Physics 9702 · AS & A Level · Errors and uncertainties

Errors and uncertainties — practice question

In an experiment designed to find the acceleration of free fall $g$, a ball bearing is supported by an electromagnet. Once the current to the electromagnet is turned off, a clock begins and the ball bearing drops. After it has fallen a distance $h$, the ball bearing hits a switch that stops the clock, which records the time $t$ for the fall. If systematic errors make $t$ and $h$ be measured wrongly, which error would have to make $g$ seem larger than $9.81\,\text{m s}^{-2}$?

  • A$h$ measured as being smaller than it actually is and $t$ is measured correctly
  • B$h$ measured as being smaller than it actually is and $t$ measured as being larger than it actually is
  • C$h$ measured as being larger than it actually is and $t$ measured as being larger than it actually is
  • D$h$ is measured correctly and $t$ measured as being smaller than it actually is

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