Uncertainties from graphs

Very often we find values from the gradient of a graph. If

the data collected had uncertainties associated with it, then
these uncertainties will be shown as uncertainty bars for
each data point.
An example of the data collected for the Young modulus of
copper experiment is shown in the diagram right. Data from
the elastic deformation portion of the experiment only is
shown, so that the relationship between force and extension
is directly proportional. The Young modulus of the metal
the wire is made from can be found from the gradient of the
graph as discussed below.
We can find the best value for the gradient using a line of
best fit (LOBF). Similarly, we can find a worst-case
alternative value for the gradient using a line of worst fit
(LOWF)*. The LOWF is a line plotted which encompasses
all of the data points with the error bars considered; and gives the two extreme values for steepness – a line as steep as
possible that encompasses the data and a line as shallow as possible that encompasses the data.

*The key word in this phrase is fit. A line of worst fit still represents all of the data, it just looks at the extreme
gradient that such a line could plausibly have, given the uncertainty in each of the readings.

Although it doesn’t always work out as nice as this in reality, in exams your lines of worst fit should always pass
through ALL the error bars of all data points in the graph.

Consider the graph above right for data gathered for the extension x of the wire when a force F is applied.
1. To establish how we find the Young modulus from the data plotted on the graph we first need to consider the
equation for Young modulus in terms of the quantities on each axis of the graph:

𝜎 (𝐹⁄𝐴) 𝐹𝐿
𝐸 = = 𝑥 =
𝜀 ( ⁄𝐿) 𝐴𝑥

2. We next need to re-arrange the equation so that it fits the form y = mx + c:

𝐸𝐴𝑥 𝐸𝐴
𝐹= = 𝑥
𝐿 𝐿
where F is the force applied, x is the extension, and the gradient of the graph is equal to the Young modulus
multiplied by the cross-sectional area, divided by the initial length of the wire.

3. The absolute uncertainty (±U) in the gradient of the graph can be found by the spread of the gradients of the
two lines of worst fit:
∆𝑦 28−0.5
 Line of Best Fit: gradient = ∆𝑥 = (26−0)×10−3
= 1060

∆𝑦 27.5−3
 Line of Worst Fit (min slope): gradient = ∆𝑥 = (28−0)×10−3
= 875
 ∆𝑦 28−0
 Line of Worst Fit (max slope): gradient = ∆𝑥 = (23−2)×10−3
= 1330

1330−875
So the spread is found by half the range: spread = 2
= 227.5

So the gradient has a value and absolute uncertainty of 1060 ± 227.5

However, we need consistency between the number of decimal places for our stated value and absolute
uncertainty, so this will be correctly written as:
gradient = 1060 ± 230
or alternatively as gradient = 1060 ± 22 %

We can now use the work we have done on propagating uncertainties to find an absolute and relative uncertainty from
the graph for our value for the resistivity of the wire.
Imagine that we had use a screw-gauge micrometer to measure the diameter of the wire multiple times and obtained
the results given in the table below. We could use these to find a cross-sectional area for the wire, with uncertainties,
and combine this with information gained from the graph to obtain a value, with uncertainties, for the Young modulus:

Wire diameter (mm)

0.18 0.22 0.19 0.23 0.21

0.18+0.22+0.19+0.23+0.21
 mean diameter = 5
= 0.206 mm
0.23−0.18
 ±U in diameter = spread of data = 2
= 0.025 mm

So therefore
𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑡𝑒𝑟
 mean radius = 2
= 0.103 mm
±U in diamter
 ±U in radius = 2
= 0.0125 mm

In summary, and converting to the correct number of significant figures (we can’t state to more d.p. than our
instrument allows)

 Radius = 0.10 ± 0.01 mm

0.01
The percentage uncertainty in the radius is therefore found by: %U = 0.10 × 100 = 10 %

We can now work out a value for the cross-sectional area, with the percentage uncertainty as follows:

 Area = 𝜋𝑟 2 = 𝜋 × (0.10 × 10−3 )2 = 𝟑. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝐦𝟐

 As area is found by squaring the value of r (r× r), the %U in the area is double the %U in the radius:
%𝑈𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 2 × %𝑈𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 = 2 × 10 = 20 %

The cross-sectional area of the wire is therefore 𝟑. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝐦𝟐 ± 𝟐𝟎 %

The initial length of the wire is given as 3.40 ± 0.01 m or 3.40 m ± 0.3 %
The value for the Young modulus can be found as follows:
𝐸𝐴 𝐸𝐴
As stated earlier, from the equation for the graph 𝐹= 𝐿
𝑥 ; therefore 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝐿

𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 × 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ
So the Young modulus is found by: 𝐸 = 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠−𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
In summary, completing the calculation of the Young modulus from the data given in the graph and the length and
diameter measurements given:
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 × 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 1060 × 3.40
 𝐸= = = 1.15 × 1011 = 115 GPa
𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠−𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 3.14×10−8

We can find the uncertainty in this value by summing the percentage uncertainties in the gradient, length and cross-
sectional areas:

 %U = 22% + 20% + 0.3% = 42.3 %

We can then use the relative uncertainty (%U) in the Young modulus to find the absolute uncertainty (±U) in the
Young modulus.

 115 × 0.423 = 48.6 GPa

This gives a final experimental value for the Young modulus of E = 115 ± 49 GPa