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Chapter 1 Physics and Physical Measurements

This document provides an overview of fundamental concepts in physics measurement and units including: - The seven base SI units for measuring physical quantities like length, mass, time, etc. - Common prefixes used to modify the magnitude of SI units like milli, centi, kilo, mega. - Examples of expressing physical quantities like newtons and joules in terms of base SI units. - The importance of including uncertainty in measurements and how to determine uncertainties from instrument precision. - Types of errors like random vs. systematic and how they impact accuracy and precision. - Guidelines for propagating uncertainties through calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and powers. - Concepts relevant

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DBXGAMING
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29 views

Chapter 1 Physics and Physical Measurements

This document provides an overview of fundamental concepts in physics measurement and units including: - The seven base SI units for measuring physical quantities like length, mass, time, etc. - Common prefixes used to modify the magnitude of SI units like milli, centi, kilo, mega. - Examples of expressing physical quantities like newtons and joules in terms of base SI units. - The importance of including uncertainty in measurements and how to determine uncertainties from instrument precision. - Types of errors like random vs. systematic and how they impact accuracy and precision. - Guidelines for propagating uncertainties through calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and powers. - Concepts relevant

Uploaded by

DBXGAMING
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 1

Physics: Measurement and


Uncertainty
Fundamental SI Units
Measurement Name Symbol
Distance Meter m
Mass Kilogram kg
Time Second s
Current Ampere A
Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of Mole mol
substance
Luminous intensity Candela cd
Prefixes
Power Prefix Symbol Power Prefix Symbol
10-12 pico p 1012 Terra T

10-9 nano n 109 Giga G

10-6 micro μ 106 Mega M

10-3 milli m 103 Kilo K

10-2 centi c
Expressing in SI Units
• Eg) What is a Newton in SI units?
• Eg) What is a Joule in SI units?
Ans: The Newton
• 1) Think of a formula that is measured in
Newtons
F = ma
• Mass is in kg – fundamental.
• Acceleration is in m s-2 – all fundamental
• That means 1N = kg m s-2
Ans: The Joule
• Energy is measured in joules
• GPE = mgh
• mass – measured in kg - fundamental
• g – acceleration due to gravity in m s-2 – all
fundamental
• h – measured in m – fundamental
• So a Joule is equivalent to kg m s-2 m
• Which equals kg m2 s-2
Units of unknown Constant
• The IB likes the following type of question
• F = Amv – what are the units of A is m is mass and
v is velocity and F is force
• Use dimensional analysis. As we have just seem
1N is equal to kg m s-2
• On the right we have kg from the mass and m s-1
from the velocity.
• So kg m s-2 = |A| kg m s-1
• To balance the units of A are s-1
Try These
• 1) What is a Watt in fundamental units -
remember the Watt is the unit of power and
power = Energy/time
• 2) What are the units of the constant B in the
fomula E = B t v where t is time, v velocity and
E energy
Uncertainties and Errors
• Remember when measuring anything to
always include an uncertainty.
• According to the IB

– With an analogue tool you can read to half way


between the measurement gradients
– With a digital tool you can read to the last decimal
point
• The real uncertainty depends on the tool AND
the user
Random Vs Systematic Errors
• Random Errors: if an experiment is repeated
many times then the mean value will
approach the true value
• Systematic errors: Associated with things such
as zero point offset, incorrectly calibrated
instruments etc. No matter how carefully you
use the instrument, you will never get a good
measurement
• Should you take repeated readings if you have
a systematic error?
Accuracy and Precision
• Measurements are accurate if the systematic
error is small. They are precise if the random
error is small.
Significant Figure review
Value Decimal Significant Scientific
Points Figures Notation
56.004 3 5 5.6004x10^1
50.1 1 3 5.01x10^1
560.10 2 5 5.6010x10^2
56 0 2 5.6x10^1
560 0 2 5.6x10^2
5601 0 4 5.601x10^3
560100 0 4 5.601x10^5
Types of Error
Absolute/actual error is the error on the value so
if a = 5.1 +- 0.6, the absolute error is 0.6

The fractional error is the error/value = Δa/a =


0.6/5.1 = 0.1176 or 0.12 rounded to 2 SFs

The % error is the fractional error, x100% so


error/value x100% = Δa/a x100% = 0.6/5.1x100%
= 11.76 % or 12% to 2SFs
Addition and Subtraction
• The following values were obtained during an
experiment to measure a piece of wood:
• length 3.4 + 0.1m
• Width 0.12 + 0.01 m
• What is the perimeter?
• p = l + w + l + w = 3.4 + 0.12 + 3.4 + 0.12 = 7.04 m
• However, the length is only measured to 1dp so
the answer has to be 7.0 m
Error with Addition and Subtraction
• If y = a ± b
• then Δy = Δ a + Δ b
• So for addition of the above problem
• Δy = 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.01 + 0.01 = 0.22 m
• But to 1 dp as in the previous part the answer
is 7.0 ± 0.2 m
• When you subtract value you ADD the
uncertainty
Example with Subtraction
You have a 1.25m length of wood and you need
to chop off a piece that is 0.62m.
1) How long is the final piece?
2) If your tool is accurate to the nearest cm,
what is the error?
3) Therefore what is the error on the final piece
of wood?
4) What is the % error on the wood
Multiplication and Division
• The area is given by length x width
• = 3.4 x 0.12 = 0.408 m2
• However the length has 2SFs
• The width has 2SFs
• The answer must have 2SFs as well
• 0.41 m2
Error on Multiplication/Division
• The error is more complicated
• if y = ab/c
• then Δy/y = Δa/a + Δb/b + Δc/c
• So here: Δy/0.408 = 0.1/3.4 + 0.01/0.12
• Δy/0.408 = 0.112
• Δy = 0.046
• So rounded to the same number of values is 0.05
• Answer is 0.41 ± 0.05 m2
Error on Powers
if y = ar then
• Δy/y = |r| Δa/a
Examples

• Lets check the examples from the summer


Using the values A = 6.8+-0.3 and B = 1.43+- 0.02 and C =
4.52+- 0.08, calculate (including the error and rounding)
a) A - B b) A*B c) A*C/B d) (A+B)/C
e) B^2 f) square root of A
g) y = (A+B)/C3
Solution - please check!
Using the values A = 6.8+-0.3 and B = 1.43+- 0.02 and C = 4.52+- 0.08,
a) A - B b) A*B c) A*C/B d) (A+B)/C
e) B^2 f) square root of A g) y = (A+B)/C3
a = 5.37 +- 0.32 so 5.4 +- 0.3
b = 9.724 Db/b = 0.3/6.8+0.02/1.43 = 0.058 so Db = 0.565 b = 9.7 +- 0.6
c = 21.49 Dc/c = 0.3/6.8 + 0.08/4.52 + 0.02/1.42 = 0.0759 Dc = 1.63 c = 21 +- 2
d = 1.82 Dd = 0.32/8.23 + 0.08/4.52 = 0.05658 Dd = 0.10 so d = 1.6 +- 0.1
e = 1.43^2 = 2.0449 De/e = 2Db/b = 2*0.02/1.43 = 0.0279 De = 0.057 e = 2.04 +-
0.03
f = Sqrt(6.8) = 2.6 Df/f = ½(0.3/6.8) = 0.022 Df = 0.057 f = 2.6 +- 0.1
g = (6.8 + 1.43)/4.52^3 = 0.08912 Dg/g = 0.32/8.23 + 3*0.08/4.52 = 0.0919
Dg = 0.008197 g = 0.089 +- 0.008
Line of best fit
• A graph shows a proportional relationship
between variable X and variable Y if it is
possible to draw a straight line that passes
through the origin (0,0) and all of the error
bars
• When measuring gradients, use at least half of
the graph
Graphs in the form y = mx + b
• Often you need to manipulate graphs to be
able to plot straight lines
• Example
• x = ½ a t2
• If you plot x on the y-axis and t2 on the x – axis
then what is the slope?
What should you plot?
• What should you plot to obtain a linear graph
with the following equations? What would the
slope be?
• f = 1/(2L) (T/m) ½ T in indep and f dep
• v = u + at t indep v dep
• PV = NkT T indep P dep
• P = NkT/V V indep P dep
High-Low Lines
You must go through the barycentre of the data
and the end error bars
- lets look at this data

- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Unej

eQa9BCtIqI_53SQfLCfC4W7z6G4w/edit

See here for Loggerpro help


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTI12gO
ypps

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