Random/Systematic Errors

[MrRandom]

Hello everyone,

 

I've got some homework which is about random and systematic errors. My classes job is to recognise the difference.

 

The example we have been given, relates to our experiment we did involving rainfall, and rain gauges.

 

I've got my answers, but not being overly confident, I'd like someone to go through them with me before I submit them.

 

1) The site where the gauge was placed was partly sheltered. - Systematic

2)The experimenter often miscounted the divisions on their ruler; sometimes recording a value higher than the correct value, and sometimes recording a value lower than the correct value. - Random

3)The experimenter used a home-made dip stick to measure the depth of collected rain water but had marked the graduations on the dip stick too close together. - Systematic

4) The sides of the container slope outwards near the bottom. - Systematic

5) The sides of the container slope inwards near the bottom. - Systematic

6) The experimenter was unable to hold the container level when measuring the depth of water, such that the orientation of the container varied from measurement to measurement. - Random

 

As I say, I'm not very confident with random/systematic errors. And don't believe I thoroughly understand them.

Any help would be welcome.

 

Roger

[swansont]

At this level of analysis, I think the following applies: if the error will give you a bias, it has to be considered a systematic. Otherwise you treat it as random. (In more advanced analysis, there are multiple types of noise; 2 and 6 would not be random)