Chapter 1: Measurements Flashcards
What is the SI unit of thermodynamic temperature?
Kelvin (K)
What is systematic error?
An error that occurs according to a fixed rule or pattern such that there is a consistent overestimation or underestimation of the true value
What is random error?
An error that occurs without a fixed pattern such that there is an equally likely chance of a set of measurements being greater or lesser than the true value
(it cannot be eliminated, but can be reduced by taking average)
What is accuracy?
How closely a measured value agrees with the ‘true’ value
What is precision?
How closely individual measurements agree with each other, without reference to any ‘true’ value
What s.f./d.p. is absolute uncertainty rounded off to?
1 s.f.
What is the fractional uncertainty of Z = X^n?
(ΔZ / Z) = |n|(ΔX / X)
(take note of modulus)
What is the fractional uncertainty of a trigonometric function?
ΔZ = Z - Zmin or Zmax - Z
(take whichever value is larger)
What is a scalar quantity?
A quantity which has magnitude only
What is a vector quantity?
A quantity that has both magnitude and direction
Base unit
it is one of seven base units of the SI system whose magnitude is defined without referring to any other units
Derived units
Derived units are those that are obtained by product or quotient of base units
