Want to review the theory before solving questions? Visit our Concept Explanation Videos for this Sub-topic:
Uncertainties and Errors
Concept Explanations
Full Membership
Question difficulty level:
Basic
Moderate
Challenging
Difficult
Black Hole
Basic
Moderate
Challenging
Difficult
Black Hole
A bit more about difficulty levels (click)
Basic: Simple, usually one-step or definition-style questions to help you revise the basics.
Moderate: At the level of easier IB exam questions. Slightly more challenging than one-plane problems.
Challenging: Typical, medium-level exam-style questions to help you solidify your knowledge.
Difficult: This is how more challenging IB exam questions look like. If you can solve these with ease, you are in a good shape :)
Black Hole: Extra challenge for those with lightspeed thinking! Very few questions on your exam will be this difficult.
Paper 1
Question 1
The side length of a cube is 20 \pm 5 cm. What is the absolute uncertainty in the volume of the cube?
125 cm^{3}
625 cm^{3}
6000 cm^{3}
8000 cm^{3}
Answer
C.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 2
A student carries out an experiment to determine the speed of a toy car. The results of the experiment are shown on the graph.
What is true about the random and the systematic errors in the student’s data?
Random errors
Systematic errors
A.
Small
Large
B.
Large
Small
C.
Small
Small
D.
Large
Large
Answer
A.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 3
The period of a mass-spring system that oscillates with simple harmonic motion (SHM) can be calculated using the formula T = 2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}} where T is the period of the oscillations, m is mass and k is the spring constant. The percentage uncertainty in the period is 4 % and the percentage uncertainty in the mass is 8 %. What is the percentage uncertainty in the spring constant?
0.5 %
1 %
16 %
24 %
Answer
C.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 4
The radius of a sphere is measured to be 10 \pm 1 cm. What is the best estimate for the absolute uncertainty in the volume of the sphere?
1 cm^3
12 cm^3
100 cm^3
1200 cm^3
Answer
D.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 5
A student measures the base of a triangle as 20 \pm 1 cm and its height as 8 cm \pm 4 %. What is the fractional uncertainty in the area of the triangle?
\frac{1}{20}
\frac{9}{100}
\frac{51}{100}
\frac{11}{20}
Answer
B.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 6
A point charge is placed in an electric field. The uncertainty in the electric force that acts on the point charge is 8 % and the uncertainty in the charge of the point charge is 4 %. What is the percentage uncertainty in the electric field strength?
2 %
4 %
12 %
32 %
Answer
C.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 7
The graph shows a data set from an experiment.
What is the percentage uncertainty in the vertical axis intercept of the line of best fit for the data set?
30 %
50 %
70 %
100 %
Answer
B.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 8
The side length of a cube is 50 \pm 1 cm and its mass is 60 \pm 3 kg. What is the percentage uncertainty in the density of the cube?
4 %
7 %
11 %
13 %
Answer
C.
Video Solution
Done Under 90
Question 9
The radius of a spherical planet is X and the absolute uncertainty in the radius of the planet is \Delta X. What is the fractional uncertainty in the volume of the planet?