Introduction to Error Analysis: The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements / Edition 2

by John R. Taylor

Overview

The new second edition of this bestselling text introduces lowerdivision science students to the study of uncertainties in science. This book has been translated into nine languagesand has more adoptions than we can count.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780935702750
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	07/14/1997
Edition description:	1997
Pages:	327
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.73(d)

About the Author

John Taylor received his B.A. in math from Cambridge University in 1960 and his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Berkeley in 1963. He is professor emeritus of physics and Presidential Teaching Scholar at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is the author of some 40 articles in research journals; a book, Classical Mechanics; and three other textbooks, one of which, An Introduction to Error Analysis, has been translated into eleven foreign languages. He received a Distinguished Service Citation from the American Association of Physics Teachers and was named Colorado Professor of the Year in 1989. His television series Physics for Fun won an Emmy Award in 1990. He retired in 2005 and now lives in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Third Edition
Part I.
Chapter 1. Preliminary Description of Error Analysis
Chapter 2. How to Report and Use Uncertainties
Chapter 3. Propagation of Uncertainties
Chapter 4. Statistical Analysis of Random Uncertainties
Chapter 5. The Normal Distribution
Part II.
Chapter 6. Rejection of Data
Chapter 7. Weighted Averages
Chapter 8. Least-Square Fitting
Chapter 9. Covariance and Correlation
Chapter 10. The Binomial Distribution
Chapter 11. The Poisson Distribution
Chapter 12. The Chi-Squared Test for a Distribution
Chapter 13. Bayesian Statistics
Appendix A. Normal Error Integral, I
Appendix B. Normal Error Integral, II
Appendix C. Probabilities for Correlation Coefficients
Appendix D. Probabilities for Chi Squared
Appendix E. Two Proofs Concerning Sample Standard Deviations

Editorial Reviews

Score a hit! The book reveals the exceptional skill of the author as lecturer and teacher. A valuable reference work for any student (or instructor) in the sciences and engineering.

The Physics Teacher

This text provides a rational, step-by-step introduction to understanding and estimating random uncertainties in physical measurements. Although the text is intended primarily for undergraduate students, I find it useful as well at the research level, to introduce graduate students to unfamiliar topics in the study of experimental uncertainties…a high-quality resource [students] can continue to learn from, even after they graduate.

Physics Today

"The new chapter on Bayesian statistics is extremely clear and well written, and is another one of John Taylor’s fabulous expositions. I enjoyed how Taylor develops the subject by using it to answer questions about the effectiveness of a vaccine. Before reading this chapter I wondered what assumptions are needed to derive a numerical value for a vaccine’s effectiveness, and I also wondered about the data needed and the methods used. Lo and behold, all my questions were answered in this chapter! I definitely will buy the new edition of Error Analysis and I look forward to delving into the Bayesian statistics." —Mark Semon, Bates College

From the Publisher

The new chapter on Bayesian statistics is extremely clear and well written, and is another one of John Taylor’s fabulous expositions. I enjoyed how Taylor develops the subject by using it to answer questions about the effectiveness of a vaccine. Before reading this chapter I wondered what assumptions are needed to derive a numerical value for a vaccine’s effectiveness, and I also wondered about the data needed and the methods used. Lo and behold, all my questions were answered in this chapter! I definitely will buy the new edition of Error Analysis and I look forward to delving into the Bayesian statistics.

Mark Semon