MATH & NATURAL SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT PHY 111 - LAB

I

Experiment # 1

Uncertainty in Measurements

Date: 9 / 12 / 2023 Sec: 10 Group: 2

Name ID
1 Fares Masarani 2023005970
2 Jaden Jude
3 Moh’d Abu Saada
4 Hussein
5 Abdelrahman Fathy
6 Yousef Abdelrashid

Breakdown of Marks for the lab

Objective of Evaluation Max. marks Marks obtained

1 Expt /Data Collection 20

2 Analysis/Graphs/Calculations 18

3 Conclusion 6

4 Laboratory assignment(Questions) 6

Total 50
Objectives:

• Learn how to take measurements properly.

• Learn how to find experimental uncertainties in your measurements.
• Learn how to write down your measurements correctly with their uncertainties.
• Learn the difference between precision and accuracy.

Introduction:

Any experimental measurement or result has an uncertainty associated with it. In today’s lab, you will
perform a set of very simple measurements. You will have to estimate the random uncertainty associated
with each of them. As a rule of thumb, the precision of your measuring device (for example a ruler) is always
a very good starting value for your uncertainty. Furthermore, you will be asked to perform some calculations
using the values you just measured. The results of those calculations will also have an uncertainty associated
with them. To obtain those values you will have to follow a set of rules. They are explained below in this
report.
Finally, you will collect a set of 6-8 measurements of the same quantity with your partner and will calculate
their average and uncertainties. That result also has an uncertainty associated with it and you will calculate
the error in precision and accuracy.

I. Rules of calculating errors-uncertainties

Uncertainty:
Measurements always have uncertainties. Uncertainty means error (it indicates to max. difference between
the measured value and the true value). Using a device to measure something, usually have a small error
depends on the limitation of the measuring technique or the device itself.

For example, to measure a thickness of a book using a ruler which has a precision of 0.1 means we add and
subtract that precision at the end of the measurement. So if the book has a thickness of 3.0 cm then it should
be written as 3.0  0.1 which gives the book should be between 2.9 and 3.1 cm.
However, if we are using a micrometer, which has a precision of 0.01 mm, then the book should be between
3.01 and 2.99. The measurements using micrometer caliper has a smaller uncertainty (more precise
measurement).

Accuracy of a measured value (how close to the true value) is written as 2.91  0.01, where 0.01 is the uncertainty.
For this measurement 2.91, Percentage error in precision = 0.01 100%  0.34%
2.91
If a measurement is given as 56.47  0.02. Percentage error = 0.02
100%  0.04%
56.47
5
If a measurement is given as 47  5 Percentage error = 100%  10%
47

Having the speed of light = 2.98 x 1010 cm/sec and 3.04 x1010 cm/sec, could be written as
c  3.01  0.031010 cm / sec .
Theory:

The density (symbolized the by the Greek letter,  ) of an object is defined as the mass divided by the
volume:
m
  s.............................................................. (1)
s
vs
The volume of a Sphere is dependent on its radius, r, or its diameter, d:
4 1
v   r3   d 3................................. (2)
s
3 6
 6ms .......................................... (4)
ms 

vs  d
s 3

The Volume of a Cylinder is: V= π r2 h, where r is the radius and h is the height and it can also be written as:

𝑉= 𝜋 𝑑 2× ℎ where d is the diameter and h is the height

4

Materials:

 Metric ruler
 Vernier Caliper
 Micrometer Caliper
 Steel sphere
 Metal cylinder

Procedure:

Part 1: before you come to class:

Watch these videos on how to use the Vernier and the Micrometer calipers and be prepared to work
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkPlzmalvN4
b. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StBc56ZifMs

Part 2:

A. Measuring the diameter of the sphere

1. Collect your materials (ruler, Vernier, micrometer, sphere,…etc)

2. Measure the mass of the sphere using the digital scale. Record the data
3. Measure the diameter of the sphere using the ruler (3 times)
4. Measure the diameter of the sphere using the micrometer (3 times)
5. Record in table 1
 Data and Calculations

A. Material/Color/Size of Sphere: Brown Wooden Ball Mass of the sphere = 4.7

Table 1:
D1 (mm) D2 (mm) D3 (mm) Average D
Ruler 22.0 24.325 24.325 22.9
Caliper
Micrometer 20.59 24.67 24.2 23.2

1. Calculate the percentage error in uncertainty for both averages.

Ruler: Micrometer
%e = (0.5/22.9) *100 %e = (0.01/23.2)*100
= 2.183% = 0.043%

2. Use the digital scale to measure the mass of the sphere. What is the uncertainty error of the mass?
Mass of sphere = 4.7
Uncertainty error = 0%

3. Calculate the volume of the sphere in cm3 for both

averages Ruler: Volume of a sphere: (4/3) (pi) (2.29)3
Caliper
= 50.3 m3

Micrometer: Volume of a sphere = (4/3) (pi) (2.32)3

= 52.3 m3

4. Calculate the density of the sphere for both readings.

Ruler: D = m / v
Caliper
= 4.7 g / 50.3cm
= 4.7 g / 0.503 m
= 9.34 g / m3

Micrometer: D = m /v
= 4.7 g / 0.52m
= 9.04 g / m3

5. Calculate the relative uncertainty for the density using micrometer calculations.
uncertainty d / d = uncertainty m / m + uncertainty v / v
uncertainty d= (uncertainty m / m) + 3(uncertainty diameter / diameter) * density
uncertainty d = (0.00 / 4.7) + 3(0.01 / 22.9) * 9.34
= 0.01
 B. Measuring the diameter and the height of the cylinder using the Vernier caliper
1. Use the balance beam to measure the mass of the cylinder.
2. Use the Vernier caliper to measure the diameter and the height of the cylinder.
3. Repeat the process 6-8 times for each and record in table.

Data & Calculations:

B. Make/Color/ Size of cylinder: Silicon Mass of the cylinder (use the Balance Beam): 21.3g

Uncertainty in mass: 0.00

Table 2:
N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Average
D (cm) 6.32 6.32 6.315 6.321 6.322 6.32 6.32 6.29 6.3
H (cm) 2.15 2.16 2.15 2.14 2.12 2.16 2.14 2.2 2.2
1. Use Excel to find the average values for the Diameter (D) and the height (H)

2. Find the Uncertainty for both D & H (Paste your data below)

Uncertainty for D: 0.011

Uncertainty for H: 0.023

3. Calculate the Volume of the cylinder (use the average values) d = r / 2

V= π r2 h
V = π (6.316 / 2)2 (2.1525)
V = 67.44 cubic units
4. Calculate the relative uncertainty for the volume.

δv δh
=2 ¿) + ( ¿
v h

δh
δv=¿v(2¿) + ( ¿)
h

¿ 67.44 ¿

= 0.938
5. Calculate the density of the cylinder.

Density = Mass / Volume

Density = 21.3 / 67.44
Density = 0.316 g / cm3

6. Calculate the uncertainty in the density measurement.

√ ∑ ( xi−x (avg) )
2

0.316 ± 0.017

7. Calculate the % e in precision for the density.

(Estimated Value / True Value) * 100
(0.316 / 2.33) * 100
= 13.56
= 14%
Lab assignment:

1. Convert your Density results in part A to Kg/m3 for both results. Mass = 4.7g
Density = Mass / Volume
Volume = (4/3) (pi) (d/2)3

Density Caliper = 4.7 / (4/3) (pi) (2.29/2)3

Density Caliper = 0.747 g / cm3

Density Micrometer = 4.7 / (4/3) (pi) (2.32)3

Density Micrometer = 0.719 g / cm3

2. Use the internet to find the real density for the sphere used in part A. Calculate the %e in your accuracy for
both results. What do you conclude from these errors?

Internet density of wood: 0.6

0 .6 – 0.747
%e caliper = * 100
0.6
= 25%

0.6 – 0.719
%e micrometer = ∗100
0.6
= 20%
3. Use the internet to find the closest density to your result in part B (Cylinder) and write down what metal do you
think it is. Calculate the % e of your value.

Density of Silicon, according to the internet: 2.33 g / cm3

(2.33−0.316)
%e density of cylinder = ∗100
2.33

= 86.4%
Conclusion:
This experiment was made with the goal to measure and calculate the density, volume, height, and diameter of
objects. Namely, a wooden ball and a silicon cylinder. The measurements were taken using tools like rulers, vernier
calipers, micrometer, and a balance beam.
However, there were many errors in this experiment, human errors when writing down the measurements, systematic
errors when certain equipment with zero errors.
We made the mistake of not calculating the zero errors of certain equipment when we wrote down the measurements
of the cylinder and sphere, which caused our final answers to be slightly inaccurate.
Notably, the greatest mistake we made was with the density of the cylinder, where we got a %e of ~85%.
This error can be traced back to incorrectly using the balance beam, which gave us incorrect values for mass, which
later down caused incorrect values for density.
For future experiments, we should be more careful when handling the tools to ensure that the values we extracted are
correct, consistent, and accurate.