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Uncertainty & Significant Figures
Uncertainty and Significant Figures - How to find?
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How to use Uncertainty & Significant Figures
- Choose values for the labelled controls: Value (a); Uncertainty (± Δa); Value (b); Uncertainty (± Δb).
- Use the visualiser controls to explore the result.
- Change one input at a time and compare the result with the explanation below.
How it works
NCERT Section 1.3.3 (Uncertainty Propagation, Ex 1.1 Cube & Ex 1.2 Density)
Enter readings with instrument uncertainty: Value ± ΔValue
The textbook highlights that while combining experimental data usually maintains n significant figures, subtracting two nearly equal measurements drastically reduces the number of significant figures . This is because addition and subtraction obey the smallest number of decimal places , NOT the number of significant figures!
Both numbers below are measured with the exact same precision ( ± 0.01 g ) and have the exact same count of significant figures ( 3 Significant Figures ). Yet, their relative percentage error differs by a factor of 10!
Frequently asked questions
What does Uncertainty & Significant Figures help me explore?
Uncertainty and Significant Figures - How to find?
How do I use this visualiser?
Choose values for the labelled controls: Value (a); Uncertainty (± Δa); Value (b); Uncertainty (± Δb). Use the visualiser controls to explore the result. Change one input at a time and compare the result with the explanation below.
What should I know when interpreting this visualiser?
NCERT Section 1.3.3 (Uncertainty Propagation, Ex 1.1 Cube & Ex 1.2 Density)
Enter readings with instrument uncertainty: Value ± ΔValue
The textbook highlights that while combining experimental data usually maintains n significant figures, subtracting two nearly equal measurements drastically reduces the number of significant figures . This is because addition and subtraction obey the smallest number of decimal places , NOT the number of significant figures!
Both numbers below are measured with the exact same precision ( ± 0.01 g ) and have the exact same count of significant figures ( 3 Significant Figures ). Yet, their relative percentage error differs by a factor of 10!