What does experimental data mean?

Answer 1

"Experimental data" is data obtained from measurements made during an experiment; this is the working out of "expected" or "theoretical" data which would be calculated from ideal equations. Experimental and theoretical data may not match exactly due to errors in measurement (or other reasons).

Examples:

* Investigating the effect of acceleration due to gravity down a slope.

1) Set up a slope;

2) Put a "car" at the top of the slope with a ticker tape attached behind it going through a stylus that vibrates up and down ( thus marking the tape) at a constant frequency.

3) Letting the car run down the slope pulling the tape through the stylus;

4) Measure the distance between successive marks on the tape.

These measurements are the experimental data. They can be made for different slopes which would give different measurements.

* Investigating the effect of different weights on a spring

1) Hang a spring with a weight carrier from a stand

2) Measure the distance from the attachment of the spring to the bottom of the weight carrier

3) Add various (different) weights to the carrier and measure the distances.

These measurements are the experimental data - in this case it is paired data as the distance relates to a given weight; here different springs would lead to different measurements.

Answer 2

It means that the data are obtained from experiments.