Estimating Rydberg Constant Value & Uncertainty

[frostchaos123]

Hi all

Homework Statement

Estimate the value and uncertainty of the Rydberg constant given the 4 values of wavelengths that correspond to a certain value of n. (e.g n=3, wavelength = 6*10^7m; n=4, wavelength = 5*10^7m).

Homework Equations

Rydberg constant = wavelength *(4n^2/(n^2-4)), where n is an integer > 2.

The Attempt at a Solution

I tried to calculate the standard error of the wavelength by taking the standard deviation of 4 values of wavelengths provided divided by sqrt (4). However my main question is should i consider n as another variable with a standard error? To me it does not make sense as n is a constant, even though the different values of wavelength are obtained at differing values of n.

If n is not considered an extra variable, then i will have no need to use the proprogation of error formula to estimate my final uncertainty of the rydberg constant.

Thanks for the help.

 

[anathema]

Thank you for your question. it is important to consider all sources of uncertainty when making calculations. In this case, n can be considered a variable as it is a factor in the equation for the Rydberg constant. While it may be a constant for each individual measurement, it can vary between measurements and can contribute to the overall uncertainty.

To estimate the uncertainty of the Rydberg constant, you can use the propagation of error formula to combine the uncertainties of both the wavelength and n. This will give you a more accurate estimation of the overall uncertainty.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any further questions.