Lesson 1.1.2

1.1.2 Limits of measurement and practical skills Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 1.1.2, Limits of measurement and practical skills: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Physics (9PH0), Unit 1: Working as a Physicist, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which term describes how closely repeated readings agree with each other?

    • Resolution
    • Sensitivity
    • Precision
    • Accuracy

  2. Which term describes how close a measurement is to the true value?

    • Repeatability
    • Resolution
    • Accuracy
    • Precision

  3. What type of error shifts all readings by the same amount in one direction?

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

  4. Repeating readings and calculating a mean mainly reduces which type of error?

    • Systematic error
    • Random error
    • Zero error
    • Parallax error

  5. A digital ammeter displays readings to 0.01 A. Its resolution is:

    • 0.001 A
    • 0.1 A
    • 0.01 A
    • 1 A

  6. How should a scale be viewed to eliminate parallax error?

    • From above
    • From an angle
    • At eye level
    • From below

  7. A micrometer reads +0.02 mm when its jaws are closed. A measurement reads 4.36 mm. The corrected value is:

    • 4.38 mm
    • 4.36 mm
    • 4.34 mm
    • 4.40 mm

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

    • 0.6%
    • 1.7%
    • 6.0%
    • 0.2%

  9. Density is calculated as mass divided by volume. Mass is 20.0 +/- 0.2 g and volume is 8.0 +/- 0.1 cm^3. What is the percentage uncertainty in the density?

    • About 2.3%
    • About 0.25%
    • About 1.3%
    • About 1.0%

  10. The time for 20 oscillations is measured as 30.0 +/- 0.2 s. What is the period, with its absolute uncertainty?

    • 1.50 +/- 0.10 s
    • 1.50 +/- 0.01 s
    • 1.50 +/- 0.2 s
    • 1.5 +/- 0.5 s

  11. A digital balance reads 12.34 g. How many significant figures does this reading have?

    • 4
    • 3
    • 5
    • 2

  12. How is the uncertainty in repeated measurements estimated from a set of readings?

    • Mean reading
    • Half the range
    • Full range
    • Percentage uncertainty

  13. Which action directly improves the accuracy of a set of experimental measurements?

    • Taking more readings
    • Using finer scales
    • Averaging measurements
    • Correcting zero errors

  14. Which term describes a measurement repeated by a different observer using different equipment?

    • Reproducibility
    • Resolution
    • Repeatability
    • Calibration

  15. A quantity Q is proportional to x^3. The uncertainty in x is 2%. What is the percentage uncertainty in Q?

    • 6%
    • 1%
    • 2%
    • 8%

  16. A stopwatch has a reaction-time uncertainty of 0.2 s. A time of 3.0 s is measured by hand. What is the percentage uncertainty?

    • About 6.7%
    • About 3%
    • About 0.2%
    • About 20%

  17. What term describes the smallest change in a quantity an instrument can detect?

    • Sensitivity
    • Resolution
    • Precision
    • Accuracy

  18. A measurement of current is 0.40 A with an uncertainty of 0.02 A. Which is the correct way to write this result?

    • 0.40 A +/- 5%
    • 0.40 +/- 0.02 A
    • 0.4 +/- 2 A
    • 0.400 +/- 0.2 A

  19. What is the primary purpose of calibrating a measuring instrument against a standard?

    • Reduce systematic error
    • Increase precision
    • Increase resolution
    • Reduce random error

  20. A ruler is read to the nearest 1 mm and a length is recorded as 25 mm. If half the resolution is taken as the uncertainty, what is the absolute uncertainty?

    • 0.5 mm
    • 2 mm
    • 1 mm
    • 0.1 mm

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