Question

A student performs an experiment to determine the time period of a pendulum. They obtain the result as $2.53\text{s},2.55\text{s},2.51\text{s},2.52\text{s},2.56\text{s}$. If the actual value for the time period of the pendulum is $1.50\text{s}$, then which of the following statements is true ?

• A. Results are precise, but not accurate
• B. Results are accurate, but not precise
• C. Results are both precise and accurate
• D. Results are neither precise not accurate

Answer 1

The correct option is A Results are precise, but not accurate

Accuracy refers to how close is the obtained value to the true value.

Obtained values $=2.53\text{s},2.55\text{s},2.51\text{s},2.52\text{s},2.56\text{s}$

True value $=1.50\text{s}$

As the obtained values are different from the true value, the results are not accurate.

Precision refers to how close the obtained values are from each other. As the obtained values are quite close to each other, so the results are precise.

Therefore, option $\left(a\right)$ is correct.