Measurements are always uncertain: there is no such thing as a perfectly precise measurement. At the very least, the instrument used will limit the precision of the value but in many cases other factors can introduce even greater variability. It is always the greater of these two numbers (the resolution of the instrument and variability … Continue reading Uncertainties and Error Bars
Key Facts: Electric circuits
Electricity is one of the forms of energy transfer so it is not surprising that the definition of the volt (the unit for measuring potential difference) is the energy carried per unit charge. In symbols, where Q is the symbol for charge, this relationship is written as; V = E / Q It is important … Continue reading Key Facts: Electric circuits
Investigating I-V Characteristics
Many GCSE Physics courses, including AQA Trilogy, include a compulsory practical to investigate the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of various electrical components. This experiment links back to the work done by Georg Ohm, whose results have previously been summarised as; "the current flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference (voltage) across the … Continue reading Investigating I-V Characteristics
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