Uncertainty

Question 1

What is uncertainty?

Answer 1

The amount of error your measurements might have. The results you get from an experiment won’t be completely perfect - there’ll always be a degree of uncertainty in your measurements due to limits in the sensitivity of the apparatus

Question 2

What is the uncertainty value of a piece of measuring equipment

Answer 2

+/ - half the value of the smallest unit of precision

Eg a 30cm ruler - smallest unit is 1mm so the uncertainty would be +/- 0.5mm

Question 3

What do you do if you’re combining measurements?

Answer 3

Combine there uncertainties

Question 4

How can you calculate percentage error?

Answer 4