Physics 111 Lab Exam 1 ACTUAL UPDATED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Error that cannot be fixed or controlled. Define random error and give an example
Eyeballing liquid measurements
Error that can be fixed mathematically. Usually occurs Define systematic error and give an example
because a person did something wrong in the
experiment or calculations.
Measuring in grams when it needed to be milligrams
How close to the correct answer the results are. Define accuracy and explain the dependence of it on various types of errors
Determined by systematic error
How close the results are to each other, how Define precision and explain the dependence of it on various types of errors
reproducible the results are.
Determined by random error
Precision. Measure one digit past the least count What determines how many figures are significant in reported measurement
values?
, y=3t^2 + 4 How could the function y=3t^2 + 4 be plotted on a Cartesian graph to produce a
y=mx + b, straight line? What would the numerical values of the slope and intercept of the
m=3 line be?
b=4
absolute difference / accepted value What is the fractional error formula?
|E-A| / A
( absolute difference / accepted value ) x 100 What is the percent error formula?
(|E-A| / A) x 100
( absolute difference / average ) x 100 What is the percent difference formula?
( |E2-E1|/ [(E2+E1)/2] ) x 100
1.6 x 10^2 cm^3 What is the volume of a block that has the dimensions 11.2cm x 3.4cm x 4.10cm? Be
sure to include sigfigs.
3.15 In an experiment to determine the value of pi, a cylinder is measured to have an
average value of 4.25cm for its diameter and an average value of 13.39cm for its
circumference. What is the experimental value of pi to the correct number of
sigfigs?
Fractional error: 0.0027 If the accepted value of pi is 3.1416, what are the fractional error and the percent
Percent error: 0.27% error of the experimental value 3.15?
2.4 m/s^2 Find the percent difference of the two values 9.96 m/s^2 and 9.72 m/s^2.
0.3 m/s^2 Find the percent error of mean of the two values 9.96 m/s^2 and 9.72 m/s^2.
Good accuracy, Poor precision What are the accuracy and precision of this?
Percent error gives an indication of accuracy because it Does percent error give indications of accuracy or precision? Why?
tells how far the experimental value is from the accepted
value
Error that cannot be fixed or controlled. Define random error and give an example
Eyeballing liquid measurements
Error that can be fixed mathematically. Usually occurs Define systematic error and give an example
because a person did something wrong in the
experiment or calculations.
Measuring in grams when it needed to be milligrams
How close to the correct answer the results are. Define accuracy and explain the dependence of it on various types of errors
Determined by systematic error
How close the results are to each other, how Define precision and explain the dependence of it on various types of errors
reproducible the results are.
Determined by random error
Precision. Measure one digit past the least count What determines how many figures are significant in reported measurement
values?
, y=3t^2 + 4 How could the function y=3t^2 + 4 be plotted on a Cartesian graph to produce a
y=mx + b, straight line? What would the numerical values of the slope and intercept of the
m=3 line be?
b=4
absolute difference / accepted value What is the fractional error formula?
|E-A| / A
( absolute difference / accepted value ) x 100 What is the percent error formula?
(|E-A| / A) x 100
( absolute difference / average ) x 100 What is the percent difference formula?
( |E2-E1|/ [(E2+E1)/2] ) x 100
1.6 x 10^2 cm^3 What is the volume of a block that has the dimensions 11.2cm x 3.4cm x 4.10cm? Be
sure to include sigfigs.
3.15 In an experiment to determine the value of pi, a cylinder is measured to have an
average value of 4.25cm for its diameter and an average value of 13.39cm for its
circumference. What is the experimental value of pi to the correct number of
sigfigs?
Fractional error: 0.0027 If the accepted value of pi is 3.1416, what are the fractional error and the percent
Percent error: 0.27% error of the experimental value 3.15?
2.4 m/s^2 Find the percent difference of the two values 9.96 m/s^2 and 9.72 m/s^2.
0.3 m/s^2 Find the percent error of mean of the two values 9.96 m/s^2 and 9.72 m/s^2.
Good accuracy, Poor precision What are the accuracy and precision of this?
Percent error gives an indication of accuracy because it Does percent error give indications of accuracy or precision? Why?
tells how far the experimental value is from the accepted
value
