Chapter 3, Problem 61A

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation : The error and the percent error of measurement are to be calculated.

Concept Introduction : Error is the measurement of the difference between the experimental value and the accepted value.

Answer to Problem 61A

The formula to calculate error is:

  $\text{error = experimental}\text{value}-\text{accepted}\text{value}$

The formula to calculate the percent error is:

  $\text{percent error = }\frac{\left|\text{error}\right|}{\text{accepted}\text{value}}\text{×100\%}$

Explanation of Solution

Error is the measurement of the difference between the experimental value and the accepted value.

The measurement made in the lab is the experimental value.

The formula to calculate error is:

  $\text{error = experimental}\text{value}-\text{accepted}\text{value}$

Errors may be positive or negative.

The error's magnitude reveals how much the experimental value deviates from the accepted value. In calculating relative error or % error, this is helpful.

The formula to calculate the percent error is,

  $\text{percent error = }\frac{\left|\text{error}\right|}{\text{accepted}\text{value}}\text{×100\%}$