AS Practical Guide

(Uncertainties)
 Fractional Uncertainty and Percentage Uncertainty
x
1. If given Q = , then
n
Δx
ΔQ n = Δx
Fractional uncertainty of Q = =
Q x x
n
ΔQ Δx
Percentage uncertainty of Q = × 100% = × 100%
Q x

Percentage uncertainty of Q = Percentage uncertainty of x

2. If given Q = x n , then
ΔQ Δx
Fractional uncertainty of Q = = n×
Q x
ΔQ Δx
Percentage uncertainty of Q = × 100% = n × × 100%
Q x

Percentage uncertainty of Q = n × Percentage uncertainty of x

3. If given Q = xy OR Q = xy , then
ΔQ Δx Δy
Fractional uncertainty of Q = = +
Q x y
ΔQ Δx Δy
Percentage uncertainty of Q = × 100% = × 100% + × 100%
Q x y

Percentage uncertainty of Q
= Percentage uncertainty of x + Percentage uncertainty of y
Example,

(a) (i) Diameter of metal sphere, d = (6.25 ± 0.01 )mm

d
(ii) Radius of metal sphere, r =
2
3
4 4 ⎛d ⎞
(iii) Volume of metal sphere, V = π r3 = π⎜ ⎟
3 3 ⎝2⎠
πd 3
V=
6
π (6.25) 3
V = = 127.8 mm3
6

Δd
(iv) Percentage uncertainty of d = ×100%
d
0.01
= × 100% = 0.16%
6.25

(v) Percentage uncertainty of V = 3 × Percentage uncertainty of d

Δd
=3 × × 100%
d
= 3 × 0.16%
= 0.48%

(b) (i) Mass of metal sphere, m = (1.10 ± 0.01 )g

Δm
(ii) Percentage uncertainty of m = × 100%
m
0.01
= × 100%
1.10
= 0.91%

m
(c) (i) Density of metal sphere, ρ =
V
1.10
ρ= = 8.607 ×10 −3 gmm-3
127.8

(ii) Percentage uncertainty of ρ

= Percentage uncertainty of m + Percentage uncertainty of V
= 0.48% + 0.91%
=1.39%