Error Propagation Formula For Multiplication
Contents |
or more quantities, each with their individual uncertainties, and then combine the information from these quantities in order to come up with a final result of our experiment. How can you state your answer for the combined result of these measurements and their uncertainties scientifically? The answer to this fairly common question depends on how the error propagation multiplication and division individual measurements are combined in the result. We will treat each case separately: Addition of measured quantities error propagation multiplication by a constant If you have measured values for the quantities X, Y, and Z, with uncertainties dX, dY, and dZ, and your final result, R, is the sum error propagation formula physics or difference of these quantities, then the uncertainty dR is: Here the upper equation is an approximation that can also serve as an upper bound for the error. Please note that the rule is the same for addition and subtraction of quantities. Example:
Error Propagation Formula Excel
Suppose we have measured the starting position as x1 = 9.3+-0.2 m and the finishing position as x2 = 14.4+-0.3 m. Then the displacement is: Dx = x2-x1 = 14.4 m - 9.3 m = 5.1 m and the error in the displacement is: (0.22 + 0.32)1/2 m = 0.36 m Multiplication of measured quantities In the same way as for sums and differences, we can also state the result for the case of multiplication and division: Again the upper line is an approximation and the lower error propagation formula derivation line is the exact result for independent random uncertainties in the individual variables. And again please note that for the purpose of error calculation there is no difference between multiplication and division. Example: We have measured a displacement of x = 5.1+-0.4 m during a time of t = 0.4+-0.1 s. What is the average velocity and the error in the average velocity? v = x / t = 5.1 m / 0.4 s = 12.75 m/s and the uncertainty in the velocity is: dv = |v| [ (dx/x)2 + (dt/t)2 ]1/2 = 12.75 m/s [(0.4/5.1)2 + (0.1/0.4)2]1/2 = 3.34 m/s Multiplication with a constant What if you have measured the uncertainty in an observable X, and you need to multiply it with a constant that is known exactly? What is the error then? This is easy: just multiply the error in X with the absolute value of the constant, and this will give you the error in R: If you compare this to the above rule for multiplication of two quantities, you see that this is just the special case of that rule for the uncertainty in c, dc = 0. Example: If an object is realeased from rest and is in free fall, and if you measure the velocity of this object at some point to be v = - 3.8+-0.3 m/s, how long has it been in free fall? Answer: we can calculate the time as (g = 9.81 m/s2 is assumed to be known exactly) t = - v / g =
"change" in the value of that quantity. Results are is obtained by mathematical operations on the data, and small changes in any data quantity can affect the value of a result. We say that error propagation formula calculator "errors in the data propagate through the calculations to produce error in the result." 3.2
Error Propagation Rules
MAXIMUM ERROR We first consider how data errors propagate through calculations to affect error limits (or maximum error) of results. It's easiest to first
Multiplying Error Propagation
consider determinate errors, which have explicit sign. This leads to useful rules for error propagation. Then we'll modify and extend the rules to other error measures and also to indeterminate errors. The underlying mathematics is that of "finite differences," http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/~mmp/labs/error/e2.htm an algebra for dealing with numbers which have relatively small variations imposed upon them. The finite differences we are interested in are variations from "true values" caused by experimental errors. Consider a result, R, calculated from the sum of two data quantities A and B. For this discussion we'll use ΔA and ΔB to represent the errors in A and B respectively. The data quantities are written to show the errors explicitly: [3-1] A + ΔA and https://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/scenario/errorman/propagat.htm B + ΔB We allow the possibility that ΔA and ΔB may be either positive or negative, the signs being "in" the symbols "ΔA" and "ΔB." The result of adding A and B is expressed by the equation: R = A + B. When errors are explicitly included, it is written: (A + ΔA) + (B + ΔB) = (A + B) + (Δa + δb) So the result, with its error ΔR explicitly shown in the form R + ΔR, is: R + ΔR = (A + B) + (Δa + Δb) [3-2] The error in R is: ΔR = ΔA + ΔB. We conclude that the error in the sum of two quantities is the sum of the errors in those quantities. You can easily work out the case where the result is calculated from the difference of two quantities. In that case the error in the result is the difference in the errors. Summarizing: Sum and difference rule. When two quantities are added (or subtracted), their determinate errors add (or subtract). Now consider multiplication: R = AB. With errors explicitly included: R + ΔR = (A + ΔA)(B + ΔB) = AB + (ΔA)B + A(ΔB) + (ΔA)(ΔB) [3-3] or : ΔR = (ΔA)B + A(ΔB) + (ΔA)(ΔB) This doesn't look like a simple rule. However, when we express the errors in relative form, things look better.
Engineering Medicine Agriculture Photosciences Humanities Periodic Table of the Elements Reference Tables Physical Constants Units and Conversions Organic http://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Analytical_Chemistry/Quantifying_Nature/Significant_Digits/Propagation_of_Error Chemistry 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 error propagation of Exact 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 error propagation formula an accurate measurement 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 Calculati
be down. Please try the request again. Your cache administrator is webmaster. Generated Fri, 14 Oct 2016 15:40:14 GMT by s_wx1127 (squid/3.5.20)