Why is it important for measurements in an experiment to be both accurate and precise?

• A. Accurate and precise measurements guarantee that all experimental results will match theoretical predictions exactly.
• B. Accurate and precise measurements allow scientists to use fewer significant figures in their calculations.
• C. Accurate and precise measurements ensure that experimental results are reliable and can be reproduced by others.
• D. Accurate and precise measurements eliminate the need for error analysis in experiments.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definitions of accuracy and precision. Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the true or accepted value, while precision refers to how close repeated measurements are to each other, regardless of their closeness to the true value.
2. Step 2: Recognize that accurate measurements ensure the results reflect the true value, which is essential for validity in experiments.
3. Step 3: Recognize that precise measurements indicate consistency and reproducibility, which is important for reliability and for other scientists to replicate the experiment.
4. Step 4: Combine these concepts to see why both accuracy and precision are important: accurate but imprecise data can be unreliable, and precise but inaccurate data can be systematically wrong.
5. Step 5: Conclude that accurate and precise measurements ensure experimental results are trustworthy and reproducible, which is fundamental for scientific progress and validation.