MCQEasyJEE 2025Significant Figures & Error Analysis

JEE Physics 2025 Question with Solution

The maximum percentage error in the measurement of the density of a wire is: Given, mass of wire=(0.60±0.003)g,radius of wire=(0.50±0.01)cm,length of wire=(10.00±0.05)cm.\text{Given, mass of wire} = (0.60 \pm 0.003) \, \text{g}, \quad \text{radius of wire} = (0.50 \pm 0.01) \, \text{cm}, \quad \text{length of wire} = (10.00 \pm 0.05) \, \text{cm}.

  • A

    77

  • B

    55

  • C

    44

  • D

    88

Answer

Correct answer:B

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: mass of wire m=(0.60±0.003)gm = (0.60 \pm 0.003) \, \text{g}, radius r=(0.50±0.01)cmr = (0.50 \pm 0.01) \, \text{cm}, length L=(10.00±0.05)cmL = (10.00 \pm 0.05) \, \text{cm}.

Find: maximum percentage error in density ρ\rho.

For a wire,

ρ=mπr2L\rho = \frac{m}{\pi r^2 L}

So the maximum fractional error is

Δρρ=Δmm+2Δrr+ΔLL\frac{\Delta \rho}{\rho} = \frac{\Delta m}{m} + 2\frac{\Delta r}{r} + \frac{\Delta L}{L}

Now calculate each percentage error:

Δmm×100=0.0030.60×100=0.5%\frac{\Delta m}{m} \times 100 = \frac{0.003}{0.60} \times 100 = 0.5\% Δrr×100=0.010.50×100=2%\frac{\Delta r}{r} \times 100 = \frac{0.01}{0.50} \times 100 = 2\% ΔLL×100=0.0510.00×100=0.5%\frac{\Delta L}{L} \times 100 = \frac{0.05}{10.00} \times 100 = 0.5\%

Therefore, total percentage error in density is

0.5%+2(2%)+0.5%=5%0.5\% + 2(2\%) + 0.5\% = 5\%

Therefore, the maximum percentage error in the density is 5%5\%. The correct option is B.

Expanded Calculation

Given: ρ=mπr2l\rho = \frac{m}{\pi r^2 l} with measured values m=0.60gm = 0.60 \, \text{g}, r=0.50cmr = 0.50 \, \text{cm}, and l=10.00cml = 10.00 \, \text{cm} along with absolute errors 0.003g0.003 \, \text{g}, 0.01cm0.01 \, \text{cm}, and 0.05cm0.05 \, \text{cm} respectively.

Find: maximum percentage error in ρ\rho.

Since density depends directly on mm and inversely on r2r^2 and ll,

Δρρ=Δmm+2Δrr+Δll\frac{\Delta \rho}{\rho} = \frac{\Delta m}{m} + 2\frac{\Delta r}{r} + \frac{\Delta l}{l}

Substitute the given values:

Δmm=0.0030.60=0.005=0.5%\frac{\Delta m}{m} = \frac{0.003}{0.60} = 0.005 = 0.5\% Δrr=0.010.50=0.02=2%\frac{\Delta r}{r} = \frac{0.01}{0.50} = 0.02 = 2\% Δll=0.0510.00=0.005=0.5%\frac{\Delta l}{l} = \frac{0.05}{10.00} = 0.005 = 0.5\%

Hence,

Total percentage error=0.5+2(2)+0.5=5%\text{Total percentage error} = 0.5 + 2(2) + 0.5 = 5\%

Thus, the maximum percentage error in density is 5%5\%.

Common mistakes

  • Using Δρρ=Δmm+Δrr+ΔLL\frac{\Delta \rho}{\rho} = \frac{\Delta m}{m} + \frac{\Delta r}{r} + \frac{\Delta L}{L} is incorrect because the radius appears as r2r^2 in the denominator. The error in radius must be counted twice. Use 2Δrr2\frac{\Delta r}{r} instead.

  • Calculating fractional errors correctly but forgetting to convert them into percentages can cause confusion. Either work fully in fractions or fully in percentages, but keep the method consistent throughout.

  • Treating inverse dependence as subtraction of errors is wrong for maximum error calculation. In maximum percentage error, contributions are added in magnitude, so all terms appear with positive sign.

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