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Worksheets

Systematic Errors & Random Uncertainty

Total questions: 24

Worksheet time: 44mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A measurement result is considered ________ if it is judged to be close to the true value. It is influenced by random and systematic errors.

a)

Precise

b)

Accurate

c)

An error

d)

Resolution

2.

A quality denoting the closeness of agreement (consistency) between values obtained by repeated measurement. It is influenced by random effects and can be expressed numerically.

a)

Repeatability

b)

Precision

c)

Uncertainty

d)

Resolution

3.

The dashed line in the image represents

a)

The error bars

b)

The uncertainty

c)

Line of best fit

d)

Line of worst fit

4.

Any measurement will have some ____________. This will come from variation in the data obtained and be subject to systematic or random effects. This can be estimated by considering the instruments and the method and will usually be expressed as a range such as 20 ± 2 °C.

a)

Error

b)

Precision

c)

Reproducibility

d)

Uncertainty

5.

The diagram shows a micrometer scale

a)

5.64 mm

b)

7.14 mm

c)

7.16 mm

d)

7.64 mm

6.
a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

7.

Accuracy means

a)

the measurements are close to each other

b)

the measurement is close to the true value

c)

the measurements are close to each other

d)

the measurements are close to each other and the true value.

8.

What does the graph represents?

a)

small systematic error, small random error

b)

small systematic error, large random error

c)

large systematic error, small random error

d)

large systematic error, large random error

9.

A fixed quantity xo is measured many times in an experiment that has experimental uncertainty.

a)

precise and accurate

b)

precise but not accurate

c)

not precise but accurate

d)

not precise and not accurate

10.

Which result is not accurate but precise?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

11.

When performing an experiment, a student should minimise the uncertainty of any measurement.


In which case is the student reducing the systematic error in a measurement?

a)

adjusting a voltmeter needle pointer to the zero position before using it to measure a potential difference

b)

measuring the diameter of a wire at several points and orientations

c)

measuring the mass of 100 paperclips to determine the mass of one paperclip

d)

timing 20 oscillations of a mass on a spring to determine the period of one oscillation

12.

Which graph of the results supports this theory?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

13.

Systematic errors lead to a lack of:

a)

accuracy in the measurement.

b)

significant digits in the measurement.

c)

precision in the measurement.

d)

gradation of the measuring instrument

14.

Random errors lead to a lack of:

a)

accuracy in the measurement.

b)

significant digits in the measurement.

c)

precision in the measurement.

d)

gradation of the measuring instrument

15.

What is the mass and uncertainty indicated by this electronic balance?

a)

198.61 ± 0.01 g

b)

198.61 ± 0.02 g

c)

198.61 ± 0.05 g

d)

198.61 ± 0.005 g

16.

What is the uncertainty in newtons for this scale on a force spring scale?

a)

± 0.03 N

b)

± 0.1 N

c)

± 0.05 N

d)

± 0.01 N

17.

Which of these is NOT true for systematic errors?

a)

They arise due to errors in the measuring instruments used.

b)

Repeating the observations or increasing the sample size can eliminate them

c)

They are reproducible inaccuracies that are consistently in the same direction.

d)

They arise from the design of the study.

18.

This bullseye demonstrates...

a)

High Accuracy & High Precision

b)

High Accuracy & Low Precision

c)

Low Accuracy & High Precision

d)

Low Accuracy & Low Precision

19.

How close a measurement is to the true value is called..

a)

Accuracy

b)

Precision

c)

Significant

d)

Estimate

20.

Which of the following is the answer for the problem with the correct number of significant digits?

23.91 x 12.861 = 307.50651

a)

308

b)

307.51

c)

307.5

d)

307

21.

What is the temperature and uncertainty indicated by this thermometer?

a)

24.1 ± 0.5 °C

b)

24.05 ± 0.05 °C

c)

24 ± 1 °C

d)

28.0 ± 0.1°C

22.

State the order of magnitude of the following: 539

a)

600

b)

500

c)

10 3

d)

10 2

23.

A pile of sand has a width that ranges from 38 m to 41 m and a length that is approximately 125 m. If the depth varies from 8.8 m to 9.1 m, what is the order of magnitude of the volume ?

a)

10 4

b)

10 3

c)

10 2

d)

10 1

24.

True or False?

When measuring a time manually it is inappropriate to use the precision of the digital timer as the uncertainty in a reading.

a)

True

b)

False