Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) Practice Exam

Systematic errors can be caused by:

1. human judgment

2. physical laws

3. instrument malfunctions

4. environmental factors

The correct answer is: physical laws

The correct answer focuses on the influence of physical laws on systematic errors in surveying. Systematic errors are consistent and predictable inaccuracies that can arise from inherent properties of the measurement process itself, as dictated by the laws of physics. For instance, the principles of geometry and the behavior of light can cause errors in measurements of distance and angle. These errors do not vary randomly but follow a certain pattern and can typically be anticipated and corrected for during the processing of survey data. For instance, if a survey involves measurements made under the influence of gravitational pull, or if the survey relies on the propagation of light in a certain medium, these physical laws will introduce systematic inaccuracies that can be quantified and adjusted for, unlike random errors which arise from unpredictable variations. Understanding these fundamental influences helps surveyors apply corrections to their measurements, thereby improving overall accuracy. While human judgment, instrument malfunctions, and environmental factors can indeed cause errors, they are often more random in nature or variable, distinguishing them from the consistent and quantifiable influence of physical laws.