Partial Derivative Sum Method Error Analysis
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with: (1) Functions of several variables. (2) Evaluation of partial derivatives, and the chain rules of differentiation. (3) Manipulation of summations in algebraic context. At this mathematical level our presentation error propagation formula physics can be briefer. We can dispense with the tedious explanations and elaborations of
Error Propagation Multiplication
previous chapters. 6.2 THE CHAIN RULE AND DETERMINATE ERRORS If a result R = R(x,y,z) is calculated from a error propagation calculator number of data quantities, x, y and z, then the relation: [6-1] ∂R ∂R ∂R dR = —— dx + —— dy + —— dz ∂x ∂y ∂z
holds. This is error propagation chemistry one of the "chain rules" of calculus. This equation has as many terms as there are variables. Then, if the fractional errors are small, the differentials dR, dx, dy and dz may be replaced by the absolute errors ΔR, Δx, Δy, and Δz, and written: [6-2] ∂R ∂R ∂R ΔR ≈ —— Δx + —— Δy + —— Δz ∂x ∂y ∂zError Propagation Calculus
Strictly this is no longer an equality, but an approximation to DR, since the higher order terms in the Taylor expansion have been neglected. So long as the errors are of the order of a few percent or less, this will not matter. This equation is now an error propagation equation. [6-3] Finally, divide equation (6.2) by R: ΔR x ∂R Δx y ∂R Δy z ∂R Δz —— = —————+——— ——+————— R R ∂x x R ∂y y R ∂z z
The factors of the form Δx/x, Δy/y, etc are relative (fractional) errors. This equation shows how the errors in the result depend on the errors in the data. Eq. 6.2 and 6.3 are called the standard form error equations. They are also called determinate error equations, because they are strictly valid for determinate errors (not indeterminate errors). [We'll get to indeterminate errors soon.] The coefficients in Eq. 6.3 of the fractional errors are of the form [(x/R)(∂R/dx)]. These play the very important role of "weighting" factors in the various error terms. At this point numeric values of the relative errors could be substituted into this equation,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 error propagation square root measurements and their uncertainties scientifically? The answer to this fairly common question depends on error propagation inverse how the individual measurements are combined in the result. We will treat each case separately: Addition of measured quantities If you
Error Propagation Excel
have measured values for the quantities X, Y, and Z, with uncertainties dX, dY, and dZ, and your final result, R, is the sum or difference of these quantities, then the uncertainty dR is: Here https://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/scenario/errorman/calculus.htm 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: 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 http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/~mmp/labs/error/e2.htm 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 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
it. In doing this it is crucial to understand that all measurements of physical quantities are subject to uncertainties. It is never possible to measure http://teacher.nsrl.rochester.edu/phy_labs/AppendixB/AppendixB.html anything exactly. It is good, of course, to make the error as small as possible but it is always there. And in order to draw valid conclusions the error must be indicated and dealt with properly. Take the measurement of a person's height as an example. Assuming that her height has been determined to be 5' 8", how accurate is our error propagation result? Well, the height of a person depends on how straight she stands, whether she just got up (most people are slightly taller when getting up from a long rest in horizontal position), whether she has her shoes on, and how long her hair is and how it is made up. These inaccuracies could all be called errors of definition. A quantity partial derivative sum such as height is not exactly defined without specifying many other circumstances. Even if you could precisely specify the "circumstances," your result would still have an error associated with it. The scale you are using is of limited accuracy; when you read the scale, you may have to estimate a fraction between the marks on the scale, etc. If the result of a measurement is to have meaning it cannot consist of the measured value alone. An indication of how accurate the result is must be included also. Indeed, typically more effort is required to determine the error or uncertainty in a measurement than to perform the measurement itself. Thus, the result of any physical measurement has two essential components: (1) A numerical value (in a specified system of units) giving the best estimate possible of the quantity measured, and (2) the degree of uncertainty associated with this estimated value. For example, a measurement of the width of a table would yield a result such as 95.3 +/- 0.1 cm. Significant Figures The significant figures of a (measured or calculated) quantity are the meaning
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