Problem: A good-quality measuring tape can be off by 0.50 cm over a distance of 20 m. What is its percent uncertainty?
Solution:
The percent uncertainty can be calculated by the uncertainty divided by the total measure, but the units should be the same. That is
\begin{align*}
\%\:\text{uncertainty} & =\frac{\delta _l}{l}\times 100\% \\
\\
& =\frac{0.5\:\text{cm}}{20\:\text{m}\left(\frac{100\:\text{cm}}{1\:\text{m}}\right)}\times 100\% \\
\\
& =\frac{0.5\:\text{cm}}{2000\:\text{cm}}\times 100\% \\
\\
&=0.025\:\% \ \qquad \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right)
\end{align*}Therefore, the percent uncertainty is 0.025
College Physics Chapter 1 Problems
College Physics 2nd Edition Solutions Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Nature of Science and Physics
Chapter 3: Two-Dimensional Kinematics
Chapter 4: Dynamics: Force and Newton’s Law of Motion
Chapter 5: Further Applications of Newton’s Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity
Chapter 6: Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation
Chapter 7: Work, Energy, and Energy Resources
Chapter 8: Linear Momentum and Collisions
Chapter 10: Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum
Chapter 12: Fluid Dynamics and Its Biological and Medical Applications
Chapter 13: Temperature, Kinetic Theory, and the Gas Laws
Chapter 14: Heat and Heat Transfer Methods
Chapter 16: Oscillatory Motion and Waves
Chapter 17: Physics of Hearing
Chapter 18: Electric Charge and Electric Field
Chapter 19: Electric Potential and Electric Field
Chapter 20:
Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law
Chapter 21: Circuits and DC Instruments
Chapter 23: Electromagnetic Induction, AC Circuits, and Electrical Technologies
Chapter 24: Electromagnetic Waves
Chapter 26: Vision and Optical Instrument
Chapter 28: Special Relativity
Chapter 29: Introduction to Quantum Physics
Chapter 31: Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics
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