ARAKA BRAMWEL MBOGO EN251-0221/2010 SPH 2170 REPORT EXP 1: PRECISION MEASUREMENT Objectives: To study some of the instruments

and methods used in precision measurements. To determine the precision of various measurement instruments. To compute the volume and density of various items. Introduction: Measurement is the process of determining the magnitude of a quantity, e.g length and mass, relative to a unit of measurement, e.g meter and kilogram. There are certain standard units of measurement allocated various quantities called SI Units. Length: This is the measure of the of the distance between two separate and distinct points or The longest dimension of an object. The SI Unit of length is the meter (m) Other sub-units are centimeter, millimeter, micrometer e.t.c. Mass: This is the measure of the quantity of matter that a body contains, irrespective of its bulk or volume. The SI Unit of mass is kilogram (Kg) Other sub-units include gram, milligram e.t.c Electric current: This is the measure of the flow of electricity through a conductor. The SI Unit of electric current is ampere (A) Other sub-units include milliampere and microampere. Precision measurement refers to the evaluation of the consistency of measurements taken from one object more than once or using more than one instrument. Precision and accuracy are often mistaken to be similar, but they actually are not. The accuracy of a measurement is the degree of closeness of the measurement to the actual or true value; while The precision of a measurement is the degree to which repeated measurements under unchanged conditions show the same results. It is also sometimes defined as the number of significant digits to which a value has been reliably measured. A measurement system can be precise but not accurate, accurate but not precise, both or neither. A precise and accurate system/instrument is said to be valid.

Apparatus/ Equipment: Meter rule Vernier calipers Micrometer screw gauge Electronic balance Traveling microscope Copper cylinder Steel ball Glass capillary tube

Diagrams: (Measurement of electric current)

Procedure: The zero errors of the various measuring instruments provided were determined. They were then recorded. The reading errors of the instruments were also determined and recorded. The measurements (length, diameter and mass) of the objects provided were then taken appropriately using the measuring instruments provided where possible. The results were recorded. In the second part, The amount of electric current in provided circuits was to be measured. First, the zero errors and reading errors of the measuring instruments (ammeter, milliammeter and microammeter) were determined and recorded. The measurements were then taken and recorded.

Results:

ITEMS Meter Rule (10-2m) +0.2 0.05 5.7 1.4 0.8 4.85 0.4 5.05

Zero error Reading Error Copper Cylinder Height Copper Cylinder Diameter Steel Ball Diameter Copper Wire Length Copper Wire Diameter Capillary Tube Length

INSTRUMENTS AND MEASUREMENTS Vernier Calipers Micrometer Screw (10-2m) Gauge (10-3m) 0.00 +0.009 0.01 0.001 5.50 1.20 12.38 0.64 4.66 0.22 4.87 6.35 2.27

Electronic Balance (10-3kg) 0.00 0.01 15.92

1.12 1.52 3.62

Internal diameter of capillary tube using traveling microscope = 1.5510-3m

Copper Cylinder Steel Ball Capillary Tube(Internal)

Volume( m3) 6.22 10-6 1.37 10-7 9.19 10-8

Density(kg/ m3) 2559.34 8175.18

Error in Copper Cylinder Steel Ball Capillary Tube(Internal)

Volume( m3) 1.09 10-6 6.5 10-9 2.0 10-10

Density(kg/ m3) 457.5 283.5

Instrument Ammeter Milliammeter Microammeter

Measurement 1.025 10 20

Error 0 0 8

Unit A mA A

Data analysis: Internal diameter d1 of capillary tube using traveling microscope: d1 = difference between final diameter & initial diameter = 12.33 12.175 = 0.155 cm = 1.55 10-3 m Internal volume of capillary tube: = r2h = 0.07752 4.87 = 0.0919 cm3 = 9.19 10-8 m3 Density of capillary tube dt: = Volume= external vol internal vol = R2h - r2h where R = external radius & r = internal radius = h (R2 - r2) =4.87 (0.352 0.07752) =1.78 cm3 dt= =2.0337 g/cm3 =2033.7 Kg/m3 Volume of copper cylinder Vc: Vc = h (R2 - r2) = 5.5 (0.62 0.52) = 1.9 cm3 = 1.9 10-6 m3 Density of copper cylinder: = = =8.379 g/cm3 =8379 Kg/m3

Volume of steel ball Vb: = = r3 0.323

=0.137 cm3 =1.37 10-7 m3 Density of steel ball: = = =8.175 g/cm3 =8175 Kg/m3

Discussions/ Questions: 1. Why is it appropriate to use the meter rule for measuring the length of the copper wire but the micrometer screw gauge for the diameter? This I because the meter rule is more precise in the measurement of relatively long distances or dimensions while the micrometer screw gauge is more precise in the measurement of small dimensions with minimal error. 2. What is the difference between accuracy and precision? Accuracy is the degree of closeness of measurements to the actual value while precision is the degree to which repeated measurements of under the same conditions show the same results. Errors: They are calculated using the reading errors: Error in volume of copper cylinder: =[2( ) + 2( ) + ( )] vol Where r.e= reading error =[2( ) + 2( )+( )] 1.9 =1.9(0.033+0.04+0.00182) =0.142 cm3 = 1.42 10-7 m3

Error in density of copper cylinder =( =(

 

) density

) 8.379

=8.379(0.000628+0.0747) =0.6312 g/cm3 =631.2 Kg/ m3 Error in volume of steel ball: = 3( =3( ) vol ) 0.137

=0.0128 cm3 =1.28 10-8 m3 Error in density of steel ball: =( =(

 

) density

) 8.175

=8.175(0.0089+0.0934) =0.8363 g/cm3 =836.3 Kg/ m3 Error in internal volume of capillary tube: Vol= r2h Error in vol =[2( ) + ( )] vol = [2( )+( )] 0.0919

= 0.0919(0.258+0.00205) =0.0239 cm3 =2.39 10-8 m3 Error in density of capillary tube: =( =(

 

) density

) 2.0337

=2.0337(0.00276+0.0134) =0.03286 g/cm3 =32.86 Kg/ m3 Error analysis: Measurements can never be made with absolute precision or accuracy due to uncertainties. Various errors arose from the precision measurement experiment:

Zero error The meter rule had a zero error of +0.002m. This arose due to the wearing away of the rule so that the first marking is not clearly visible. The error is eliminated or minimized through proper calculation. In the micrometer screw gauge, the first thimble scale mark did not coincide with the sleeve scale, giving rise to an error of 9m. This error is also eliminated/minimized through proper calculation. The vernier calipers had no zero error since the vernier scale coincided with the main scale. Reading error In the meter rule, it is obtained by dividing the smallest visible reading by two, i.e. m For the micrometer screw gauge and vernier calipers, the smallest visible reading is taken. Parallax error This may have occurred during the taking of the measurements or readings of the objects, e.g the capillary tube length, from the instruments, e.g the meter rule. It is hard to compute it numerically since it is variable/uncertain. Instrument error This error arises due to the nature of the nature of the instrument, e.g The ammeter readings had an error due to the in-built resistance to the flow of electric current through them. Random error Refers to fluctuations in the measurement of a quantity, e.g mass, of an object using the same instrument, e.g the electronic balance. The cause could be environmental interference. Conclusion: The volume of the copper cylinder was found to be 1.9 10-6 m3 ( 1.42 10-7 m3) and its density was found to be 8379 Kg/m3 (631.2 Kg/m3). The volume of the steel ball was found to be 1.37 10-7 m3 ( 1.28 10-8 m3) and its density was found to be 8175 Kg/m3 (836.3 Kg/ m3). The internal volume of the capillary tube was found to be 9.19 10-8 m3 (2.39 10-8 m3) and its density was found to be 2033.7 Kg/m3 (32.86 Kg/ m3).

References: 1. The world of Physics by John Avison 2. University Physics 6th Edition by Francis W. Sears, Mark W. Zemansky and Hugh D. Young 3. Physics part 1 by Robert Rensnick and David Halliday 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision