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Limitation of physical measurements key terms
Study Limitation of physical measurements with curriculum-aligned Key Terms resources, practice links, and exam-focused support.
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key terms
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Topic
Limitation of physical measurements
Key terms
random error
An error that occurs due to unpredictable fluctuations in the measurement process, leading to variations in results.
systematic error
An error that consistently skews results in the same direction due to a flaw in the measurement system or procedure.
precision
The degree to which repeated measurements under unchanged conditions show the same results.
accuracy
Accuracy is how close a measured value is to the true or accepted value. In uncertainty, error and data quality, it is affected strongly by systematic error and calibration.
absolute uncertainty
The uncertainty of a measurement expressed as a fixed quantity, indicating the range within which the true value lies.
percentage uncertainty
The uncertainty of a measurement expressed as a percentage of the measured value, calculated to assess the relative size of the uncertainty.
absolute uncertainty
The uncertainty of a measurement expressed as a fixed quantity, indicating the range within which the true value lies.
percentage uncertainty
The uncertainty of a measurement expressed as a percentage of the measured value, calculated by dividing the absolute uncertainty by the measured value and multiplying by 100.
random error
An error that occurs in a measurement due to unpredictable fluctuations in the measurement process, affecting the precision of results.
systematic error
An error that consistently occurs in the same direction, often due to a flaw in the measurement system, affecting the accuracy of results.
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