Experiment 1: Errors, Uncertainties and Measurement

Laboratory Report
Clarisse Cuevas, Leanne Curaming, Aline De Castro, Adrienne De La Cruz, Ida Dy

Department of Math and Physics

College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Abstract attain satisfactory comparison with a given

standard.
The experiment was divided into two
parts: the first part made use of the foot Through the activities in this
rule, vernier calliper and micrometer experiment, students are expected to:
calliper to measure a sphere of known to study errors and how they
composition while the second part made use propagate in simple
of a foot rule to measure the thumb of experimentation
different people. The first activity aimed to to determine the average
prove which of the following devices is the deviation of a set of
most recommendable for measuring experimental values
substances. The measuring device with the to determine the mean of a
least amount of percentage error was the set of experimental values as
micrometer calliper. The second activity well as set of average
focused on using constant standards in deviation of the mean
measurements. After measuring the thumb of to familiarize the use of the
each group member, it was confirmed that vernier calliper and
the thumb cannot be generalized as a micrometer calliper
measure of an inch. Overall, the experiment to compare the accuracy of
explored devices, errors and uncertainties in the devices
measurement. to determine the density of an
object, given its mass and
1. Introduction
dimensions
Measurement has become a vital part
2. Theory
of our lives. From choosing whether to buy
Propagation of Error is the effect of
half or whole meal for lunch to preparing the
variables' errors on the uncertainty of a
ingredients for baking or Chemistry Lab, the
function based on them. Variables have
application of measuring is continuous.
uncertainties due to measurement limitations
Measuring requires much attention, although
(e.g., instrument precision).
sometimes goes unnoticed because of the
The uncertainty of a measuring
habitual practice, and specific devices to
device is 50% of the least count. The least
count is the smallest subdivision given on
the measuring device. The uncertainty of the Experimental value of density (g/cm3): EV
measurement should be given with the
M
actual measurement.[1]
= V
The vernier principle is the
difference between two scales.
Estimating Uncertainties in Accepted value of density (g/cm3): AV =
Measurements: It is good practice to cm
3

perform repeated measurements so that a

7.8 g/
mean value can be estimated together with
the standard deviation and/or the standard Percent error for density: % ERROR
error in the mean.
Uncertainty in Direct Reading = | AVAVEV x 100|
Devices: For a direct reading device (like
the ruler or caliper) the reading uncertainty
Legend:
is the smallest division for a single
reading. This means the smallest division d mean diameter
for a distance.[2]
10 n number of observations
xi n = 10
Mean diameter: d = i=1
n a.d. average deviation
A.D. ave. deviation of the mean
d deviation
d V - volume
Average deviation: a.d. = n
d - sum of deviations

Average deviation of the mean: A.D. = - pi

a .d . r mean radius
n m mass
EV experimental value
AV accepted value
Percent error of diameter: % error =
||
A.D. absolute value
d
3. Methodology
The group used a foot rule, vernier
4 3 caliper, micrometer caliper, electronic gram
Volume (cm3): V = r
3 balance and a sphere. The group compared
the accuracy of these measuring instruments
Mass (g): M = 28 g (foot rule, vernier caliper and micrometer
caliper). They made use of certain formulas
to determine the errors of the measuring
instruments. They made ten independent [a.d.] (cm)
measurements for the diameter of the sphere Average
using the foot rule and also determined the Deviation
of the Mean 0.01
density of the sphere given its proportions [A.D.] (cm) 3 0.016 0.0048
and mass. %Error of 0.66
Diameter % 0.86% 0.26%
4. Results and Discussion Volume
(cm) 3.76 3.41 3.35
Table 1 shows the comparison of 28.0
initial values obtained from using the foot Mass (g) 0 28.00 28.00
rule, vernier caliper and micrometer caliper; Experimenta
l Value
Table 2 shows subsequent values obtained of Density
through computation. (g/cm) 7.45 8.21 8.36
Accepted
Table1. Diameter of Sphere as measured Value
by Foot Rule, Vernier Caliper and of Density
Micrometer Caliper (g/cm) 7.8 7.8 7.8
%Error for 4.49
Diameter of Sphere (cm) Density % 5.26% 7.18%
Tria Foot Vernier Micrometer
l Rule Caliper Caliper
1 1.90 1.780 1.853 In measuring the diameter of the
2 2.00 1.890 1.903 sphere, the micrometer caliper proved its
3 2.00 1.900 1.852 accuracy by getting the closest value to the
4 1.90 1.900 1.852 original value as verified by having the
5 1.90 1.900 1.850 lowest percentage of error. Next to it,
6 1.85 1.710 1.851 unexpectedly, is the foot rule instead of the
7 1.90 1.900 1.851 vernier caliper which is expected to have
8 1.95 1.900 1.852 more accurate results than a foot rule. A
9 1.90 1.900 1.850 possible reason for this may be the incorrect
10 2.00 1.900 1.852 placement of the sphere which supposedly
should be in the middle.
Table2. Subsequent Data Obtained Below is table 3 which shows the
Through Computation width of the thumb of the proponents
Vernie measured with a foot rule.
r Micromet
Foot Calipe er Table3. Width of Thumb of Proponents
Rule r Caliper measured with Foot Rule
Mean
diameter Group 1 2 3 4 5
(cm) 1.93 1.868 1.857 Member
Average 0.04 0.049 0.015
Deviation 6
Width of 0.700 0.60 0.65 0.75
Thumb 0 0 0 0
(in)
The data from Table 3 proves the
ancient standard of inch, the thumb, as
unreliable. It is evident that using the thumb
as an alternate standard for an inch will
produce inaccurate and imprecise results due
to the fact that the standard itself does not
have a consistent value. The values obtained
from the activity displayed at least 0.300
difference from 1 inch. Thus, it can be
concluded that it is vital to make certain that
the value of the standard to be used is
consistent so as to produce reliable results.
5. Conclusion
On the first activity of the
experiment, the researchers were tasked to
measure independently, for ten times, the
spheres diameter using the foot rule, vernier
caliper and micrometer caliper.
Computations on the spheres mean
diameter, deviation of each measurement,
average deviation (a.d.), average deviation
of the mean diameter (A.D.), percentage
error for the diameter, volume and the
density of the sphere. On the second activity,
they were tasked to measure the width of
their respective thumbs to know if the thumb
could be considered as standard for
measurement. Although there was a
systematic error occurred in the process, the
most accurate device became the foot rule
instead of the micrometer caliper (take note
that least count of the latter instrument is
lesser than the former), the goals of
familiarizing and comparing the accuracy of
the given measuring devices as well as the
0.70 determination of an objects density were
achieved.
6. Applications
1. Which among the three measuring
devices give you the least % error? Is
the accuracy of a measurement
affected by the least count of the
measuring device?
In the percentage error of the
diameter, the micrometer
calliper produced the least
value. The accuracy of a
measurement is indeed
affected by the count of
values attainable by the
measuring device because it
provides the extent the device
can read the most accurate
measurement of the object.
Since the micrometer calliper
possessed the most value for
measuring, it produced the
measurement with the least
amount of uncertainty.
In the percentage error of the
density, the foot ruler
produced the least value.
Although the device was
expected to have the most
unreliable result compared to
the two other measuring
devices, it was still able to
produce the least inaccurate
result for density. This result
may have been caused by the
usage and relationship of the
value of the mass to the value
of the diameter.
2. What do you mean by error? What
are the types of errors? What are the
error you encountered in this
experiment?
Error is defined by the
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
as an act that through
ignorance, deficiency, or
accident departs from or fails
to achieve what should be
done. [3]
There are two types of errors:
systematic errors and random
errors. Systematic errors are
consistent effects which
change the system or the
measurements made on the
system under study.
Systematic error affects the
accuracy (closeness to the
true value) of an experiment
but not the precision (the
repeatability of results). [4]
It is stated at the website,
physics.nmsu.edu, that
systematic errors may be of
four kinds: instrumental,
observational, environmental
and theoretical.[5]
Random errors are positive
and negative fluctuations that
cause about one-half of the
measurements to be too high
and one-half to be too low. [4]
Random error affects the
precision of an experiment,
and to a lesser extent its
accuracy. [5]
3. Sketch a) a vernier caliper that reads
5.08cm and b) a micrometer caliper
that reads 2.55cm.
Please refer to attached paper
for the sketches.
4. A student weigh himself using a
bathroom scale calibrated in
kilograms. He reported his weight in
pounds. What is the percentage error
in his reported weight if he used this
conversion: 1kg=2.2pounds? The
standard kilogram is equal to 2.2046
pounds.
error =|SVSVEV |100
error =|2.20462.2
2.2046 |
100
% error = (2.026546312 10-3)
100
% error = 0.208654631 %
% error = 0.21 %
5. In an experiment on determination of
mass of a sample, your group
consisting of 5 students obtained the
following results: 14.34g, 14.32g,
14.33g, 14.30g and 14.23g. Find the
mean, a.d. and A.D. Supposed that
your group is required to make only
four determinations for the mass of
the sample. If you are the leader of
the group, which data will you omit?
Recalculate the mean, a.d. and A.D.
without this data. Which results will
you prefer?
of values 14.34 g+ 14.32 g+14.33 g+
D= =
number of values 5
D=14.304 g
 deviation 1= DiD
deviation 1=14.3414.304
|SVSVEV |100=|a . d .A
error =
a .d .
.D .
| 100=|0.
deviation 1=0.036
error =55.28

deviation 2= DiD
When the value 14.23g is removed
deviation 2= 14.3214.304
deviation 2=0.016 D=
of values
number of values
14.34 g+14.32 g+14.33 g+14.30 g
deviation 3= DiD
4
deviation 3= 14.3314.304
deviation 3=0.026 D=14.3225 g

deviation 4= DiD deviation 1= DiD

deviation 4= 14.3014.304 deviation 1=14.3414.3225

deviation 4=0.004 deviation 1=0.0175

deviation 5= DiD deviation2= DiD

deviation 5= 14.2314.304 deviation 2= 14.3214.3225

deviation 5=0.074 deviation 2=0.0025

d deviation 3= DiD
a . d .=
n deviation 3= 14.3314.3225
0.036 +0.016+0.026+ 0.004+0.074 deviation 3=0.0075

5

a.d. = 0.0312 deviation 4= DiD

a.d .
A . D .= deviation 4= 14.3014.3225
n
0.0312 deviation 4=0.0225

5
A.D. = 0.013953064 a . d .=
d
n
 0.0175+ 0.0025+0.0075+0.0225
4 [http://www.lepla.org/en/mod
a.d. = 0.0125
a.d .
A . D .=
n Measurements, Uncertainties
0.0125
4
A.D. = 0.00625
error = |SVSVEV |100
| | 100
a . d . A . D .
a .d .
| |100
0.01250.00625
0.0125
error =50
We would prefer the latter result
which resulted to a 50% percentage error. It
is more accurate and acceptable than the
former results percentage error of 55.28%.
The lower the percentage error, the more
accurate the results are.
7. References
[1] Lepla Org. (nd). Errors and
Statistics: Instrument
Uncertainty and Least Count.
Retrieved from the World
Wide Web on December 4,
2012
ules/Activities/p04/p04-
error4.htm]
[2] Uregina. (nd). Experiment 109-1:
and Errors. Retrieved from
the World Wide Web on
December 4, 2012
[http://uregina.ca/~szymanss/
uglabs/p109/Experiments/109
-1Meas&Error08.pdf]
[3] Merriam - Webster. (2012). Error.
Retrieved from the World
Wide Web on December 4,
2012 [http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/error]
[4] O.S.U. (nd). Experimental Error.
Retrieved from the World
Wide Web on December 4,
2012
[http://chemistry.osu.edu/~co
e/research/documents/experi
mental_error_new2.pdf]
[5] N.M.S.U. (nd). Types of
Experimental Errors.
Retrieved from the World
Wide Web on December 4,
2012
[http://www.physics.nmsu.ed
u/research/lab110g/html/ERR
ORS.html]