Accuracy, Precision and Uncertainty Accuracy and Precision: To be accurate means that you are very close to the

actual value. Example: If the actual value of the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 ms-2, and you get results in the lab like: 9.7, 9.9, 9.8, 9.8, 9.7, 9.9, 9.8 Then you are very accurate To be precise means that you get the same result time and time again without much difference. Example: If the actual value of acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 ms-2, and you get results in the lab like: 2.7, 2.7, 2.7, 2.6, 2.7, 2.7, 2.6, 2.7, 2.7 Then you are very precise, but not accurate. You should be able to recognize on a test when some data is: 1. accurate and precise. (which is of course the best you can be) 2. Not accurate, but very precise. (which does you no good. Like my second example of 2.7, 2.7, 2.7.) 3. accurate but Not precise. (which is like my first example of 9.7, 9.9) 4. Not accurate and Not precise. (which is way off, of course) Uncertainty: Whenever you measure something, there is a degree of uncertainty in the measurement. For example, if you measure your height with a ruler, it is difficult to tell exactly where the top of your head ends. So, we add a degree of uncertainty. Here are some general rules to follow: 1. When using a stopwatch, the degree of uncertainty is always 0.1seconds. So, if you time some event and find it to be 3.2 seconds long, you would write it as 3.2 0.1 sec. 2. When measuring with a ruler, the degree of uncertainty is (the lines of the smallest amount you can read). For example, if you use a ruler which has millimeter marks and you measure something to be 5.6 centimeters, it will be 5.6 0.1 cm. (that's because a millimeter is equal to 0.1 cm) 3. 0.1 is known as the mean uncertainty. 5.6 0.1 cm is called absolute uncertainty. 4. NOTICE that the value is always in the place of the last significant digit of the measurement. You would never write 5 0.1 cm. But, you could write 5 1 cm. The mean uncertainty MUST be in the same decimal place as the last number in the measurement. 5. If you have a measuring device that has BIG spaces between the lines (and this is open to your interpretation if they are big spaces or not, there is no hard and fast rule about this), then you would have a degree of uncertainty which would be HALF the smallest division. For example, If you use a ruler which has millimeter marks and you are able to see that the thing you are measuring falls somewhere between two of the marks, you might record its length as: 5.65 cm because you think it is half-way between 5.6 cm and 5.7 cm. If this is the case, then you would multiply 0.5 by the smallest divisions on the ruler (which are millimeters or 0.1 cm). This would give you a mean uncertainty of (0.5 x 0.1 cm) = 0.05 cm And it would give you an absolute uncertainty of 5.65 0.05 cm

So, how do you know if it has "big" spaces or not?: Say you measure a fuzzy tennis ball with a ruler. You might not be able to clearly see where it lands between two of the millimeter lines. Therefore, you would error on the side of caution and write 5.6 0.1 cm. But something like a pencil with a fine tip might be easier to see where it lands between the millimeter lines and you might write 5.65 0.05 cm. Just use your best judgment. This is a rule with a lot of flexibility. 6. How do you find the mean uncertainty and the absolute uncertainty of a series of numbers you obtained during data collection? For example: Let's say you measured gravity six times and found the following SIX values: 9.643 ms-2, 9.752 ms-2, 9.981 ms-2, 9.808 ms-2, 9.785 ms-2, 9.732 ms-2 You could find the average value for gravity (g) by adding them all up and dividing by SIX because there are 6 values there. If you did this, you'd find the average value for gravity is 9.784 ms-2 (try it, make sure my math is correct). These values lie within a range of values. To find the range of values, simply subtract the largest value by the smallest value. All other values will fall within that range. The smaller the range, the greater the precision. (9.981ms-2-9.643ms-2) = 0.338 ms-2 To find the mean uncertainty, simply subtract the largest value from the smallest value and divide by the number of values you have total (which is 6) (9.981ms-2-9.643ms-2)/6 = 0.056 ms-2 So, the absolute uncertainty would be 9.784 0.056 ms-2 or, you could round it to 9.78 0.06 ms-2 Rules about Uncertainty measurements and Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying and Dividing: Just like significant digits, there are rules about adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing with Uncertainty measurements. The basic rules are these: 1. When adding or subtracting two values, you need to add together their mean uncertainties. Doesn't matter if you're adding or subtracting, you ADD the mean uncertainties together! Example of addition: (5.2 0.1 cm + 4.5 0.2 cm) = 9.7 0.3 cm Example of subtraction: (5.2 0.1 cm - 4.5 0.2 cm) = 0.7 0.3 cm 2. When multiplying or dividing two values, you need to add together the PERCENT of their mean uncertainties. How do you find the PERCENT of mean uncertainty? Simply divide the mean uncertainty by the value and multiply by 100 Example: The PERCENT of mean uncertainty for 5.2 0.1 cm is: (0.1/5.2) x100 = 1.9% Example: The PERCENT of mean uncertainty for 4.5 0.2 cm is: (0.2/4.5) x 100 = 4.4 %

So, if you multiply the following together: (5.2 0.1 cm x 4.5 0.2 cm) You should get: 23.4 (1.9% + 4.4%) = 23.4 6.3 cm If you divided (5.2 0.1 cm / 4.5 0.2 cm), you'd get: 1.2 6.3 cm. 3. Sometimes, to make it easier, I'll just give you the PERCENTS of the mean uncertainties and so all you have to do is add them up. For example: The percentage uncertainty in a mass measurement is 3% and the percentage uncertainty in and acceleration measurement is 5%. What is the mean percent of uncertainty of a force? (remember that Force = mass x acceleration. So, since you are multiplying two numbers together, you simply add their PERCENTS of mean uncertainty to get 8%). 4. If a value is squared or cubed, you must first multiply its mean uncertainty by 2 (if squared) or 3 if cubed. For example: The formula for Kinetic Energy is 1/2 mv2. Let's assume the percentage uncertainty for the mass value is 4% and the percentage uncertainty for the velocity value is 3%. What would be the percentage uncertainty for the Kinetic Energy? First, you need to multiply the 3% by 2 because velocity is a squared value. Then you need to add 6% (which is 3% x 2) to 4% Your answer would be 10% NOTE: The 1/2 in the beginning of the Kinetic Energy formula has NOTHING to do with the uncertainty. DO NOT MULTIPLY by your answer!!!!!! You are only concerned with the variables in the formula, not any multiplying factor!