Description
Book SynopsisMeasurements and Uncertainty.- Physical Quantities.- Measurement Units.- Measuring Instruments.- Uncertainty in Direct Measurements.- Probability and Statistics.- Basic Probability Concepts.- Distributions of Random Variables.- Statistical Tools.- Data Analysis.- Uncertainty in Indirect Measurements.- Confidence Levels.- Correlation of Physical Quantities.- The Chi Square Test.- Appendices.- Presentation of Experimental Data.- Systems of Units.- Tables.- Mathematical Complements.- Experiments.
Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:
"Aiming to fill the gap between tutorial-type resources and specialized treatises, this volume, which has been tested by Fornasini’s students in laboratory courses, offers a very clear, concise didactic approach to evaluating uncertainty. Actual worked examples are noted throughout the text, along with numerous figures depicting representative problems. Fornasini … addresses issues of uncertainty concerning significant digits and rounding, use of instruments, a posteriori evaluations, moments of several probability distributions, and indirect measurements. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates, researchers, and faculty." (D. J. Gougeon, Choice, Vol. 46 (10), June, 2009)
"The aim of this book … is to describe the nature of uncertainty in physical experiments and to provide the useful statistical tools for data analysis. … The present material is mainly addressed to the undergraduate students but could be applied by the researchers … and by the secondary school teachers as well. … we recommend this useful book for wide audience of readers without advanced knowledge of modern Mathematics." (Alexander V. Bulinski, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1163, 2009)
“This is a book that arose from the author’s ‘long-lasting teaching experience’ in the Department of Physics of the University of Trento … . the author found a gap between the elementary texts used … and the more sophisticated books written for those with an extensive background in higher mathematics. This book attempts to fill that gap. … helpful to many students and indeed researchers. … many of us involved in radiation dosimetry would find much of help in this volume in our day-to-day work.” (Ralph H. Thomas, Radiation Protection Dosimetry, Vol. 140 (1), 2010)
Table of ContentsMeasurements and Uncertainty.- Physical Quantities.- Measurement Units.- Measuring Instruments.- Uncertainty in Direct Measurements.- Probability and Statistics.- Basic Probability Concepts.- Distributions of Random Variables.- Statistical Tools.- Data Analysis.- Uncertainty in Indirect Measurements.- Confidence Levels.- Correlation of Physical Quantities.- The Chi Square Test.- Appendices.- Presentation of Experimental Data.- Systems of Units.- Tables.- Mathematical Complements.- Experiments.