Chapter 1, Problem 111CP

Many times errors are expressed in terms of percentage. The percent error is die absolute value of the difference of the true value and the experimental value, divided by the true value, and multiplied by 100.

$\text{Percent error = }\frac{\text{|true value - experimental value|}}{\text{true value}}\times 100$

Calculate the percent error for the following measurements.

1. a. The density of an aluminum block determined in an experiment was 2.64 g/cm³. (True value 2.70 g/cm³.)
2. b. The experimental determination of iron in iron ore was 16.48%. (True value 16.12%.)
3. c. A balance measured the mass of a 1.000-g standard as 0.9981 g.