If I measure a graduated cylinder 50 mL and then take that same liquid and it measures 52 mL in a beaker, what is the percentage error of the beaker?
I suppose it's (2/50)*100 = ?? but you CAN'T transfer all of the liquid in the graduated cylinder to a beaker. Some of the liquid will stick to the sides of the graduated cylinder. And do you know that the 50 mL graduated cylinder is calibrated accurately.
To calculate the percentage error of the beaker measurement, we need to compare it to the reference measurement using the graduated cylinder.
The formula to calculate percentage error is:
Percentage Error = (|Measured Value - True Value| / True Value) × 100
In this case, the true value is the measurement taken using the graduated cylinder, which is 50 mL.
First, we calculate the absolute difference between the measured value in the beaker (52 mL) and the true value (50 mL):
|Measured Value - True Value| = |52 mL - 50 mL| = 2 mL
Then, divide the absolute difference by the true value:
2 mL / 50 mL = 0.04
Finally, multiply by 100 to get percentage:
0.04 × 100 = 4%
Therefore, the percentage error of the beaker measurement is 4%.