Module 4 - UM

Uncertainty associated with repeated measurements that do not give the same values. It includes an Activity of measuring the time it takes a piece of paper to fall to the floor, and another Activity of measuring the ratio of the circumference to the radius of a number of metal hoops. The module introduces:

• Scattered or dispersed measurements

• Bell-shaped curves, also called Gaussian distributions or normal distributions
• Gaussian probability distributions.
• The uncertainty in the estimated standard deviation
• Propagation of uncertainties
• The uncertainty in the mean

A 10 minute PowerPoint review of bell-shaped curves that is useful after the students have read the Module but before they begin work on it. Primarily intended for instructors.