Lesson 3.1.2

3.1.2 Limitation of physical measurements Quiz: AQA Physics, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.2, Limitation of physical measurements: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Physics (7408), Unit 1: Measurements and their errors, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which type of error shifts all measured values by the same amount in one direction?

    • Human error
    • Random error
    • Systematic error
    • Absolute error

  2. Which action reduces the effect of random errors in a physics experiment?

    • Zeroing the balance
    • Calibrating equipment
    • Increasing resolution
    • Calculating a mean

  3. Which term describes how close a measured value is to its true value?

    • Precision
    • Accuracy
    • Resolution
    • Repeatability

  4. What is demonstrated when different experimenters obtain the same results using different equipment?

    • Precision
    • Repeatability
    • Reproducibility
    • Resolution

  5. What term defines the smallest change in quantity a measuring instrument can detect?

    • Accuracy
    • Sensitivity
    • Resolution
    • Precision

  6. What quantity is calculated by dividing absolute uncertainty by the measured value?

    • Percentage uncertainty
    • Standard deviation
    • Relative precision
    • Fractional uncertainty

  7. What do error bars drawn on a graph data point represent?

    • Uncertainty range
    • Gradient range
    • Systematic offset
    • Anomalous readings

  8. A length of 12.0 cm is measured with an absolute uncertainty of 0.2 cm. What is the percentage uncertainty?

    • 0.017%
    • 1.2%
    • 1.7%
    • 0.2%

  9. Two lengths of 5.0 ± 0.1 cm and 3.0 ± 0.1 cm are subtracted. What is the difference with its uncertainty?

    • 2.0 ± 0.02 cm
    • 2.0 ± 0.1 cm
    • 2.0 ± 0.2 cm
    • 2.0 ± 0.4 cm

  10. A rectangle has sides 2.0 ± 0.1 m and 3.0 ± 0.1 m. What is its area with uncertainty?

    • 6.0 ± 0.5 m^2
    • 6.0 ± 0.1 m^2
    • 6.0 ± 0.2 m^2
    • 6.0 ± 0.05 m^2

  11. A radius is measured with a fractional uncertainty of 2%. What is the percentage uncertainty in the area πr^2?

    • 1%
    • 8%
    • 2%
    • 4%

  12. A micrometer reads 0.04 mm with its jaws closed. A measurement reads 2.37 mm. What is the corrected value?

    • 2.33 mm
    • 2.29 mm
    • 2.37 mm
    • 2.41 mm

  13. A value of 12.3456 is quoted with an absolute uncertainty of ±0.2. What is the best quotation?

    • 12 ± 0.2
    • 12.3 ± 0.2
    • 12.3456 ± 0.2
    • 12.35 ± 0.2

  14. Twenty oscillations of a pendulum take 30.0 ± 0.2 s. What is the period with its uncertainty?

    • 1.50 ± 0.2 s
    • 1.50 ± 0.001 s
    • 1.50 ± 0.01 s
    • 1.50 ± 0.10 s

  15. Displacement s = 2.40 ± 0.04 m and time t = 0.80 ± 0.04 s give speed v = s/t. What is v with its uncertainty?

    • 3.00 ± 0.20 m/s
    • 3.00 ± 0.02 m/s
    • 3.00 ± 0.40 m/s
    • 3.00 ± 0.07 m/s

  16. The period T of a system has a percentage uncertainty of 3%. What is the percentage uncertainty in the frequency f = 1/T?

    • 3%
    • 1.5%
    • 6%
    • 0.3%

  17. How can a zero error or offset in a measuring instrument be removed?

    • Calibration
    • Taking repeats
    • Plotting graphs
    • Higher resolution

  18. What lines are compared on a graph to find the uncertainty in its gradient?

    • Axes intercept lines
    • Parallel tangent lines
    • Random fit lines
    • Worst acceptable lines

  19. A quantity is calculated by multiplying three measured values with fractional uncertainties of 2%, 3% and 1%. What is the total fractional uncertainty?

    • 6%
    • 12%
    • 3%
    • 0.06%

  20. A rod of length 2.0 m is measured with an absolute uncertainty of 2 mm. What is its percentage uncertainty?

    • 10%
    • 0.01%
    • 0.1%
    • 1%

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