Question

A technician experimentally determined the boiling point of octane to be 124.1°c. the actual boiling point of octane is 125.7°c. calculate the error and the percent error.

Answer 1

Boiling point of octane experimentally = $124.1^{0}C$

Actual boiling point of octane = $125.7^{0}C$

Error = Experimental value - Accepted value

Error = $124.1^{0}C-125.7^{0}C$

= $-1.6^{0}C$

Now, calculate the percent error:

Percent error = $\frac{\left | Error \right |}{accepted value}$

= $\frac{\left | -1.6^{0}C \right |}{125.7^{0}C}\times 100 percent$

= $0.0127\times 100 percent$

= $1.27 percent \simeq 1.3 percent$

Thus, error is  $-1.6^{0}C$ and percentage error is $1.3 percent$.