CHAPTER ONE
Measurement Errors
Objectives:
• Explain the various types of errors that occur
in measurements.
• Explain and apply the following measurement
terms: Accuracy, Precision, Resolution.
• Determine the resultant error for various
calculations involving instrument and component
error combinations.
• Use basic statistical methods for analyzing
measurement error.
Ways of Expressing Errors
• The measurement errors are usually expressed
in two ways.
Absolute Errors
• Definition: it is the difference between the
measured value (Xm) and the true value (X).
ΔX = Xm-X
Ways of Expressing Errors
Relative Errors
• Definition: is the ratio between the
absolute error (ΔX) and the true value (X)
δX = ± ΔX /X
• Percentage Relative Errors
δX% = (± ΔX /X)x100
Illustrative Examples
1-The true value of a resistor is 500Ω. It is
measured using repeated experiments.
The result value is between 490 Ω and
510 Ω.
Calculate the absolute error, the relative
error, and the percentage relative error
of measurements.
Illustrative Examples
• Solution:
ΔR = Rm– R = 490 – 500 = -10Ω
ΔR = Rm– R = 510 – 500 = +10Ω
ΔR = ±10Ω
The relative error is
δR = ± ΔR /R
= ±10Ω/500Ω= ±0.02
The percentage relative error is:
δR% = (± ΔR /R) x100
=( ±10Ω/500Ω)x100
= ± 2%
Accuracy, Precision, Resolution,
and Significant Figures
• Accuracy: It is the closeness of the
individual results of repeated measurements
to its true value.
• Precision It is the closeness of the
individual results of repeated measurements
to some mean value.
Accuracy
• Accuracy = the extent to which a measured
value agrees with a standard value
– Accuracy of a device must be checked
– Does it read a proper accepted value?
• Beware of Parallax – the apparent shift in
position when viewed at a different angle.
Graduated Cylinder –
Meniscus and Parallax
Example: Accuracy
• Who is more accurate when measuring a book
that has a true length of 17.0 cm?
Susan:
17.0 cm, 16.0 cm, 18.0 cm, 15.0 cm
Amy:
15.5 cm, 15.0 cm, 15.2 cm, 15.3 cm
Precision
• Precision = the degree of exactness of a
measurement that is repeatedly recorded.
• Which set is more precise?
18.2 , 18.4 , 18.35
17.9 , 18.3 , 18.85
16.8 , 17.2 , 19.44
Example: Precision
Who is more precise when measuring the same
17.0 cm book?
Susan:
17.0 cm, 16.0 cm, 18.0 cm, 15.0 cm
Amy:
15.5 cm, 15.0 cm, 15.2 cm, 15.3 cm
Accuracy vs. Precision
High Accuracy High Precision
High Precision Low Accuracy
Can you hit the bull's-eye?
Three
targets with
three
arrows each
to shoot.
How do Both Precise Neither
accurate but not accurate
they
and accurate nor
compare?
precise precise
Can you define accuracy vs. precision?
Take experimental measurements for
example of precision and accuracy.
If you take the measurements of the mass of a
50.0 gram standard sample and get values of
47.5, 47.6, 47.5, and 47.7 grams, your scale is
precise, but not very accurate.
If your scale gives you values of 49.8, 50.5, 51.0,
49.6, it is more accurate than the first balance,
but not as precise. The more precise scale would
be better to use in the lab, providing you made
an adjustment for its error.
Conclusion
• The accuracy of the instrument
depends on the accuracy of its
internal components.
• Where as, its precision depends
on its scale division or the
number of its displayed digits.
Resolution
• It is defined as the smallest
change in the measured
quantity that can be observed.
Resolution Precision
Resolution
Illustrative Examples
Resolution of the potentiometer
whose total resistance =100 Ω and
its number of turns = 1000 ……is
equal to the resistance of one turn
which is 100/1000 = 0.1 Ω,
Because the resistance of one turn is
its minimum adjustable resistance.
Illustrative Examples
• The resolution of the instruments is the same as
its precision. For example the resolution of the
voltmeter shown in
Fig. 2-1a = ±1 mV
and that of the voltmeter shown in
Fig. 2-1b = ±200 mV
Classifications of
Measurement Errors
• The Measurement Errors are
classified into three main categories:
• Gross errors, Random errors, and
Systematic errors
Gross Errors
• These errors are happened due to fatigue
and/or carelessness of the operators.
They are sometimes called human errors.
• They are non-determinant errors
(can't be calculated or estimated)
Examples of These Errors
❑ Incorrect reading of instrument.
❑ Incorrect recording of experimental data.
❑ Incorrect use of instruments “reading on a
wrong scale of the multi-scale instruments”
These errors can be minimized by being
careful when doing the experiments
Random Errors
• These errors are happened due to the
unexpected changes of the environments
such as:
– Changing of the mains power supply voltage
or frequency,
– Changing of the ambient temperature, aging
of the instruments,…………etc.
Random Errors
• These errors are not determinate.
• It can be minimized by repeating the
experiment many times and taking
the average value of its results as the
final result.
Systematic Errors
• They are produce due to the used system
of measurement.
• These errors are determinate
(Their values can be calculated).
• They are classified into:
1- Connection Errors
2- Instrumental Errors
1-Connection Errors
• It happened due to ignoring some
essential quantities during
measurements.
• It depends on the chosen connection
diagram.
