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Activity Number 2 Accuracy and Precision Edited

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84 views

Activity Number 2 Accuracy and Precision Edited

Uploaded by

lev435247
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name:____________________ Date:__________

Yr.& Section:_______________ Score:_________

ACTIVITY#2: Precision and Accuracy

Activity idea
In this activity, students analyse sets of data and decide whether the measurements are precise
and/or accurate.

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:


• define the terms ‘precision’ and ‘accuracy’
• use the terms ‘precision’ and ‘accuracy’ in a scientific setting
• analyse a measurement data set and judge its precision and accuracy.
Introduction/background
In this activity, student analyse sets of data and make statements about precision and accuracy.

When taking scientific measurements, the goals are to measure accurately and with precision.
• Accuracy indicates the closeness of the measurements to the true or accepted value.
• Precision is the closeness of the results to others obtained in exactly the same way.
What you need
• Copies of the student worksheet:
What to do
1. Hand out copies of the student worksheet: Read through the first page together and discuss.
2. Have students work through the data analysis activities and discuss the results.
3. Analysing data
When taking scientific measurements, the goals are to measure accurately and with precision.
• Accuracy indicates the closeness of the measurements to the true or accepted value.
• Precision is the closeness of the results to others obtained in exactly the same way.
In this image, the bull’s-eye represents the accepted true value. Each cross represents a repeated
measurement of the same quantity.

Coin diameter

A gold coin has an ‘accepted’ diameter of 28.054 mm.

Two students are asked to measure the diameter of four gold coins. Student A uses a simple
plastic ruler. Student B uses a precision measuring tool called a micrometer.

Student A – plastic ruler Student B – micrometer


27.9 mm 28.246 mm
28.0 mm 28.244 mm
27.8 mm 28.246 mm
28.1 mm 28.248 mm
1. Calculate the average value for each set of measurements
Student A – plastic ruler Student B – micrometer

1. Calculate the % error for each set of measurements.


Student A – plastic ruler Student B – micrometer

Prepared by:

SASHA ANN MARIE D. TRINIDAD


SHS Master Teacher I
S.Y. 2024-2025
1. Compare the average value for each set with the accepted value:

• Which student’s data is more accurate?_______________________________________

• Which student’s data is more precise?________________________________________

2. Compare the percentage error for each set:

• Which student’s data is more accurate?_______________________________________

• Which student’s data is more precise?_________________________________________

3. Explain any odd findings:


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Aluminium bar density

Two students are given a small cylinder of aluminium of known mass and asked to determine its
density. (The ‘accepted’ density of aluminium is 2.702 g/cm 3.) Since density is mass/volume, the
students need to calculate the volume of the cylinder. To do this, the height and diameter of the
cylinder need to be measured.

Student A is told to use a simple plastic ruler and to make four independent measurements for
each dimension. Student B is told to use a precision measuring tool called a micrometer.

Student A – plastic ruler Student B – micrometer


2.2 g/cm3 2.703 g/cm3
2.3 g/cm3 2.701 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3 2.705 g/cm3
2.4 g/cm3 5.811 g/cm3

1. Calculate the average value for each set of density values, making sure that any ‘outliers’ are
not included.

Student A – plastic ruler Student B – micrometer

2. Calculate the % error for each set of values.

Student A – plastic ruler Student B – micrometer

Prepared by:

SASHA ANN MARIE D. TRINIDAD


SHS Master Teacher I
S.Y. 2024-2025
3. Compare the average value for each set with the accepted value:

• Which student’s data is more accurate?________________________________________

• Which student’s data is more precise?__________________________________________

4. Compare the percentage error for each set:

• Which student’s data is more accurate?_________________________________________

• Which student’s data is more precise?__________________________________________

5. Explain any odd findings:


___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Prepared by:

SASHA ANN MARIE D. TRINIDAD


SHS Master Teacher I
S.Y. 2024-2025

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