Topic 01: Working as a Physicist

Question 1

Accuracy

Answer 1

How close a measurement is to its true value, influenced by the systematic and random errors of that measurement

Question 2

Base units

Answer 2

The set of seven basic measures from which all other SI units can be derived

Question 3

Estimation

Answer 3

Making a reasonable approximation of a value in order to check a calculation or make a quick comparison to another value

Question 4

Precision

Answer 4

How close a set of repeated measurements are to one another, but not the true value. Influenced by the random errors of those measurements

Question 5

Random error

Answer 5

The unpredictable variation in a measurement. These can be reduced by taking many repeated measurements and calculating their mean

Question 6

Repeatability

Answer 6

An experiment is said to be repeatable if the same person with the same equipment obtains the same result when doing the same experiment a number of times, over a short time period

Question 7

Reproducibility

Answer 7

An experiment is said to be reproducible if different people with different equipment, measuring the same quantity, get a similar result

Question 8

Resolution

Answer 8

The smallest interval that a given measuring device can measure

Question 9

Systematic error

Answer 9

A consistent shift in readings causing a deviation from the true value. This shift is due to the equipment or method being used and cannot be reduced by repeated measurements

Question 10

Uncertainty

Answer 10

The range of values that could reasonably contain the true value of a measurement, based on the confidence an experimenter has about their result