In the determination of Young's modulus $\left(Y=\frac{4 M L g}{\pi l d^{2}}\right)$ by using Searle's…

In the determination of Young's modulus $\left(Y=\frac{4 M L g}{\pi l d^{2}}\right)$ by using Searle's method, a wire of length $L=2 \mathrm{~m}$ and diameter $d=0.5 \mathrm{~mm}$ is used. For a load $M=2.5 \mathrm{~kg}$, an extension $l=0.25 \mathrm{~mm}$ in the length of the wire is observed. Quantities $d$ and $l$ are measured using a screw gauge and a micrometer, respectively. They have the same pitch of $0.5 \mathrm{~mm}$. The number of divisions on their circular scale is 100 . The contributions to the maximum probable error of the $Y$ measurement
  1. due to the errors in the measurements of $d$ and $l$ are the same.
  2. due to the error in the measurement of $d$ is twice that due to the error in the measurement of $l$.
  3. due to the error in the measurement of $l$ is twice that due to the error in the measurement of $d$.
  4. due to the error in the measurement of $d$ is four times that due to the error in the measurement of $l$.

Solution

The maximum possible error in $Y$ due to $l$ and $d$ $\frac{\Delta Y}{Y}=\frac{\Delta l}{l}+\frac{2 \Delta d}{d}$ Least count $=\frac{\text { Pitch }}{\text { No. of division on circular scale }}$ $=\frac{0.5}{100} \mathrm{~mm}=0.005 \mathrm{~mm}$ Here, $\Delta d=\Delta l=0.005 \mathrm{~mm}$ Error contribution of $l=\frac{\Delta l}{l}=\frac{0.005 \mathrm{~mm}}{0.25 \mathrm{~mm}}=\frac{1}{50}$ Error contribution of $d=\frac{2 \Delta d}{d}=\frac{2 \times 0.005 \mathrm{~mm}}{0.5 \mathrm{~mm}}=\frac{1}{50}$ Hence contribution to the maximum possible error in the measurement of $y$ due to $l$ and $d$ is the same.

Asked in: JEE Advanced 2012 (Paper 1)

Practice more Mathematical Methods questions on Aicharya