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Systematic Errors and the Chappaquiddick Accident

Authors :
Cross, Rod
Source :
Physics Teacher. Sep 2021 58(6):484-487.
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

A common procedure when conducting physics experiments is to repeat a measurement several times to calculate the mean and standard deviation. That might be the only instruction we give to students as a means to minimize random errors. However, that technique does not guarantee that the answer will be correct. It might give the same wrong answer every time. How then can we teach students to avoid systematic errors? We don't focus on that problem enough when teaching physics. Part of the problem is that we and the students usually know the correct answers in advance, since student experiments have usually been repeated thousands of times by others.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0031-921X
Volume :
58
Issue :
6
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
Physics Teacher
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ1314998
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Evaluative
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1119/10.0006137