What does it mean to have a 99.1% experimental uncertainty or percent deviation
To understand what it means to have a 99.1% experimental uncertainty or percent deviation, we need to first understand what experimental uncertainty and percent deviation represent.
Experimental Uncertainty:
Experimental uncertainty refers to the range of values within which the true value of a measurement is likely to fall. It quantifies the potential error or variability in a measurement due to limitations in equipment, experimental procedure, or inherent randomness in the system being measured. In other words, it represents the degree of confidence we have in the accuracy of our measurement.
Percent Deviation:
Percent deviation, also known as percent error, is a measurement of the discrepancy between an experimental value and a known or accepted value. It is often used to evaluate the accuracy of experimental data. Percent deviation is calculated by taking the absolute difference between the experimental value and the known value, dividing that difference by the known value, and then multiplying by 100 to express it as a percentage.
Now, coming back to your question, if you have a 99.1% experimental uncertainty or percent deviation, it means that your experimental value is deviating by 99.1% from the accepted or known value. This indicates a significant discrepancy between the experimental result and the expected value.
To calculate the experimental uncertainty or percent deviation, you would typically need to have both the experimental value and the known or accepted value. Once you have these two values, you can use the following formula to calculate percent deviation:
Percent Deviation = |(Experimental Value - Accepted Value)/Accepted Value| * 100
This formula calculates the absolute difference between the experimental and accepted values, divides it by the accepted value, and then multiplies by 100 to express it as a percentage.
By calculating this percentage, you can assess how accurately your experimental result matches the expected value. A higher percent deviation indicates a greater discrepancy, while a smaller percent deviation suggests better agreement between the experimental and accepted values.