Percent Uncertainty in Spherical Beach Ball Volume

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George3
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Homework Statement



What, roughly, is the percent uncertainty in the volume of a spherical beach ball whose radius is r = 0.84 + or - 0.06m?
Answer must have 2 sig figs.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


I found the volume of the sphere with .84 radius which would be 3.0 m^3 and then I don't know what to do next.
 
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If y is related to x by a power law,

y = axn, then the fractional uncertainty is

[tex]\frac{\Delta y}{y}=n\frac{\Delta x}{x}[/tex]
 
Consider what happens to the uncertainty in a variable when you cube the variable (should be a standard treatment in the manipulation of uncertainties in variables)
 
Fightfish said:
Consider what happens to the uncertainty in a variable when you cube the variable (should be a standard treatment in the manipulation of uncertainties in variables)
So are you saying I should cube the .06 and then divide that by the 3.0m^3?
 
Could you show your equations and attempts, please?
 
(.84)^3(pi)(4/3) = 2.5 m^3

.06^3 = 2.2x10^-4

2.2x10^-4 / 2.5 = 8.6x10^5

(8.6x10^5) x 100% = .0086%
 
Not how it works. Here, n = 3. Therefore, the fractional uncertainty is

[tex]\frac{\Delta V}{V} = 3\times\frac{0.06}{0.84}[/tex]

Multiply by 100 and you have percent uncertainty.