Accuracy

Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the true value. It’s about being correct. In physics, accuracy refers to how close a measured value is to the true or accepted value of a physical quantity. For example, if a clock shows the time as 3:00 PM and it is 3:00 PM, the clock is accurate.

Accuracy measures how well the test or tool identifies or predicts the correct outcome. For example, if a thermometer reads 100 degrees and the actual temperature is 99.9 degrees, that thermometer is considered accurate.

Accuracy Formula

Accuracy is calculated using the following percent error formula:

Percent Error = {(Measured Value – True Value)/True Value} × 100

This formula gives us the accuracy as a percentage. The less the percent error the more accurate the value is.

Accuracy and Precision in Measurement

Accuracy means how close a measurement comes to the true value while precision refers to how consistently one can repeat a measurement. Every measurement contains some uncertainty in them. It may be due to limitations in measurement tools, observer variation, or environmental factors. This affects both the accuracy and precision of measurements. In this article, we are going to learn about accuracy and precision in detail, along with their examples and differences.

Table of Content

  • Accuracy
  • Precision
  • Accuracy and Precision Examples
  • Difference between Accuracy and Precision
  • Solved Examples on Accuracy and Precision

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Accuracy

Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the true value. It’s about being correct. In physics, accuracy refers to how close a measured value is to the true or accepted value of a physical quantity. For example, if a clock shows the time as 3:00 PM and it is 3:00 PM, the clock is accurate....

Types of Accuracy

There are three ways to classify the accuracy of a system. They are :...

Precision

Precision refers to how consistently a tool or process can produce similar results under the same conditions. It is about repeatability and reliability, not necessarily how close these results are to the true or intended value....

Accuracy and Precision Examples

Accuracy and precision are two fundamental concepts in measurement that can be illustrated with everyday examples....

Difference between Accuracy and Precision

Accuracy and precision are two distinct concepts in measurement. Here is the difference between accuracy and precision :...

Solved Examples of Accuracy and Precision

Examples 1: A chemist measures the boiling point of water five times in a laboratory setting. The results are as follows: 99.8°C, 100.1°C, 100.0°C, 99.9°C, and 100.2°C. Knowing that the actual boiling point of water at sea level is exactly 100°C, calculate the accuracy and describe the precision of the measurements....

Practice Questions on Accuracy and Precision

Q1: A student experiment measured to measure the acceleration due to gravity using a pendulum. The true value of gravity is approximately 9.81 m/s². The student records five measurements: 9.78 m/s², 9.79 m/s², 9.77 m/s², 9.79 m/s², and 9.78 m/s². Are these measurements accurate, precise, both, or neither? Explain your answer....

FAQs on Accuracy and Precision in Measurement

What is the difference between accuracy and precision in measurements?...

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