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Both accuracy and precision are important to scientific measurement. I'll try to explain the difference with a couple of illustrations. I should start by saying, sometimes the words are used interchangeably but they shouldn't be. I consider precision to mean resolution. That is how fine/small a reading you can get.

  • Assume an electronic thermometer (digital display) can display answers to the nearest one hundredth of a degree. But, the thermometer isn't able to measure with that accurately. Maybe it's only accurate to the nearest whole degree. In this case the precision is greater than is supported by the accuracy of the device.
  • Now take the opposite case where the thermometer is able to measure temperature accurately to one hundredth of a degree but the instrument can only display whole degrees. In this case the precision does not support the accuracy.

Ideally the accuracy and precision of an instrument are the same but often that's not the case.

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Anonymous

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3y ago

i have no idea and neither do yall

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Q: What is the difference between accuracy and precision and which is most important to scientific measurement?
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What is scientific measurement based on?

precision and accuracy


Why is precision in measurement important?

Precision shows how well the object is moving.


Poor precision in scientific measurement may arise from?

poor precision in scientific measurement may arise?


What is the difference between the accuracy of measurements and the precision of measurements?

Precision is how close your measurements are. Accuracy is how close your measurements are to the actual measurement.


Why are both accuracy and precision important making a measurement?

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Why are both accuracy and precision important in making a measurement?

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An example of a precision measurement is a reading of


What are accuracy and precision and what is the difference between accuracy and precision?

Imagine a dartboard. An accurate measurement would be analogous to hitting the bulls-eye. While a precise measurement is just the tight clustering of shots.


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Significant figures indicate the precision of a measurement.


How does accuracy differ from precision a scientific measurement?

Accuracy is the tendency for a measurement to be correct. A more accurate measurement will be closer to the true value than a less accurate measurement. Precision is the tendency to come to the same measurement under the same conditions on multiple occasions. A precise measurement may not be accurate, but can be reproduced time after time and give the same (or sImilar) result.


Does 0.1 equal 0.100?

In mathematics yes, but in scientific or engineering measurement, the number of decimal places indicates the precision of the measurement so they wouldn't necessarily be equal.


What is accuracy and precision and the difference between them?

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