A student measures the speed of a car as 60 km/h with an uncertainty of ±2 km/h.

A student measures the speed of a car as 60 km/h with an uncertainty of ±2 km/h. What is the percentage error in the speed measurement?

A student measures the speed of a car as 60 km/h with an uncertainty of ±2 km/h. What is the percentage error in the speed measurement?

Step 1: Identify the measured speed of the car, which is 60 km/h.
Step 2: Identify the uncertainty in the measurement, which is ±2 km/h.
Step 3: Use the formula for percentage error: Percentage error = (Uncertainty / Measured value) * 100.
Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula: Percentage error = (2 / 60) * 100.
Step 5: Calculate the division: 2 divided by 60 equals 0.0333.
Step 6: Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage: 0.0333 * 100 equals 3.33.
Step 7: Conclude that the percentage error in the speed measurement is 3.33%.

Percentage Error Calculation – Understanding how to calculate the percentage error based on the uncertainty and the measured value.
Uncertainty in Measurements – Recognizing the significance of uncertainty in scientific measurements and its impact on the accuracy of results.