LAB REPORT: ERROR ANALYSIS

PHY106 – Mechanics Lab

BS PHYSICS

Group B3

Section A

261858 – Muhammad Anas

252647 – Muhammad Basil Minhaj

245810 – Muhammad Haroon Umar

249845 – Muhammad Uzair

Submitted to:

Sir Malik Matti

School of Natural Sciences

National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad

24th September 2018

ERROR ANALYSIS 2

Abstract

Error analysis is the calculation of error in the measurement of a physical value. Error is the

difference between the expected theoretical value and the actual measured value. An error can

be either positive or negative. There were two experiments conducted in this error analysis.

Firstly, we calculated the value of acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendulum. Then,

we calculated the area of a rectangular piece of wood. The difference in the measured value

from the actual was then calculated statistically. The calculations were used to come to

conclusion regarding the importance of error analysis in physics’ experiments.

ERROR ANALYSIS 3

Theory

Error in a measurement is the difference between the actual value and the measured value

obtained through experimentation. Errors are primarily divided into two types, Random and

Systematic. Random errors are caused by external factors such as human error. Their exact

cause is often unknown. Random errors can be reduced by repeating the same experiment

several times and calculating an average. Systematic errors occur due to faulty apparatus. All

measurements are equally affected by a systematic error. This error cannot be reduced by

performing numerous experiments, instead the error is calculated and each measurement is

adjusted accordingly. For example, small fluctuations in the measurement of the boiling point

of water are random errors but, if all values show a fixed difference from the actual value then

it is a systematic error due to the faulty thermometer. Errors significantly reduce the reliability

of an experiment and it is important that they must be minimized. This leads to the need for

error analysis.

The calculation of the uncertainty in a measured value is called error analysis. The error in the

value is mentioned as the range in which the actual value may exist. For example (10 ± 0.1)

kg, this means that the mass of an object is 10kg with an uncertainty of 0.1kg. Error Analysis

helps us to assess the validity of the results obtained. Error analysis is crucial in physics because

it can prevent serious consequences in both reality and theoretical science.

Error analysis is used to ascertain the precision and accuracy of a measurement. Precision is

how close together all the measured values are. Accuracy is the closeness of the measured

values to the actual value. A good measurement must be accurate and precise. Error in an

experiment is analyzed using statistical methods, measuring the mean and standard deviation

of the values and calculating percentage error.

ERROR ANALYSIS 4

Procedure

The experiment was conducted in two parts. In the first part, we measured the time period of a

simple pendulum and its length in order to calculate the value of acceleration due to gravity

(g). In the second part, we measured the length and width of a rectangular piece of wood so

that we could calculate its area. Then, the uncertainties in both the calculations were found

using statistical methods.

Part 1: Error Analysis in the calculation of “g” using a Simple Pendulum

Apparatus: Stand, stopwatch, bob attached to a string, meter rod.

Firstly, the string with the bob attached was secured tightly onto the stand. Then the

length of the string was measured three times using the meter rod and the values were noted in

Table 1. The length was measured in centimeters and ‘g’ was calculated in (ms-2). Then the

bob was raised from mean position and left to oscillate for 10 oscillations which were timed

using the stopwatch. The times were also noted in the table. The bob was released from the

same height each time for accuracy. Then the time taken for 10 oscillations was divided by 10

in order to find the time period of oscillation for the pendulum. These values were also noted

in Table 1. Then the value of ‘g’ was calculated and noted in the table. The following formula

was used in the calculation.

4𝜋 2 𝑙
𝑔=
𝑇2

The mean values of length and time-period were calculated by using the following equations:

𝐿1 + 𝐿2 + 𝐿3
𝐿=
𝑁

𝑇1 + 𝑇2 + 𝑇3
𝑇=
𝑁
ERROR ANALYSIS 5

The errors in length (δL) and time (δT) of the pendulum were calculated by the following

equations:

𝛿𝐿 = (|𝑙𝑥 − 𝑙|)2

𝛿𝑇 = (|𝑇𝑥 − 𝑇|)2

Then, the Standard Deviation (σ) was calculated for both length and time by the following:

(𝛿𝐿 )2
𝜎𝐿 = √
𝑛−1

(𝛿𝑇 )2
𝜎𝑇 = √
𝑛−1

Then, the Standard Error in both is calculated by the following equations:

(𝜎𝐿 )2
(𝑆. 𝐸)𝐿 = √
𝑁

(𝜎𝑇 )2
(𝑆. 𝐸) 𝑇 = √
𝑁

Then the error in the calculation of ‘g’ was found using the following relations:

𝛿𝑔 4𝜋 2
= 2
𝛿𝐿 𝑇

𝛿𝑔 −8𝜋 2 𝑙
=
𝛿𝑇 𝑇3

Then the Standard Error in the value of ‘g’ was calculated using the following equation:

2 2
𝛿𝑔 𝛿𝑔
(𝑆. 𝐸)𝑔 = √( ) (𝑆. 𝐸𝑇 )2 + ( ) (𝑆. 𝐸𝐿 )2
𝛿𝑇 𝛿𝐿
ERROR ANALYSIS 6

Then the percentage error was also calculated as such:

(𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 − 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙) 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = 𝑥 100%
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

Part 2: Error Analysis in the calculation of Surface Area of a Block of Wood

Apparatus: Block of Wood, meter rod.

The length of the block of wood was measured in three different places and a mean was

calculated for minimal error in measurement. The width was also measured in three places and

a mean was calculated in this case as well. Both the measurements of length and width were

made in centimeters. The measurements were noted in Table 2. Then the surface area of the

wooden block was calculated by using the following formula:

𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = (𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ) (𝑊𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ)

Then the mean of length and width were calculated using the following formulae:

𝐿1 + 𝐿2 + 𝐿3
𝐿=
𝑁

𝑊1 + 𝑊2 + 𝑊3
𝑊=
𝑁

Then the errors (δ) in length and width were calculated using the following formulae:

𝛿𝐿 = (|𝑙𝑥 − 𝑙|)2

𝛿𝑊 = (|𝑊𝑥 − 𝑊|)2
ERROR ANALYSIS 7

Then the Standard Deviation (𝜎) of length and width were calculated by:

(𝛿𝐿 )2
𝜎𝐿 = √
𝑛−1

(𝛿𝑊 )2
𝜎𝑊 = √
𝑛−1

Then, the Standard Error in length and width were calculated by:

(𝜎𝐿 )2
(𝑆. 𝐸)𝐿 = √
𝑁

(𝜎𝑊 )2
(𝑆. 𝐸)𝑊 = √
𝑁

Then the error in Area was calculated using the following relations:

𝛿𝐴
= 𝑊
𝛿𝐿

𝛿𝐴
= 𝐿
𝛿𝑊

Then the Standard Error in Area was calculated using the following equation:

𝛿𝐴 2 𝛿𝐴 2
(𝑆. 𝐸)𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 √
= ( ) (𝑆. 𝐸𝐿 ) + ( ) (𝑆. 𝐸𝑊 )2
2
𝛿𝐿 𝛿𝑊

Lastly, the percentage error was also calculated

(𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 − 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙) 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = 𝑥 100%
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
ERROR ANALYSIS 8

Data Analysis

Part 1: Error Analysis in the calculation of “g” using a Simple Pendulum

Sr. No. Length/cm t10/s T/s g/ms-2

1 38.4 12.40 1.24 9.86

2 38.5 12.32 1.23 9.76

3 38.3 12.36 1.24 9.90

Table 1: Simple Pendulum

 Mean:

𝐿 = 𝟑𝟖. 𝟒 𝒄𝒎 𝑇 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟒𝒔

 Error (δ):

𝛿𝐿 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐 𝛿𝑇 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟏

 Standard Deviation (σ):

𝜎𝐿 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟒𝟏 𝜎𝑇 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟕

 Standard Error (S.E):

(𝑆. 𝐸)𝐿 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟖𝟏 (𝑆. 𝐸) 𝑇 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟒

 Error in ‘g’

𝛿𝑔 𝛿𝑔
= 𝟐𝟓. 𝟔𝟗 = 𝟏𝟓. 𝟗𝟏
𝛿𝐿 𝛿𝐿
ERROR ANALYSIS 9

 Standard Error in ‘g’ (S.E)g

(𝑆. 𝐸)𝑔 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟎𝟖𝟏

 Percentage Error:

(9.84 − 9.81)
% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = ( 𝑥 100%) = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟏%
9.81

 Therefore,

g = 9.84 ± 0.21 ms-2

Part 2: Error Analysis in the calculation of Surface Area of a Block of Wood

Sr. No. Length/cm Width/cm Area/cm2

1 92.0 31.6 2907.2

2 91.9 31.4 2885.7

3 92.1 31.5 2901.2

Mean 92.0 31.5 2898

Table 2: Area of Wooden Block

 Error (δ):

𝛿𝐿 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐 𝛿𝑊 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐

 Standard Deviation (σ):

𝜎𝐿 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟒𝟏 𝜎𝑊 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟒𝟏
ERROR ANALYSIS 10

 Standard Error (S.E):

(𝑆. 𝐸)𝐿 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟖𝟐 (𝑆. 𝐸)𝑊 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟖𝟐

 Error in Area:

𝛿𝐴 𝛿𝐴
= 𝟑𝟏. 𝟓 = 𝟗𝟐. 𝟎
𝛿𝐿 𝛿𝑊

 Standard Error in Area (S.E)A:

(𝑆. 𝐸)𝐴 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟗𝟕𝟒

 Percentage Error:

(0.7974)
% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = ( 𝑥 100%) = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝟕𝟓%
2898

 Therefore,

Area = 2898 ± 0.7974 cm2

ERROR ANALYSIS 11

Conclusion

The measurements made in the laboratory in both experiments contained errors. This means

that the values obtained were not exactly similar to the actual values. This proves the

importance of error analysis. By assessing the error in our measurements we can judge the

precision and accuracy of our work and avoid major faults in our work. The errors in the

experiments detailed previously were not significant, however, they were present. These errors

included parallax error in the measurement of length and human error when operating the

stopwatch. We cannot ignore errors in our experiments because that would reduce the accuracy

and credibility of our efforts. By analyzing the present errors in a measured or calculated value

we can ascertain a limit within which the actual value lies. Then we can improve the accuracy

of the apparatus for reducing random errors or to check for faults if the error is systematic.

Thus, we can improve our results and ensure their precision and accuracy.