Uncertainties in measurements arise from the equipment used and the method employed. As the final paper for this year’s A-level Physics examination is imminent, and tests knowledge of uncertainties, it is worth taking a moment to examine the causes of uncertainty in more detail. We will do this by thinking about two example measurements; one … Continue reading Instrument resolution and experimental accuracy
Uncertainties and Error Bars
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
How to read Vernier callipers
Having previously discussed micrometers as instruments that some people find tricky to read (see https://physbang.com/2025/04/09/how-to-read-a-micrometer/) we now come to the instrument that many people find even more difficult; Vernier callipers. Whereas micrometers are mostly used for measuring thicknesses between flat surfaces, callipers are better when the surfaces are curved. In particular, callipers are commonly used … Continue reading How to read Vernier callipers
Hypothesis and Analysis
When carrying out a practical investigation it is always helpful to know what sorts of results are expected. In other words, before starting an experiment it is a good idea to consider what theory tells us should be the outcome. The predicted findings form the basis of an hypothesis, which is developed by considering an … Continue reading Hypothesis and Analysis
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