Unit 11 Measurement and data Processing

Learning outcomes:
11.1 Uncertainty and data error in measurement
- Describe random uncertainties and systematic errors
- Distinguish between precision and accuracy
- Describe how effects of Random uncertainties can be reduced
- State random uncertainties as an uncertainty range

11.2 Uncertainty in Calculate results

- State uncertainties as an absolute and a percentage uncertainty
- Determine the uncertainties in results

11.3 Graphical Techniques

- Sketch graphs to represent dependences and interpret
graph behavior
- Construct graphs from experimental data
- Draw best fit lines through data points on a graph
- Determine the values of physical quantities from graphs

11.1 Uncertainty and error in measurements

* Uncertainty in analogue instruments :
Depends on the scale of the apparatus:
Uncertainty is half the smallest division
Example 1 :
Measuring Length with meter: smallest scale is 1 mm
so uncertainty is 0.5 mm
length of a marker is 12.6 cm uncertainty is 0.5mm
Indicating the length of the marker could be 12.65 cm or 12.55
Example 2 :
Measuring volume liquid in a cylinder: smallest scale is 2 ml
so uncertainty is 1 ml.
Measured volume is 34.4 ml uncertainty is 1 ml
so value can be 34.5 ml or 34.3 ml

Example 3 :
Measuring temperature with thermometer: smallest scale is 0.1 c
So uncertainty is 0.05 c
Measured temperature of a piece of metal is 83.3c
Value temperature can be 83.35 c or 83.25c
* Uncertainty in digital instruments:
Uncertainty is the smallest scale division (smallest digit)
Example 1 :
Measuring a mass with a digital weigh scale
smallest measurement is 0.1 g so uncertainty is 0.1 g
A measurement of a sample is 23.3 g
so the value can be 23.2or 23.4g g

Question
A sample is measured on an analogue weigh scale and a digital
weigh scale the value is 35.5 g , what will be the uncertainty and the
expected values ?
Answer:
Analogue weigh scale uncertainty is 0.05 g
Digital weigh scale uncertainty is 0.1 g
Analogue expected values between 35.55 and 35.45 g
Digital expected values between 35.6 and 35.4 g
The analogue weigh scale has a lower uncertainty !!
Other sources of uncertainty:
Time measurement of a chemical process (reaction time )
Voltage electrochemical cell

* Experimental errors (two types) :

1 Random errors (approximating a reading)
- Readability of measurement instrument
- Effects of changing surrounding
(air currents change of temperature)
- Insufficient data
- Observer misinterpreting data
Random errors can be reduced by repeated measurement !!
2 systematic errors (poor design or procedure, human error)
- Reading wrong meniscus height volume liquid in cylinder
- Overshooting volume in titration
- Heat losses in exothermic reactions
systematic errors cannot be reduced by repeated measurement !!

Accuracy and Precision of Measurements

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NotAccurate
Accurate
Not
Accurate

Precise
Not
Precise
Precise

Examples of readings (accuracy and precision)

Measurement of

Data

Value volume liquid 55.3ml, 69.4 ml, 56.8

= 67.5 ml
ml, 63.7 ml, 66.5 ml
Mass of a sample
of NaOH = 7.67 g

8.32 g, 8.34 g, 8.35 g,

8.31 g, 8.33g, 8.36 g

Value temperature
of water = 24.5 c

24.8 c, 23.8 c,
25.1c, 24.0 c, 24.9
c, 24.1 c

PH value of a liquid 7.82, 7.85, 7.84, 7.81,

= 7.83
7.83, 7.82, 7.84

Accurate
No data far
away from real
value
No data far
away from real
value
Yes data close to
real value

Precise
No repeated data far
away from each other
Yes repeated data
close to each other
No repeated data
far away from each
other

Yes data close to real Yes repeated data

value
close to each other

11.2 Uncertainty in Calculated results

* Percentage uncertainties and errors
The accuracy of a measurement is given by the percent error
% Error =

Measured Value - Accepted Value

x 100

Accepted Value

Example
An object is known to weigh 25.0 grams. You weight the object
as 26.2 grams. What is the accuracy of your measurement?
26.2 g 25.0 g
% Error =

25.0 g

x 100 = 4.8 %

* Propagation of uncertainties
1 Adding and subtraction
When adding or subtracting measurements, the uncertainty is
the sum of the absolute uncertainties !
Example
Consider two burette readings to find volume difference
Initial reading 15.05 cm3 0.05 cm3 (15.00-15.10 cm3)
Final reading 37.20 cm3 0.05 cm3 (37.15-37.25 cm3)

V max = 37.25 15.00 = 22.25 cm3

V min = 37.15 15.10 = 22.05 cm3
Therefore Volume = 22.150.1cm3
Error % = 0.1/22.15 100% = 0.45%

Now you !
Consider two burette readings to find volume difference
Initial reading 12.3 cm3 0.5 cm3
Final reading 39.2 cm3 0.5 cm3
Find the absolute error and error % of the reading
Answer

V max = 39.7 11.8 = 72.9 cm3

V min = 38.7 12.8 = 25.9 cm3
Therefore Volume = 26.91cm3
Error % = 1/26.9 100% = 3.72%

1 Multiplication and division (formulas)

General formula:

Wherein X is the absolute uncertainty

When Multiplying or dividing measurements, the total
uncertainty % is the sum individual % uncertainties !
The absolute uncertainty can then be calculated from
uncertainty %
We can calculate the Absolute uncertainty and Uncertainty in
two ways

Example
The value uncertainty of density from mass and Volume
Measured values: Mass : 24.0 0.5g Volume: 2.0 0.1 cm3
Method 1
% uncertainty Mass = (0.5/24.0) 100 % = 2%
% uncertainty Volume = (0.1/2.0) 100 % = 5%
Density = Mass/Volume D = 12.00 gcm-3
% uncertainty D = 2% + 5 % = 7 %
Method 2
Max value D = 24.5/1.9 = 12.89
Min Value D = 23.5/2.1 = 11.19
Absolute uncertainty = 12.89- 12.00 = 0.89 gcm-3
%
D = (0.89/12) 100% = 7.4 % (value in 2 s.f ) answer: 7%

Method 3 (with use of the formula)

D/D = M/M + V/V

D/12 = 0.5/24.0 + 0.1/2.0 D = 0.85
% uncertainty D = 7.08 % 7%
Now you !
Find the value of the volume, uncertainty and % uncertainty from
following measurements : L = 3.40 0.05 m, W = 1.70 0.05m, H =
0.75 0.05m

Answer:
Value

Percentage uncertainty

Methods calculation Volume uncertainty and

% uncertainty

L = 3.40
0.05 m

(0.05/3.40) 100 %
=1.4%

[1] : %uncertainty V = % L + % W + %
H = 1.4% + 2.9% + 6.7 % = 11%

W = 1.70
0.05m

(0.05/1.70) 100 %
=2.9%

[2]Max value V =4.83 Min Value = 3.59 :

absolute uncertainty = 0.49, % UncertaintyV =
0.49/4.34 = 11.3% 11%
[3] V/V = L/L + W/W + H/H
V/4.34 = 0.05/3.40 +0.05/1.70 + 0.05/0.75
V = 0.111 absolute % uncertqinty V = 11%

H = 0.75
0.05m

(0.05/0.75) 100 %
=6.7%

V = 4.34 0.49 Percentage Uncertainty = 11%

11.3 Graphical techniques

* Plotting graphs
- Give the graph a title
- Label the axis with both quantities and units
- Use available space as effectively as possible
(minimum 50% of graph paper)
- use linear scale (no uneven jumps)
- Plot all points correct, the line of best fit should be smoothly
(not from point to point)
Example graphs

Finding gradient and intercept

For a straight line y= Mx + C, x is the independent variable,

m is the gradient.
To find gradient use triangle method (has to cover min 50 % of graph)
In this example x = 50/5 = 10 cmin-1
C = intercept is 50 c

Other use of graph techniques will be discussed in

Unit 6 kinetics (rate of reaction etc)