Uncertainty
Sig Figs
Error Types
Measurement
Challenge
100

What is uncertainty? 

What is the range in which the true value likely lies?

100

How many significant figures are in 0.02040?

What is 4?

100

A student's measurments are very close to each other but far from the accepted value. What type of error does this represent? 

What is Systematic Error? 

100

A ruler has markings every 1 mm. What is the smallest division in cm and its uncertainty? 

What is 0.1 cm, uncertainty = +-0.05 cm?

100

Two groups measure the same object: 

Group A: 10.2 +- 0.1

Group B: 10.2 +- 0.5 

Which is more precise?

What is Group A 

200

How do you estimate uncertainty from an instrument? 

What is +- 1/2 of the smallest division?

200

What is 3.47689 rounded to 3 significant figures?

What is 3.48?

200

If repeated trials give values like 10.1, 10.5, 9.8, and 10.3, what type of error is dominating? 

What is Random error?

200

Write the correct measurement with uncertainty if a balance reads 25.6 g and measures to the nearest 0.1 g

What is 25.6 +- 0.05 g?

200

A measurement does not include the accepted valye within its uncertainty range. WHat does this suggets? 

What is possible systematic error or low accuracy? 

300

A ruler's smallest division is 0.2 cm. What is the uncertainty?

What is +- 0.1 cm?

300

A student records a measurment as 0.00560. How many significant figures are there, and why? 

What is 3 significant figures?

Leading zeros are not significant 

The digits 5, 6, and the trailing 0 after the decimal are significant

300

Explain why systematic error cannot be reduced by averaging multiple trials? 

Because it consistently shifts all values in the same direction

300

Why must uncertainty and measurment have matching decimal places? 

What is to correctly represent precision? 

300

Group A values: 9.9, 10.0, 10.1

Group B values: 8.5, 10.0, 11.5

Which group is more precise and why? 

What is Group A, and because the values are closer together?