A-Level Physics: A thermometer with an uncertainty of ±0.5 K shows a temperature drop from 298 ± 0.5 K to 273 ± 0.5 K. What is the difference in temperature?

Question

A thermometer with an uncertainty of ±0.5 K shows a temperature drop from 298 ± 0.5 K to 273 ± 0.5 K. What is the difference in temperature?

daavide · Accepted Answer

Difference in temperature = 298 - 273 = 25 K
Add absolute uncertainties: 0.5 K + 0.5 K = 1 K
Final difference = 25 ± 1 K

A thermometer with an uncertainty of ±0.5 K shows a temperature drop from 298 ± 0.5 K to 273 ± 0.5 K. What is the difference in temperature?