Assistance: Large uncertainties making it difficult to plot slopes

In summary, the speaker is asking for help with drawing maximum and minimum slopes that encompass all uncertainties in a graph with a high equipment uncertainty. They are seeking guidance and clarification on how to handle this issue. They also mention the possibility that there may be a source of uncertainty that affects all data points in a similar way.
  • #1
Physicist_2
1
0
Homework Statement
This isn't a textbook problem, but rather I am currently writing my practical report and have encountered several problems due to a high equipment uncertainty which has led me to a standstill. Attached is a diagram of my graph with the appropriate uncertainties, however, I am finding it difficult to draw the max and min slopes which encompass all the uncertainty. I would appreciate any guidance. Thank you
Relevant Equations
Thank you
Screen Shot 2019-07-17 at 8.21.24 pm.png
 
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  • #2
Can you explain a bit more in detail what you are plotting and how you estimated your uncertainties? If you are plotting the cosine of an angle vs. temperature, the point at, say 335 K shows an uncertainty from -0.5 to 1.0 in the cosine which corresponds to an angle uncertainty from 0 to 120 degrees. Is that consistent with what you observed?
 
  • #3
And how can the max temperature of your boiling water be 360K (~ 87C)? I must be misunderstanding this...
 
  • #4
berkeman said:
And how can the max temperature of your boiling water be 360K (~ 87C)? I must be misunderstanding this...
According to Wikipedia at an altitude of 12,000 ft water boils at 87.6 ##^o \rm{C}##.
:oldsmile:
 
  • #5
kuruman said:
According to Wikipedia at an altitude of 12,000 ft water boils at 87.6 ##^o \rm{C}##.
:oldsmile:
Hmm, I used my Mentor superpowers just now to check the OP's location, and unless he went on a road trip to conduct this experiment, he was right around 2000 feet in altitude...

:smile:
 
  • Informative
Likes kuruman
  • #6
Physicist_2 said:
Problem Statement: This isn't a textbook problem, but rather I am currently writing my practical report and have encountered several problems due to a high equipment uncertainty which has led me to a standstill. Attached is a diagram of my graph with the appropriate uncertainties, however, I am finding it difficult to draw the max and min slopes which encompass all the uncertainty. I would appreciate any guidance. Thank you
Relevant Equations: Thank you

View attachment 246749
Further to @kuruman 's comments in post #2, consider whether the uncertainties are independent. Quite possibly there is a source of uncertainty which would have a roughly constant affect across all datapoints, so would not affect the slope much.
 

FAQ: Assistance: Large uncertainties making it difficult to plot slopes

1. What are the main factors that contribute to large uncertainties in plotting slopes?

There are several factors that can contribute to large uncertainties when plotting slopes. These include measurement errors, variations in data points, and the presence of outliers.

2. How can uncertainties in plotting slopes be minimized?

To minimize uncertainties in plotting slopes, it is important to use accurate and precise measurement techniques, gather a sufficient amount of data points, and identify and remove any outliers.

3. How do large uncertainties affect the reliability of slope calculations?

Larger uncertainties can significantly impact the reliability of slope calculations, as they can lead to inaccurate results and a wider range of possible values for the slope.

4. What are some methods for dealing with large uncertainties in slope plotting?

One method is to use regression analysis techniques such as linear regression, which can help to identify trends and patterns in the data and reduce the impact of uncertainties. Another method is to perform multiple measurements and take an average to minimize the effect of random errors.

5. How do large uncertainties in slope plotting affect the overall conclusions of a study?

Large uncertainties in slope plotting can make it difficult to draw accurate conclusions from a study. They can lead to a lack of confidence in the results and may require additional analysis or data to be collected in order to make more reliable conclusions.

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