PHY 131 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

PHY 131 - Assignment Example Sources of errors include; One procedure during the experiment involves measuring the horizontal distance travelled by the block after being released from the top of the inclined plane. In this context, there were possibilities of parallax error. Parallax error results from the distance between the observer’s eye and the measuring scale. Parallax error occurs whenever the observer’s eye fails to squarely align with the scale. Therefore, there is a possibility of parallax error when measuring distance ‘x’ travelled by the block. Systematic errors usually occur whenever observation features as one procedure used in collecting experimental data. Technically, it is almost impossible to start and stop the watch at precisely the ideal moment in time throughout the experiment. With respect to the experiment, stop watch error may have affected all the five entries of time. In this regard, it will be accounted as a constant systematic error throughout the experiment. Typical instruments like rulers will not lack resolution errors. In the energy and kinematic experiment, values obtained for distance ‘x’ contains instrument resolution errors. The ruler used had finite scale, thus limiting the ability to precisely obtain small measurements. Conventionally, electronic meters would measure slight adjustment in distance (Arlene 41). However, precision and resolution of rulers are limited by the finite scale, and cannot measure fractions of a millimeter. In physics experiments, precision of procedures is important in ensuring accuracy of data obtained. For repetitive procedures, changing a physical aspect like reversing one side of the block will cause a substantial error in reproducibility. When combined with other errors, physical variations cause considerable imprecision of empirical values. In conclusion, it is undeniable that numerous types of errors are responsible