Physics paper 3 keywords

Accepted Value

The correct or widely agreed-upon value for a measurement, based on reliable sources or standards. It’s used to compare with experimental results to check accuracy

Accuracy

How close a measured or experimental value is to the accepted value.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured or observed in an experiment; it changes in response to the independent variable.

Error

The difference between a measured value and the accepted value.

Independent Variable

The variable that is purposely changed or manipulated in an experiment to test its effect on the dependent variable.

Linearity

The extent to which a graph or relationship between variables forms a straight line, showing a consistent rate of change.

Mean Value

average of a set of measurements

Precision.

How close repeated measurements are to each other, regardless of whether they are close to the accepted value

Precision of the Instrument

The smallest difference an instrument can detect or measure; determines how exact measurements can be with that tool.

Probable Error

An estimate of the range within which the true value of a measurement is likely to lie, showing the uncertainty in the result.

Random Error

Errors in measurements that occur unpredictably and without a pattern, caused by small, uncontrollable variations in the experiment.

Reliability

The degree to which an experiment or measurement produces consistent results when repeated under the same conditions.

Sensitivity

The ability of an instrument or experiment to detect small changes or differences in the measured variable.

Systematic Error

Errors that consistently occur in the same direction every time a measurement is made, often caused by faulty equipment or biased procedures.

Uncertainty

A measure of how much a measured or calculated value might differ from the true value; shows the possible error in a measurement.

Valid

When an experiment or measurement accurately tests or measures what it is supposed to.

Zero Error

A type of systematic error that happens when an instrument shows a reading even though the true value is zero.