Help Calculate Errors: Lambda & n Uncertainty on 'n2

  • Thread starter Thread starter Owen-
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Errors
Owen-
Messages
40
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



I need to find the uncertainty on "n2" I have the uncertainty on lambda, n1 is not a variable - its 2, R is a constant. Only things that have errors are lambda and n

Homework Equations



rydberg20equation201.jpe


The Attempt at a Solution



Tried working out using calculus, but every time I do it I get a different aswer

Im trying to use errorλ= error n * dλ/dn

But I can't get dy/dn - I've been up all night - don't judge me


Any help would be seriously SERIOUSLY helpful!

Thanks!
Owen.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I think that the error is

<br /> \frac{d \lambda}{\lambda}=2 \frac{n_1^2 \; dn_2}{n_2 \: |n_2^2-n_1^2|}<br />
 
sorry - didnt get a chance to thank you for that - was too busy rushing out to get the project handed in - thanks a lot! :)
 
To solve this, I first used the units to work out that a= m* a/m, i.e. t=z/λ. This would allow you to determine the time duration within an interval section by section and then add this to the previous ones to obtain the age of the respective layer. However, this would require a constant thickness per year for each interval. However, since this is most likely not the case, my next consideration was that the age must be the integral of a 1/λ(z) function, which I cannot model.
Back
Top