Say whether each error is systematic or random: a measuring tape that has stretched with use; gusts…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Say whether each error is systematic or random:
- a measuring tape that has stretched with use;
- gusts of wind while you time a falling sheet of paper;
- a voltmeter that shows with nothing connected;
- your eye in a slightly different place each time you read a scale;
- a thermometer read while you hold its bulb in your warm hand.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
A systematic error pushes every reading the same way; it is not cured by more readings. A random error pushes readings up and down by chance; it averages out.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) Systematic: every length reads too short. (c) Systematic: a zero error adds to every reading. (e) Systematic: your hand always warms it.
Step 2. (b) Random: some gusts slow the paper, some do not. (d) Random: sometimes too high, sometimes too low.
Answer: Systematic: (a), (c), (e). Random: (b), (d).
Watch out. If your eye were always on the same side of the scale, (d) would become systematic. The kind of error depends on whether it repeats.
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