Experimental Skills and Data Analysis MCQs

Question 1

A student's two values of resistance are 47 Ω and 53 Ω with a 5% uncertainty. Conclusion:

Accepted Answer

the % difference (12%) exceeds 5%, so the values do not agree

Answer

the mean is 47 Ω

Answer

the uncertainty is 12%

Answer

they agree

Question 2

If the radius of a sphere has a 1% uncertainty, the uncertainty in its volume is:

Accepted Answer

3%

Answer

2%

Answer

9%

Answer

1%

Question 3

Data for temperature range from 60 °C to 90 °C. A sensible axis starts at:

Accepted Answer

60 °C (a false origin)

Answer

0 °C

Answer

100 °C

Answer

-273 °C

Question 4

Using a line y = 2x + 3 obtained from data, the predicted y at x = 5 is:

Accepted Answer

13

Answer

8

Answer

10

Answer

15

Question 5

A circle with a cross inside it represents:

Accepted Answer

a lamp

Answer

an ammeter

Answer

a voltmeter

Answer

a resistor

Question 6

When reading coordinates from a graph, it helps to:

Accepted Answer

draw faint construction lines to the axes

Answer

fold the paper

Answer

guess by eye

Answer

use a thick pen

Question 7

Anomalous readings should be excluded before finding half the range because:

Accepted Answer

they would exaggerate the uncertainty

Answer

they reduce the uncertainty

Answer

they change the units

Answer

they are always correct

Question 8

You are given an oscilloscope for the first time. The best first step is to:

Accepted Answer

ask the instructor how to set it up

Answer

open the casing

Answer

connect it to the mains directly

Answer

turn every knob to maximum

Question 9

A thermometer measuring liquid temperature should have its bulb:

Accepted Answer

fully immersed but not touching the container

Answer

above the liquid

Answer

touching the hot base

Answer

half out of the liquid

Question 10

When drawing a modified circuit, you should:

Accepted Answer

use standard circuit symbols and show meter positions

Answer

draw pictures of components

Answer

leave gaps unlabelled

Answer

omit the meters

Question 11

A value of 400 has a percentage uncertainty of 0.5%. The absolute uncertainty is:

Accepted Answer

pm 2

Answer

pm 20

Answer

pm 0.5

Answer

pm 800

Question 12

Bags and coats in a laboratory should be:

Accepted Answer

stored away from the benches and walkways

Answer

hung on apparatus

Answer

left in the aisles

Answer

placed on the bench

Question 13

A suitable precaution for the hazard of a falling mass is:

Accepted Answer

placing a box of sand or a cushion beneath it

Answer

holding it in your hand

Answer

standing under it

Answer

using a heavier mass

Question 14

False origins are especially useful in experiments where:

Accepted Answer

the changes measured are small compared with the values

Answer

values start from zero

Answer

there is no data

Answer

values are negative

Question 15

Which statement is a well-described modification?

Accepted Answer

Place a pointer on the spring and a vertical metre rule beside it, reading at eye level to avoid parallax

Answer

Measure better

Answer

Use a good ruler

Answer

Look carefully

Question 16

To find the gradient at a point on a curve, you should:

Accepted Answer

draw a tangent at that point and find its gradient

Answer

read the y-value

Answer

join the point to the origin

Answer

use the two end points of the curve

Question 17

If repeated readings are all identical, the uncertainty should be taken as:

Accepted Answer

the precision of the instrument

Answer

the reading itself

Answer

zero

Answer

half the reading

Question 18

The best-fit line on a graph of extension vs load for a spring should be:

Accepted Answer

a straight line up to the limit of proportionality

Answer

a curve from the start

Answer

a vertical line

Answer

a horizontal line

Question 19

A distance–time graph is a straight line. The conclusion is:

Accepted Answer

the object moves at constant speed

Answer

the object decelerates

Answer

the object is at rest

Answer

the object accelerates

Question 20

Repeated length readings 35.2, 35.6, 35.4 cm give a mean and uncertainty of:

Accepted Answer

(35.4 pm 0.2) cm

Answer

(35.4 pm 0.4) cm

Answer

(35.2 pm 0.2) cm

Answer

(35.6 pm 0.1) cm

Question 21

A circle with the letter A inside it represents:

Accepted Answer

an ammeter

Answer

a cell

Answer

a lamp

Answer

a voltmeter

Question 22

A digital stopwatch reads to 0.01 s, but human reaction time makes the uncertainty in a hand-timed reading about:

Accepted Answer

pm 0.1–0.2 s

Answer

pm 0.01 s

Answer

pm 0.0001 s

Answer

pm 1 min

Question 23

A smaller percentage uncertainty means the measurement is:

Accepted Answer

more precise relative to its size

Answer

always accurate

Answer

always wrong

Answer

less precise

Question 24

Collecting too few data points can lead to:

Accepted Answer

an unreliable conclusion

Answer

a more accurate result

Answer

a perfect graph

Answer

smaller uncertainties

Question 25

To test whether y = kx, you could calculate yx for each pair of readings and check whether:

Accepted Answer

the values are the same within experimental uncertainty

Answer

the values increase steadily

Answer

the values are all zero

Answer

the values are negative

Experimental Skills and Data Analysis MCQs — Physics (page 14)

326. A student's two values of resistance are 47 Ω and 53 Ω with a 5% uncertainty. Conclusion:

327. If the radius of a sphere has a 1% uncertainty, the uncertainty in its volume is:

328. Data for temperature range from 60 °C to 90 °C. A sensible axis starts at:

329. Using a line y = 2x + 3 obtained from data, the predicted y at x = 5 is:

330. A circle with a cross inside it represents:

331. When reading coordinates from a graph, it helps to:

332. Anomalous readings should be excluded before finding half the range because:

333. You are given an oscilloscope for the first time. The best first step is to:

334. A thermometer measuring liquid temperature should have its bulb:

335. When drawing a modified circuit, you should:

336. A value of 400 has a percentage uncertainty of 0.5%. The absolute uncertainty is:

337. Bags and coats in a laboratory should be:

338. A suitable precaution for the hazard of a falling mass is:

339. False origins are especially useful in experiments where:

340. Which statement is a well-described modification?

341. To find the gradient at a point on a curve, you should:

342. If repeated readings are all identical, the uncertainty should be taken as:

343. The best-fit line on a graph of extension vs load for a spring should be:

344. A distance–time graph is a straight line. The conclusion is:

345. Repeated length readings 35.2, 35.6, 35.4 cm give a mean and uncertainty of:

346. A circle with the letter A inside it represents:

347. A digital stopwatch reads to 0.01 s, but human reaction time makes the uncertainty in a hand-timed reading about:

348. A smaller percentage uncertainty means the measurement is:

349. Collecting too few data points can lead to:

350. To test whether y = kx, you could calculate yx for each pair of readings and check whether:

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