What is the difference between Accuracy and Sensitivity in terms of A2 Physics coursework?

Question

-I am a Salters Horners AS/A2 student doing my short writeup for my short practical (not the long one you do in A2).
I need to write about the Accuracy and Sensitivity. I remember they are different but i do not remember why.

HELP! the deadline is monday! Oh dear,

Answer 1

Accuracy: how close is your measurement to the "true" value. For example, suppose the true mass of an object is 10g. You measure is on a balance scale and find the mass to be 10g, so your measurement is accurate. However, if you measured it to be 7g, it will NOT be accurate.



Sensitivity: the ability to detect something.

Answer 2

Probably like specificity or sensitivity in medicine.



A sensitive test is good at detecting whatever you're trying to detect (ie its very sensitive at finding what your trying to find) but gives lots of false positives (says something is present when it's not)



A specific test is not so good at detecting what you're trying to detect but it's likely to be a true positive(ie it's more "accurate").



Sorry if the above is confusing - I typed it quick. Let me know if you want me to explain it more clearly.

Answer 3

The difference between how consistent the measurements are, and how precise. Better explained by the website below