Question

The uncertainty of a triple-beam balance is 0.05g. What is the percent uncertainty in a measurement of 0.445kg?

a) 0.05%

b) 0.11%

c) 1.12%

d) 11.24%

Answer 1

The percent uncertainty in a measurement of 0.445 kg with an absolute uncertainty of 0.05 g is 0.11%, determined by dividing the absolute uncertainty by the measurement and converting to a percentage.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the percent uncertainty of a measurement, we divide the absolute uncertainty by the measured value and then multiply by 100 to get a percentage. In this case, the uncertainty of the triple-beam balance is given as 0.05 g, and the measurement is 0.445 kg (which is equivalent to 445 g).

The percent uncertainty is calculated as follows:

• Convert the measurement to the same unit as the uncertainty: 0.445 kg = 445 g
• Calculate the percent uncertainty: (0.05 g / 445 g) × 100 = 0.0112%

Therefore, the correct answer is b) 0.11%, with the percent uncertainty rounded to two decimal places.