine mean values within formulas. The
answer is straightforward. If a formula, like that for volume, is a function of length, width and depth,
then the errors add using this general rule (using partial derivatives):

V =V (l , w , d ) ,
2

( ) ( ) ( )

V2 =
so if the formula for volume is just

V
l

2l +

V
V
2w +
w
d

2
d

V =l w d , then those partial derivatives are really easy: i.e.

Physics 15200 Laboratory

Lab Introduction: Measurement and Uncertainty

( )

V
=w d ,
l

( )

V
=l d ,
w

( )

V
=l w .
d

So our formula for propagating the error of the volume of a rectangular solid of length l, width w, and
depth d is:
2
2 2
2 2
2 2
V =(w d ) l +(l d ) w +(l w) d .

You can, and we will, also write this as:

V 2 l 2 w 2 d
=
+
+
V
l
w
d

( ) ( )( )( )

So, you can use the mean values for l, w, d, and V here, along with the standard deviations for length,
width and depth to calculate the standard deviation for volume.
Experimental Procedure
Measure the length, width, and depth of the rectangular, aluminum block that is in your kit with your
Vernier calpier. Make five measurements of each dimension, and write these down in a data table
(using Excel is a good way to do this). Make certain to note somewhere what your precision on your
caliper is. Your lab instructor will give you some guidance on how to determine this.
Calculate the standard deviations of each of the sets of measurements.
Calculate the volume of the solid, and do the same for the error in that volume calculation.
Weigh the solid on the digital balance in the room, and record the mass it gives you in grams.
Calculate the average mass density, and propagate the error in the volume to that in the mass density.
Assume that the error in the mass from the balance is zero. Clearly, it is not, but for simplicity, we'll let
it go for now.
Report
Your lab instructor will describe what should go in your lab report. You will receive a copy of a sample
lab report in class that should give you some guidance on how to put together your report.