Question

Identify at least one likely source of random errors and at least one likely source of systematic errors. How would you reduce these errors? a. You need to measure 10 meters. You don't have a tape measure, so 2. you use a meter stick to measure the distance You need to measure the weight of a penny, but you only have a postage scale b.

Answer 1

a. Random errors are the errors due to the factors that are in built-in with the measurement process. We cannot control it. For example, one meter scale used here to measure a length of 10 meters. A meter scale has a tolerance value due to the uncontrollable fluctuations in the manufacturing process of the scales. We call it as a tolerance value. So we are measuring the length of 10 meters with a nominal value of 1 meter and some tolerance value attached with it or we can say that the error standard deviation. Tolerance value or error standard deviation of the one meter scale used is the most likely source of random errors.

Systematic errors are due to the the measurement methods, or the man-to man variation or If the 10 meters are measured at an interval of one meter scale, we are measuring 10 times, so we bound to do some mistakes in locating the end and start point of the each measurement. So positioning the scale to the correct points is the most likely source of systematic errors.

b. Postage scale has a standard deviation due to the random errors caused by the manufacturing process. So the penny's weight measured will in the error range of say x+0.5gram to x-0.5 gram. Those plus or minus 0.5 grams is a random error.

Scale will give different measurements, due to the wind speed and air quality around the scale, or due to the wear and tear of the instrument parts. This is an example of systematic errors.