Question

Which is more sensitive: a stop watch or a stop clock? Give reason to your answer.

Answer 1

Hint: In order to know the solution for this problem we should compare value of the least count error in both stop clock and stop watch. Before that we need to understand what is meant by least count.

Complete step by step answer:
Usually a stopwatch is used to measure the time interval of each second. This kind of watch gives the accuracy and precision with which it can measure the time in seconds and it is designed to measure the amount of time elapsed after a certain time. It is also known as a chronometer and it gives the accuracy of time usually short time very accurately.
A large digital version of a stopwatch designed for viewing at a distance, as in a sports stadium, is called a stop-clock.
Let us compare both stop clocks. A stopwatch is differ in size but least count is more or less. Generally in the case of stop clocks the second hand shifted by one division compelling to 3 ticks after one second. Therefore the least count of stopwatch is 1/3 second.
 Similarly in case of stop watch the second hand shifts by one second after making a certain number of ticks. The amount of ticks 1 second and the amount of subdivision are adjusted so that the least count of the watch is 0.2 s or 0.1 s.
A stop watch is a more sensitive device than a stop clock. The least count of stop watch 0.5 seconds and least count of stop clock has 1 second.

Note:
Least count is the instrument that can measure the smallest value in the instrument. The precision of the least count measures only up to this value. The least count error is usually associated with the resolution of the instrument.