If the mass of an object is measured as 50 kg with an uncertainty of ±0.5 kg, wh
Practice Questions
Q1
If the mass of an object is measured as 50 kg with an uncertainty of ±0.5 kg, what is the percentage error in the mass measurement?
1%
0.1%
0.5%
2%
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If the mass of an object is measured as 50 kg with an uncertainty of ±0.5 kg, what is the percentage error in the mass measurement?
Step 1: Identify the measured value of the mass, which is 50 kg.
Step 2: Identify the absolute error, which is the uncertainty given as ±0.5 kg.
Step 3: Use the formula for percentage error: Percentage error = (absolute error / measured value) * 100.
Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula: Percentage error = (0.5 / 50) * 100.
Step 5: Calculate the division: 0.5 divided by 50 equals 0.01.
Step 6: Multiply the result by 100 to find the percentage: 0.01 * 100 equals 1%.
Step 7: Conclude that the percentage error in the mass measurement is 1%.
Percentage Error – The percentage error is a way to express the uncertainty of a measurement relative to the measured value, calculated as (absolute error / measured value) * 100.
Uncertainty in Measurements – Understanding how to quantify the uncertainty associated with a measurement and its impact on the final result.
