APPLIED PHYSICS LAB

Lab Report 01

ERROR ANALYSIS
NUST INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

SUBMITTED TO:
MUHAMMAD DAUD
TOOBA BIBI

Session: 2021 Date: 28 November 2021 Section: C Group: J

SUBMITTED BY:
Sr Name Registration no
no
1 Saad Mehmood Abbasi 367780
2 Hammad Mehmood 366969
3 Sikander Hayat khan 371491
4 Suleman khan 384541
5 Ahmad Shahab 391887
 EXPERIMENT NO 1

(A)

TITLE: Error analysis in calculation of area and perimeter

ABSTRACT:

There is always lies error in experiments , measurements are never perfect and have some sort of
limitations . Thus to avoid errors in experiment multiple readings are taken . Mean value is also
taken, standard error was calculated in each case. Uncertainty in the value of areas and perimeter
were also calculated

THEORY:

Area of table can be found with the help of readings of length and width obtained with a meter
rule which has a least count of 0.1m . The area can be calculated using the formula

Area = length x width

Similarly perimeter can be found by the formula

Perimeter = 2(length + width)

All physical quantities are uncertain to some extent.

The error may occur due to:

1) Negligence or inexperience of a person

2) The faulty apparatus
3) Inappropriate method or technique

The uncertainty is also usually described as an error in a measurement. There are two major
types of an error

1) Random error
 2) Systematic error

Random error is said to occur when repeated measurements of the quantity give different
values under same condition . Systematic errors are errors that are not determined by chance
but are introduced by an accuracy.

Mean is the average of the given set of data

Mean =
∑ of terms
no of terms

Variance is the sum of square of difference between all number and mean

n
2
Variance=∑ (X i − X́ )
i=1

Standard deviation is a quantity expressing how much the member of group differ from the
other member of the group

n
2
Standard deviation (σ)=√ ∑ (X i − X́ )
i=1

Uncertainty can be calculated by the formula

σ
Unceratainty(δ)=
√N

In case of addition and subtraction the uncertainties are added

If Z= A+B and A has uncertainty δA and B has uncertainty δB then Z has an uncertainty

δZ = √(δa )2+δb ¿ ¿2

If Z= AxB or Z= A/B then uncertainty in Z can be calculated by the formula

δa 2 δb 2
δZ
Z
=
√( a )( )
+
b

APPARATUS:
The apparatus used were the following

 Table
  Meter rule

PROCEDURE:
In this experiment by using the meter rule we find the length and width of a table and noted our
observations we did this five times . By using data we find perimeter and area and through
formulas we calculate mean value and error

Observation and Calculations:

Width of plank=a
length of plank=b
Now observing 5 times we have the following results
sr no. 1 2 3 4 5
a 31cm 30.9cm 31.2cm 31.1cm 31cm
b 91.9cm 92.2cm 92cm 92cm 92.1cm
a + a + a + a +a
Mean value of a=a= 1 2 3 4 5 =31.04cm
5
b1 +b2 +b 3+ b4 + b5
Mean value of b=b́= =92.04cm
5
Now finding perimeter of the plank=P=2(á+ b́)=246.16cm
Also ,area of the plank =A=31.04*92.04=2856.92cm
n
2
Variance in width=∑ (ai −á)
i=1

Variance in width¿(31−31.04)2 +(30.9−31.04)2+ (31.2−31.04 )2+ (31.1−31.04 )2+

(31−31.04 )2
=0.052cm
Standard deviation in width=σ a=√ variance

=√ 0.052
=0.228
σ
Uncertainty in “a”,δ a=
√n
=0.1019cm
Variance in length=(91.9−92.04)2+(92.2−92.04)2+(92−92.04)2+(92−92.04)2+

( 92.1−92.04 )2
=0.052cm
Standard deviation in length=σ b=√ variance

=√ 0.052
=0.228
σ
Uncertainty in “b”,δ b=
√n
=0.1019

`uncertainty in perimeter=√ δ a2+ δ b2

=√ (0.1019)2 +(0.1019)2

=0.144cm
Hence ,perimeter=246.16±0.144(cm ±Δcm)

δ 2 δ 2
Á √
Uncertainty in area, δA = ( a ) +( b )
á b́
2 2
= ( 0.1019 ) +( 0.1019 )
√ 31.04 92.04
δA=0.0034 x 2856.9216=9.71

percentage error= ( δAÁ x 100) %=0.3%

Hence ,the area is 2856.9216±9.71(cm 2 ±cm2 ¿

Results and Conclusions:

Hence the values of area and perimeter of table calculated by us are
Area = 2856.9 ± 10cm2
Perimeter = 246.16 ± 0.144 cm
Error has occurred due to limited measuring ability of the instrument or due to the main mistakes
made by the observer .Error has occurred because the edges of meter rule and table were sharp.
Error can be minimized by taking measurements again and again and conducting the experiments
in the best environment and maintaining conditions such as temperature pressure etc. The use of
more precise measurement may also result in decrease in error.

Experiment no 1 (B)
TITLE: Relative uncertainty in the value of g
ABSTRACT:
Measurements are never perfect and always have some sort of error. Thus to avoid errors in
experiment multiple readings are taken . Mean value is also taken, standard error was calculated
in each case. Uncertainty and percentage error and relative uncertainty in the value of g is
calculated
THEORY:
We can find the value of a gravitational constant “g” by taking several number of reading and by
using those reading in the formula given below :
L
T= 2 π
√ g
By rearranging the above equation the formula to find g will be calculated
4 2π l
g=
T2
Now we will take several readings and put those readings in the above formula to calculate the
value of g but it must be kept in mind that some error may occur in a experiment in the form of
human error or systematic error like error in the reading of length or time in order to reduce the
error we take mean value of several quantities required in the experiment it also helps us to find
deviation of our practical answers from theoretical answers. Some error may exist in the value of
g and to find the percentage error in g following formula is used
% age error in g=
¿ Experimental value− Actual value∨ ¿ ¿
Actual value x 100
APPARATUS:
 Pendulum stand
 Thread
 Metal bob
  Meter rule
 Digital stop watch
 Vernier calliper

PROCEDURE:
In this experiment , we first noted down the length of string upto middle of bob, then we find the
time for 10 oscillations using stop watch. Using calculated data, we find the time period for 1
oscillation. we did this five times and through formulas, we calculated the mean value of “g”
along with standard error and percentage uncertainty.

OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS :

LEGTH OF PENDULUM(cm) TIME FOR 10 VIBRATIONS(s) TIME FOR 1 VIBRATION(s)

34 11.72 1.172

33.9 11.1 1.11

34.1 12.02 1.202

33.5 11.8 1.18

34.2 11 1.1

STANDARD ERROR IN LENGTH

Mean value of length = 34 cm

Variance in length =
( 34−34 )2+ ( 34−33.9 )2 + ( 34−34 ⋅1 )2 + ( 34−33.5 )2 + ( 34−34 ⋅2 )2
= 0.31 cm
Standard deviation (σ ) = √ variance
= √ 0 ⋅31
= 0.556cm
σ
Standard error =
√N
= 0.24 cm
STANDARD ERROR IN TIME

Mean value of time= 1.1524s

Variance in time = (1.172−1.154)2 +¿

(1.11−1.1524)2+(1.2−1.1524 )2 +(1.18−1.1524)2 +(1.1−1.1524)2
= 0.73s

Standard deviation (σ )= √ variance

 = 0.0948s
σ
Standard errorδ =¿
√N
= 0.042 s

δg ´2 2
Now standard error in gravitational acceleration=
√( δg 2 2
δl) δ l +¿( )
δT
δT ¿

∂ g 4 π2 4 π 2l
= 2 ⇒ g= 2
∂l T T
Similarly

∂ g −8 π 2
= 3
∂T T́´
Now putting value in the above formula of standard error then the uncertainty is 78.10 cm/ s2
Now the experimental value of g

4 π 2 ĺ
g=
T́ 2
Now by putting the mean value of length and time
g= 1008.90 cm/ s2

Value of g with standard error= (1008.90±78.10) cm/ s2

g experimental−g theretical
%age uncertainty in the value of g= x 100
g theoretical
1008.90−980
= x100
980
= 3%

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS;

Hence, the values of gravitational acceleration ‘g’ calculated by us is

g= 10.08 ± 0.78 m/ s2

Error has occurred because bob is not swinging properly due to air resistance or due to minor
mistakes made by the observer in measuring the quantities . Error can be minimized by increasing
the number of observations and conducting the experiment in the best possible environment and
maintaining conditions such as temperature, pressure, etc. The use of more precise instruments may
also result in decreased error.