Final answer:
The deviation between theoretical and experimental values measures the accuracy of experimental results. It is calculated by subtracting the experimental value from the accepted value. Large deviations indicate a decrease in measurement accuracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The deviation between the theoretical and experimental values refers to the difference between a known, accepted value (theoretical) and the value that is obtained through experiments (experimental). To calculate this deviation, one would subtract the experimental value from the accepted value. This calculation is important because it helps gauge the accuracy of experimental results against the accepted theoretical outcomes.
An accepted value is considered a standard or known value that is widely acknowledged in scientific literature, whereas an experimental value is the result obtained from conducting a laboratory experiment or measurement. If the experimental value equals the accepted value, the percent error is zero, indicating perfect accuracy. However, as the accuracy of a measurement decreases, the percent error increases, reflecting a larger deviation. The deviation could be expressed as a raw number or more commonly as a percentage, which is referred to as the percent error.
In Physics, we often see the interplay between experiment and theory. An experiment might produce data that are consistent amongst themselves (precision), but that doesn't guarantee the data are close to the theoretical values (accuracy). One example of this is comparing classical and relativistic solutions at different speeds represented by variable z, where deviations are observed as z increases.