Error Propagation For Natural Logarithm
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Error Propagation Ln
hiring developers or posting ads with us Physics Questions Tags Users Badges Unanswered Ask Question _ Physics Stack Exchange error propagation log base 10 is a question and answer site for active researchers, academics and students of physics. Join them; it only takes a minute: Sign up Here's how it works: Anybody can ask a uncertainty logarithm base 10 question Anybody can answer The best answers are voted up and rise to the top The error of the natural logarithm up vote 10 down vote favorite 2 Can anyone explain why the error for $\ln (x)$ (where for $x$ we have $x\pm\Delta x$) is simply said to be $\frac{\Delta x}{x}$? I would very much appreciate a somewhat rigorous rationalization of this step. Additionally,
Logarithmic Error Calculation
is this the case for other logarithms (e.g. $\log_2(x)$), or how would that be done? error-analysis share|cite|improve this question edited Jan 25 '14 at 20:01 Chris Mueller 4,72711444 asked Jan 25 '14 at 18:31 Just_a_fool 3341413 add a comment| 2 Answers 2 active oldest votes up vote 17 down vote accepted Simple error analysis assumes that the error of a function $\Delta f(x)$ by a given error $\Delta x$ of the input argument is approximately $$ \Delta f(x) \approx \frac{\text{d}f(x)}{\text{d}x}\cdot\Delta x $$ The mathematical reasoning behind this is the Taylor series and the character of $\frac{\text{d}f(x)}{\text{d}x}$ describing how the function $f(x)$ changes when its input argument changes a little bit. In fact this assumption makes only sense if $\Delta x \ll x$ (see Emilio Pisanty's answer for details on this) and if your function isnt too nonlinear at the specific point (in which case the presentation of a result in the form $f(x) \pm \Delta f(x)$ wouldnt make sense anyway). Note that sometimes $\left| \frac{\text{d}f(x)}{\text{d}x}\right|$ is used to avoid getting negative erros. Since $$ \frac{\text{d}\ln(x)}{\text{d}x} = \frac{1}{x} $$ the error would be $$ \Delta \ln(x) \approx \frac{\Delta x}{x
the quantity. Uncertainty in logarithms to other bases (such as common http://phys114115lab.capuphysics.ca/App%20A%20-%20uncertainties/appA%20propLogs.htm logs logarithms to base 10, written as log10 or simply log) is this absolute uncertainty adjusted by a factor (divided by 2.3 for common logs). Note, logarithms do not have units.
\[ ln(x \pm \Delta x)=ln(x)\pm \frac{\Delta x}{x}\] \[~~~~~~~~~ln((95 \pm 5)mm)=ln(95~mm)\pm \frac{ 5~mm}{95~mm}\] \[~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~=4.543 \pm 0.053\]Engineering Medicine Agriculture Photosciences Humanities Periodic Table of the Elements Reference Tables Physical Constants Units and Conversions Organic Chemistry http://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Analytical_Chemistry/Quantifying_Nature/Significant_Digits/Propagation_of_Error Glossary Search site Search Search Go back to previous article Username Password Sign in Sign in Sign in Registration Forgot password Expand/collapse global hierarchy Home Core Analytical Chemistry Quantifying Nature Expand/collapse global location Propagation of Error Last updated 20:33, 14 May 2016 Save as PDF Share Share Share Tweet Share IntroductionDerivation of Exact error propagation FormulaDerivation of Arithmetic ExampleCaveats and WarningsDisadvantages of Propagation of Error ApproachTreatment of Covariance TermsReferencesContributors Propagation of Error (or Propagation of Uncertainty) is defined as the effects on a function by a variable's uncertainty. It is a calculus derived statistical calculation designed to combine uncertainties from multiple variables, in order to provide an accurate measurement error propagation for of uncertainty. Introduction Every measurement has an air of uncertainty about it, and not all uncertainties are equal. Therefore, the ability to properly combine uncertainties from different measurements is crucial. Uncertainty in measurement comes about in a variety of ways: instrument variability, different observers, sample differences, time of day, etc. Typically, error is given by the standard deviation (\(\sigma_x\)) of a measurement. Anytime a calculation requires more than one variable to solve, propagation of error is necessary to properly determine the uncertainty. For example, lets say we are using a UV-Vis Spectrophotometer to determine the molar absorptivity of a molecule via Beer's Law: A = ε l c. Since at least two of the variables have an uncertainty based on the equipment used, a propagation of error formula must be applied to measure a more exact uncertainty of the molar absorptivity. This example will be continued below, after the derivation (see Example Calculation). Derivation of Exact Formula Suppose a c