Calibration is used to reduce which type of error?

• A. Calibration reduces systematic error
• B. Calibration increases random error
• C. Calibration has no effect on measurement accuracy
• D. Calibration increases background noise

Answer: (A)

Calibration targets systematic error by removing bias in the instrument’s readings. Systematic error is a consistent difference between the measured value and the true value, often caused by instrument bias, scaling issues, or drift. By calibrating against standards with known values, the instrument’s response is adjusted so readings align with true values across the measurement range, reducing this persistent bias and improving overall accuracy.

Random error, the unpredictable fluctuations that cause scatter from one measurement to the next, is not removed by calibration. It represents inherent variability in the measurement process and is not addressed by adjusting the instrument’s bias. Calibration also doesn’t introduce extra background noise or have no effect on accuracy, so the best description is that calibration reduces systematic error.