How Do You Calculate Percent Error in a Conservation of Energy Lab?

  • Thread starter Thread starter bwilhelm
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The correct formula for calculating percent error in a conservation of energy lab is (|Etotal - Elast|)/Etotal * 100. This formula accurately computes the absolute difference between the total initial energy (Etotal) and the final energy (Elast), then normalizes this difference by the total initial energy to express it as a percentage. The initial incorrect formula presented was (Elast - E1st)/ (Etotal) * 100, which does not yield the correct result.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of kinetic energy (KE) and potential energy (PE) concepts
  • Familiarity with energy conservation principles
  • Basic knowledge of mathematical operations involving absolute values
  • Ability to manipulate and interpret equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the principles of energy conservation in physics
  • Learn how to calculate kinetic and potential energy in various scenarios
  • Explore additional error calculation methods in experimental physics
  • Review examples of percent error calculations in scientific experiments
USEFUL FOR

Students in physics courses, educators teaching energy conservation concepts, and anyone involved in laboratory experiments requiring error analysis.

bwilhelm
Messages
9
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


I am trying to calculate a percent of error in a conservation of energy lab, and for some reason I am completely drawing a blank.
Just so you know what I am looking at,
I have about 10 values or so in 3 columns labeled KE, PE, E. E is KE + PE






Homework Equations



I wrote down (Elast - E1st)/ (Etotal) and then multiply by 100. Something just seems wrong here and I don't know why. Is that correct?


The Attempt at a Solution


 
Physics news on Phys.org
No, this formula is incorrect. The correct formula to calculate percent error in a conservation of energy lab is (|Etotal - Elast|)/Etotal * 100. This formula calculates the absolute value of the difference between the total initial energy and the total final energy, then divides it by the total initial energy, and multiplies it by 100 to get the percent error.
 

Similar threads

Uncertainty Error and Significant Figures in this Force Tables Lab
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Question about the conservation of mechanical energy
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Accounting for Air Resistance in Conservation of Energy Lab with Bouncing Ball
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K
Potential Energy - 2D inelastic collision - ballistic pendulum
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
Calculating Total Energy of an Electron Orbiting a Hydrogen Nucleus
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
How do you calculate the margin of error in Physics?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
1K
Pan suspended by a spring (Energy + SHM)
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
4K
Proving that the total mechanical energy is conserved with time
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Theoretical vs measured electrical resistance: Percent error relation
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
7K
How do I calculate percent elasticity?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
7K