Significant Figures and Errors Quiz | Physics Year 12

Question 1

Which of the following describes an error that varies randomly and unpredictably?

Accepted Answer

Human error

Answer

Zero error

Answer

Parallax error

Answer

Systematic error

Question 2

Which type of error can be reduced by taking multiple measurements?

Accepted Answer

Random error

Answer

Instrumental error

Answer

Personal error

Answer

Systematic error

Question 3

In a measurement recorded as 0.00250 cm, what is the uncertainty in the last digit?

Accepted Answer

0.0001 cm

Answer

0.00001 cm

Answer

0.001 cm

Answer

0.01 cm

Question 4

Which of the following measurements is precise to the nearest hundredth?

Accepted Answer

10.00 cm

Answer

10.0 cm

Answer

0.010 cm

Answer

0.001 cm

Question 5

Calculate the sum of 2.34 and 1.2, rounding the answer to the correct number of significant figures.

Accepted Answer

3.5

Answer

3.54

Answer

3.540

Answer

3.50

Question 6

Which of the following is the correct way to propagate errors in a calculation that involves addition?

Accepted Answer

Add the absolute errors

Answer

Multiply the absolute errors

Answer

Add the percentage errors

Answer

Multiply the percentage errors

Question 7

Which of the following is a strategy to minimize random errors?

Accepted Answer

Repeating the measurement multiple times

Answer

Using a faulty measuring instrument

Answer

Making a systematic error

Answer

Reading the scale incorrectly

Question 8

What is the primary significance of significant figures in scientific measurements?

Accepted Answer

They indicate the number of digits that are known with certainty

Answer

They indicate the accuracy of the measurement

Answer

They indicate the precision of the measurement

Answer

They indicate the range of possible values for the measurement

Question 9

Which of the following numbers has three significant figures?

Accepted Answer

2.50

Answer

0.0025

Answer

25.00

Answer

250

Question 10

What is the primary purpose of error propagation in calculations?

Accepted Answer

To determine the uncertainty in the final result

Answer

To minimize errors

Answer

To increase accuracy

Answer

To simplify calculations

Question 11

Which measurement has the least number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

10

Answer

10.00

Answer

10.0

Answer

0.010

Question 12

Which of the following is a systematic error?

Accepted Answer

Using a faulty measuring instrument

Answer

Reading the scale incorrectly

Answer

Fluctuations in environmental conditions

Answer

Random variations in data

Question 13

Which of the following is a standard deviation?

Accepted Answer

The square root of the variance

Answer

The average of the absolute deviations from the mean

Answer

The difference between the largest and smallest values

Answer

The sum of the squares of the deviations from the mean

Question 14

The standard deviation of a set of measurements is 0.5. If the mean of the measurements is 10, what is the range of values that the measurements are likely to fall within?

Accepted Answer

9.5 - 10.5

Answer

9 - 11

Answer

8.5 - 11.5

Answer

8 - 12

Question 15

What is the purpose of error propagation?

Accepted Answer

To estimate the uncertainty in a calculated result

Answer

To eliminate errors from measurements

Answer

To increase the accuracy of measurements

Answer

To reduce the standard deviation of measurements

Question 16

Which of the following measurements has the least number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

4

Answer

4.00

Answer

4.000

Answer

0.00400

Question 17

When adding or subtracting measurements, the answer should be rounded to the same number of decimal places as the measurement with the

Accepted Answer

Least number of decimal places

Answer

Most number of decimal places

Answer

Average number of decimal places

Answer

Largest uncertainty

Question 18

Which of the following operations will NOT introduce error into a measurement?

Accepted Answer

Reading the temperature from a calibrated thermometer

Answer

Measuring the length of an object with a ruler

Answer

Calculating the average of multiple measurements

Answer

Estimating the speed of a moving object

Question 19

A systematic error in an experiment is characterized by being:

Accepted Answer

Consistent in all measurements

Answer

Due to a faulty instrument

Answer

Random in nature

Answer

Caused by human mistakes

Question 20

A student measures the mass of a ball using a balance and obtains a reading of 25.6 grams. If the uncertainty of the balance is ±0.1 grams, what is the correct way to report the mass of the ball?

Accepted Answer

25.6 ± 0.1 grams

Answer

25.60 ± 0.1 grams

Answer

25.6 grams (uncertainty: ±0.1 grams)

Answer

25.6 grams

Question 21

When taking measurements, which combination of precision, accuracy, and uncertainty is most desirable?

Accepted Answer

High precision, high accuracy

Answer

High precision, low accuracy

Answer

Low precision, high accuracy

Answer

Low precision, low accuracy

Question 22

The measurement 4.56 cm is reported as 4.6 cm. What is the absolute error in this measurement?

Accepted Answer

0.04 cm

Answer

0.4 cm

Answer

4.0 cm

Answer

46 cm

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a random error?

Accepted Answer

Offset from the true value

Answer

Unpredictable

Answer

Unavoidable

Answer

Can be reduced by taking multiple measurements

Question 24

A measurement with an uncertainty of 0.02 g is reported as 20.45 g. Which of the following is the correct way to report this result?

Accepted Answer

20.45 g ± 0.02 g

Answer

20.4 g ± 0.02 g

Answer

0.02 g ± 20.45 g

Answer

20.4500 g ± 0.0200 g

Question 25

Which of the following is an example of a systematic error?

Accepted Answer

Incorrect calibration of equipment

Answer

Environmental fluctuations

Answer

Human parallax error

Answer

Random fluctuations in data

Question 26

What is the uncertainty in the measurement 10.30 ± 0.05 cm?

Accepted Answer

0.05 cm

Answer

10.35 cm

Answer

10.25 cm

Answer

0.10 cm

Question 27

Which of the following errors occurs when a measuring instrument consistently gives readings that deviate from the true value?

Accepted Answer

Systematic error

Answer

Random error

Answer

Gross error

Question 28

Distinguish between precision and accuracy.

Accepted Answer

Precision refers to the consistency of repeated measurements, while accuracy refers to the closeness of measurements to the true value.

Answer

Precision refers to the accuracy of measurements, while accuracy refers to the precision of measurements.

Question 29

Which of the following is **most likely** a random error?

Accepted Answer

Variation in stopwatch readings

Answer

Incorrect zeroing of a spring balance

Answer

Parallax error in a burette reading

Answer

Systematic error in a measuring cylinder

Question 30

Which of the following is **an example** of a systematic error?

Accepted Answer

Incorrect calibration of a thermometer

Answer

Fluctuations in the ambient temperature

Answer

Inconsistent rounding of measurements

Answer

Reading a voltmeter at an angle

Question 31

The length of a pencil is measured to be 15.2 cm. The measuring instrument has a precision of 0.1 cm. What is the absolute uncertainty in the measurement?

Accepted Answer

0.1 cm

Answer

1.5 cm

Answer

0.05 cm

Answer

0.2 cm

Question 32

A student measures the mass of an object three times and obtains the following results: 12.5 g, 12.7 g, and 12.6 g. What is the best estimate of the mass?

Accepted Answer

12.6 g

Answer

12.7 g

Answer

12.5 g

Answer

12.63 g

Question 33

The percentage uncertainty in a measurement is calculated as:

Accepted Answer

(Absolute uncertainty / Measured value) x 100%

Answer

100% - (Absolute uncertainty / Measured value)

Answer

(Measured value / Absolute uncertainty) x 100%

Answer

100% + (Absolute uncertainty / Measured value)

Question 34

Which of the following units is NOT a base unit in the SI system?

Accepted Answer

Liter

Answer

Ampere

Answer

Meter

Answer

Second

Question 35

The following quantity has 3 significant figures: 0.00340. If this quantity is multiplied by 100, how many significant figures will the result have?

Accepted Answer

3

Answer

2

Answer

4

Question 36

The mass of a ball is measured to be 23.45 g.  How many significant figures are there in this measurement?

Accepted Answer

4

Answer

2

Answer

3

Answer

5

Question 37

A student calculates the volume of a cube using the formula V = l³ where l = 2.5 cm. What is the correct volume reported to the appropriate number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

16 cm³

Answer

15.625 cm³

Answer

16.0 cm³

Answer

15.6 cm³

Question 38

A student measures the diameter of a circle to be 10.2 cm and calculates the circumference using the formula C = πd.  What is the calculated circumference reported to the appropriate number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

32 cm

Answer

32.0 cm

Answer

32.04 cm

Answer

32.044 cm

Question 39

The time taken for a pendulum to complete one oscillation is measured to be 1.24 ± 0.02 s. What is the percentage uncertainty in the measurement?

Accepted Answer

1.6%

Answer

2%

Answer

0.02%

Answer

16%

Question 40

Two lengths are measured as 2.5 cm ± 0.1 cm and 3.2 cm ± 0.2 cm.  What is the sum of these two lengths, including the uncertainty?

Accepted Answer

5.7 cm ± 0.3 cm

Answer

5.7 cm ± 0.4 cm

Answer

5.7 cm ± 0.2 cm

Answer

5.7 cm ± 0.1 cm

Question 41

A student measures the mass of a block to be 100 g. The actual mass of the block is 98 g. What is the percentage error in the student's measurement?

Accepted Answer

2.0%

Answer

0.5%

Answer

1.0%

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT a source of systematic error in a measurement?

Accepted Answer

Fluctuations in the environment

Answer

Incorrect calibration of a measuring instrument

Answer

Zero error in a measuring instrument

Answer

Personal bias in reading a measuring instrument

Question 43

Which of the following is a good practice for minimizing random errors in a measurement?

Accepted Answer

Taking multiple readings and calculating the average

Answer

Using a more precise measuring instrument

Answer

Calibrating the measuring instrument carefully

Question 44

Which of the following measurements has the greatest uncertainty?

Accepted Answer

120.0 cm

Answer

0.1200 cm

Answer

1.200 cm

Answer

12.00 cm

Question 45

The following data was collected: 1.2, 1.5, 1.3, 1.4. What is the mean of these values?

Accepted Answer

1.35

Answer

1.30

Answer

1.45

Answer

1.40

Question 46

A measurement is made with an instrument that has a stated uncertainty of ±0.02 cm. If the measurement is 10.00 cm, what is the maximum possible error?

Accepted Answer

0.04 cm

Answer

0.08 cm

Answer

0.06 cm

Answer

0.02 cm

Question 47

Which of the following calculations gives the correct number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

1.23 + 4.567 = 5.80

Answer

1.23 + 4.567 = 5.8

Answer

1.23 + 4.567 = 5.799

Answer

1.23 + 4.567 = 5.800

Question 48

A student measures the mass of an object using a balance and obtains a reading of 102.3 g. The balance has a stated uncertainty of ±0.1 g. What is the range of possible values for the true mass of the object?

Accepted Answer

102.2 g to 102.4 g

Answer

102.3 g to 102.5 g

Answer

102.1 g to 102.3 g

Answer

102.4 g to 102.6 g

Question 49

Which of the following is the correct way to express a measurement with an uncertainty of ±0.05 cm?

Accepted Answer

10.00 ± 0.05 cm

Answer

0.100 ± 0.05 cm

Answer

10.00 ± 5 cm

Question 50

A student makes three measurements of the length of a rod and obtains the following results: 10.2 cm, 10.3 cm, and 10.4 cm. What is the absolute error of the mean?

Accepted Answer

0.05 cm

Answer

0.10 cm

Answer

0.20 cm

Answer

0.15 cm

Question 51

Which of the following is the correct way to determine the number of significant figures in the number 0.0025?

Accepted Answer

2

Answer

1

Answer

4

Answer

3