Final answer:
Calibration using standards improves both the accuracy and precision of an experiment by ensuring that measurements are true to the standard's value and consistent across trials, thereby reducing uncertainty.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calibration using standards improves both the accuracy and precision of an experiment.
- Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the true or accepted value.
- Precision refers to the reproducibility of measurements, indicating how close a series of measurements are to one another, regardless of how close they are to the true value.
Therefore, calibration ensures that measurements are both true to the standard's value (accuracy) and consistent across multiple trials (precision).
Understanding Accuracy and Precision
- A set of measurements is precise, but inaccurate if the results are consistent with each other but far from the true value.
- A set of measurements is both precise and accurate if the results are consistent with each other and also close to the true value.
- A set of measurements is neither precise nor accurate if the results are inconsistent and not close to the true value.
Uncertainty in measurement relates to both accuracy and precision. An increase in uncertainty arises from a decrease in either accuracy or precision, making the measurement less reliable. Calibration using standards reduces this uncertainty by improving both attributes.