Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 1.

a) 𝛿𝑙 = √𝛿𝑥 2 + 𝛿𝑦 2 = 0.10 cm, 𝑙 = 93.50 ± 0.10 cm

b) 0.11%

The calculation in Maple is shown below.

restart;

with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

x := Quantity(95.8, .1);

x := Quantity(95.8, 0.1)

y := Quantity(2.30, 0.1e-1);

y := Quantity(2.30, 0.01)

l := combine(x-y, errors);

l := Quantity(93.50, 0.1004987562)

ApplyRule(l, round3g[1]);

Quantity(93.50, 0.10)

GetError(%)/GetValue(%);

0.001069518717

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 2.

Since the exercise features multiplication and division, it is easiest to use relative uncertainties.

𝛿𝑐 2 𝛿𝑎 2 𝛿𝑏 2 𝛿𝑉 2 𝛿𝑐
a) ( 𝑐 ) = ( 𝑎 ) + ( 𝑏 ) + ( 𝑉 ) . = √11%2 + 4%2 + 4%2 = 12%
𝑐
𝛿𝑐 𝛿𝑎 𝛿𝑏 𝛿𝑉 𝛿𝑐
b) = + + . = 11% + 4% + 4% = 19%
𝑐 𝑎 𝑏 𝑉 𝑐

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 3.

a) 𝑔 = 9.70 ± 0.07 m/s 2

b) The result is (9.82-9.70)/0.07=1.7 standard deviations away from the value (if the data is
normally distributed). The hypothesis that the experiment was successful cannot be rejected.

The mean and uncertainty are calculated below. Remember that the standard deviation is the
uncertainty on each measurement, not the uncertainty on the average of the measurements.

restart;

with(Statistics);

with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

g := Vector([9.9, 9.6, 9.5, 9.7, 9.8]);

mean := Mean(g);

mean := 9.70000000000000

StandardDeviation(g);

0.158113883008419

dg := %/sqrt(5.);

dg := 0.0707106781344597

unc := StandardError(Mean, g);

unc := 0.0707106781186550

Quantity(mean, unc);

Quantity(9.70000000000000, 0.0707106781186550)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]);

Quantity(9.70, 0.07)

(9.82-9.7)/0.07;

1.714285714

This is less than two standard deviations away from the standard value, which is fine.

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 4.

a) The relative uncertainty is 6%.

b) The relative uncertainty 45%.
c) By subtracting values that are close to each other, one increases the uncertainty radically.

restart;

with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

v1 := Quantity(14.0, 0.1e-1, 'relative'); v1 := Quantity(14.0, 0.140)

v2 := Quantity(18.0, 0.1e-1, 'relative'); v2 := Quantity(18.0, 0.180)

dv := combine(v2-v1, errors); dv := Quantity(4.0, 0.2280350850)

ApplyRule(dv, round3g[1]); Quantity(4.0, 0.23)

GetError(%)/GetValue(%); 0.05750000000

v1 := Quantity(19.0, 0.1e-1, 'relative'); v1 := Quantity(19.0, 0.190)

v2 := Quantity(19.6, 0.1e-1, 'relative'); v2 := Quantity(19.6, 0.196)

dv := combine(v2-v1, errors); dv := Quantity(0.6, 0.2729761894)

ApplyRule(dv, round3g[1]); Quantity(0.6, 0.27)

GetError(%)/GetValue(%); 0.4500000000

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 5.

a) 35.0 ± 2.4 cm. 7%.

b) 11.0 ± 2.4 cm. 22%.
c) 36 ± 7 cm∙s. 19%
d) 108 ± 22 g∙cm/s. 20%

Solved using the following Maple code:

restart;with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

a := Quantity(5., 1.); a := Quantity(5., 1.)

b := Quantity(18., 2.); b := Quantity(18., 2.)

c := Quantity(12., 1.); c := Quantity(12., 1.)

t := Quantity(3.0, .5); t := Quantity(3.0, 0.5)

m := Quantity(18., 1.); m := Quantity(18., 1.)

combine(a+b+c, errors); Quantity(35., 2.449489743)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]); Quantity(35., 2.4)

GetError(%)/GetValue(%); 0.06857142857

combine(a+b-c, errors); Quantity(11., 2.449489743)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]); Quantity(11., 2.4)

GetError(%)/GetValue(%); 0.2181818182

combine(c*t, errors); Quantity(36.0, 6.708203932)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]); Quantity(36., 7.)

GetError(%)/GetValue(%); 0.1944444444

combine(m*b/t, errors); Quantity(108.0000000, 22.44994432)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]); Quantity(108., 22.)

GetError(%)/GetValue(%); 0.2037037037

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 6.
𝑑
a) 𝑣 = = 0.847 ± 0.003 m/s
𝑡
𝑑
b) 𝑝 = 𝑚 · 𝑣 = 𝑚 · 𝑡 = 0.6023 ± 0.0029 kg∙m/s

Solved using the following Maple code:

restart;

with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

d := Quantity(5.10, 0.1e-1);

d := Quantity(5.10, 0.01)

t := Quantity(6.02, 0.2e-1);

t := Quantity(6.02, 0.02)

m := Quantity(.711, 0.2e-2);

m := Quantity(0.711, 0.002)

v := combine(d/t, errors);

v := Quantity(0.8471760797, 0.003268176593)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]);

Quantity(0.847, 0.003)

p := combine(m*d/t, errors);

p := Quantity(0.6023421927, 0.002875810849)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]);

Quantity(0.6023, 0.0029)

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 7.

Solved using the following Maple code:

with(plots); with(Statistics);

x := Vector([0, .45, .91, 1.35, 1.81, 2.27, 2.72, 3.17, 3.63, 4.08, 4.57]);

y := Vector([0.1e-1, .44, .79, 1.02, 1.20, 1.30, 1.31, 1.22, 1.06, .84, .50]);

data := plot(x, y, style = point, gridlines = true, labels = ["x (m)", "y (m)"]);

a) Implementation of the regression.

LinearFit(C*t^2+B*t+A, x, y, t, summarize = true);

Model: .20035743e-1+1.0131929*t-.19914610*t^2

Coefficients:

Estimate Std. Error t-value P(>|t|)

Parameter 1 0.0200 0.0075 2.6571 0.0289

Parameter 2 1.0132 0.0077 131.6986 0.0000

Parameter 3 -0.1991 0.0016 -122.4599 0.0000

0.0200357428863432 + 1.01319292652702 t - 0.199146104840330 t 2

fit := unapply(%, t);

display(data, plot(fit(t), t = 0 .. 4.7));

b) Save the parameters in params. First 𝜃 is found (linear component), then 𝑣0 (quadratic).

params := LinearFit(C*t^2+B*t+A, x, y, t, output = parametervalues);

sol := solve({-9.82/(2*v^2*cos(theta)^2) = params[3], tan(theta) = params[2]}, [v, theta]);

sol := sol[1];

sol := [v = 7.068618793, theta = 0.7919513047]

(180./Pi)*rhs(sol[2]);

45.37546734

c) Does the throw start in (0,0)? -> Between 2 and 3 standard deviations, cannot be determined.

abs(params[1]+0)/0.75e-2;

2.67143238417790

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 8.

a) 𝑇 = 2.374 ± 0.009 s
b) The deviation is 1.6 standard deviations away from the expected value. It is expected that
around 89% of measurements lie within 1.6 standard deviations if the measurements are
normally distributed.

Solved using the following Maple code:

restart;

with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

L := Quantity(1.40, 0.1e-1);

L := Quantity(1.40, 0.01)

g := Quantity(9.81, 0.1e-1);

g := Quantity(9.81, 0.01)

T := combine(2*Pi*sqrt(L/g), errors);

T := Quantity(2.373610108, 0.008563069394)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]);

Quantity(2.374, 0.009)

(2.39-2.374)/0.1e-1;

1.600000000

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 9.

a) 𝐸 = 0.247 ± 0.004 J
b) 𝐸 = 0.2509, ±0.0028 J
c) The difference is (.2509-.247)/0.4e-2=0.975 standard deviations, which is not a large
deviation.

Solved using the following Maple code:

restart;

with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

m := Quantity(.230, 0.1e-2);

m := Quantity(0.230, 0.001)

k := Quantity(1.03, 0.1e-1);

k := Quantity(1.03, 0.01)

x := Quantity(.551, 0.5e-2);

x := Quantity(0.551, 0.005)

v := Quantity(.89, 0.1e-1);

v := Quantity(0.89, 0.01)

E1 := combine((1/2)*m*v^2+(1/2)*k*x^2, errors);

E1 := Quantity(0.2474460150, 0.003834535343)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]);

Quantity(0.247, 0.004)

x__max := Quantity(.698, 0.2e-2);

x__max := Quantity(0.698, 0.002)

E2 := combine((1/2)*k*x__max^2, errors);

E2 := Quantity(0.2509100600, 0.002828726274)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]);

Quantity(0.2509, 0.0028)

(.2509-.247)/0.4e-2;

0.9750000000

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 10.

a) We apply the propagation of uncertainty

2 2
 a   a   a
2

a    g   k     
 g    k    

a
 sin    k cos 
g

a
  g cos 
 k

a
 g  cos    k sin  


  sin    cos    g    g cos k    g  cos   k sin    

2 2
a 
2
k

b) 𝑎 = 3.04 ± 0.19 m/s2

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 11.

a) When there are 18 holes there will be 36 detections of light to darkness or darkness to light
in one revolution of the wheel. In a full revolution the wheel has moved the distance 2𝜋𝑅.
1
The resolution of the measurement is thus 36 of this distance. The distance between nearest
2𝜋𝑅
measurement values is therefor = 2.0 mm. When there is 2 mm between possible
36
measurement values we estimate thee uncertainty to be half of this distance, i.e. 𝛿𝑥 =
1.0 mm. If a measurement is 50 mm this could be a value from 49 mm to 51 mm, i.e. the
measurement value is 50.0 ± 1.0 mm.

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 12.

a) 𝐴 = −0.01 ± 0.05 atm

𝐵 = 0.00346 ± 0.00025 atm/K

b) 𝛿𝑝 = 0.039 atm

c) The deviation 𝐴 is five standard deviations, and we therefore cannot reject the
hypothesis that the regression line goes through the origin.

Solved using the following Maple code:

with(plots);with(Statistics);with(LinearAlgebra);with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);
x := Vector([100., 150., 200., 250., 300]);y := Vector([.36, .46, .71, .83, 1.04]);
LinearFit(B*t + A, x, y, t, summarize = true);
Summary:
----------------
Model: -.12000000e-1+.34600000e-2*t
----------------
Coefficients:
Estimate Std. Error t-value P(>|t|)
Parameter 1 -0.0120 0.0520 -0.2307 0.8324
Parameter 2 0.0035 0.0002 14.1097 0.0008
----------------
R-squared: 0.9852, Adjusted R-squared: 0.9802
-0.0119999999999999 + 0.00346000000000000 t
parametervalues := LinearFit(B*t + A, x, y, t, output = parametervalues);
[-0.0119999999999999]
parametervalues := [ ]
[ 0.00346000000000000 ]
standarderrors := LinearFit(B*t + A, x, y, t, output = standarderrors);
standarderrors := [0.0520192272145596, 0.000245220988769993]
LinearFit(B*t + A, x, y, t, output = residualstandarddeviation);
0.0387728427295874A := Quantity(parametervalues[1], standarderrors[1]);
A := Quantity(-0.0119999999999999, 0.0520192272145596)
B := Quantity(parametervalues[2], standarderrors[2]);
B := Quantity(0.00346000000000000, 0.000245220988769993)
'A' = ApplyRule(A, round3g[1]);
A = Quantity(-0.01, 0.05)
'B' = ApplyRule(B, round3g[1]);
B = Quantity(0.00346, 0.00025)

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Uncertainty - Solutions Physics 1

Problem 13.
a) 𝑎 = 3.27 ± 0.12 m/s 2

Solved using the following Maple code:

with(ScientificErrorAnalysis);

M1 := Quantity(100., 1.2);

M1 := Quantity(100., 1.2)

m1 := Quantity(50., 1.2);

m1 := Quantity(50., 1.2)

a := combine(9.82*(M1 - m1)/(M1 + m1), errors);

a := Quantity(3.273333333, 0.1171103335)

ApplyRule(%, round3g[1]);

Quantity(3.27, 0.12)

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