Question detail

What is the difference between accuracy and precision in a practical experiment?

Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.

At a glance

Question

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exam_style

Style

Topic

A-level practical endorsement and required practical activities

Question

What is the difference between accuracy and precision in a practical experiment?

Answer

Accuracy refers to how close a measured value is to the true value, while precision indicates how consistently repeated measurements yield the same result. For example, if a scale shows 5.0 kg for a 5.0 kg weight, it is accurate; if it shows 5.0 kg repeatedly for multiple trials, it is precise. This answer is anchored to A-level practical endorsement.

Explanation

Accuracy refers to how close a measured value is to the true value, while precision indicates how consistently repeated measurements yield the same result. For example, if a scale shows 5.0 kg for a 5.0 kg weight, it is accurate; if it shows 5.0 kg repeatedly for multiple trials, it is precise. is the best answer because it directly supports the AQA A-Level Chemistry objective to evaluate practical procedures using uncertainty, error, accuracy and precision. This reasoning is anchored to A-level practical endorsement in A-level practical endorsement and required practical activities, and it separates uncertainty from similar A-Level ideas rather than relying on a vague recall statement. Other options are weaker if they use the wrong evidence, calculation, mechanism, observation, unit, or conclusion for this subtopic.

Common mistake

Misunderstanding Uncertainty in Measurements

Students often state that uncertainty is simply the difference between the highest and lowest measurements taken.

Uncertainty should be expressed as a range or a percentage of the measurement, reflecting the precision of the measuring instrument used.

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