A student tests four methods of measuring the speed of waves in a solid rod. The expected speed is approximately 5000 m/s. The table gives each method's detector separation and timer resolution.
| Method | Separation in m\mathrm{m}m | Timer resolution in s\mathrm{s}s |
|---|---|---|
| P | 1.0 | 1 × 10-3 |
| Q | 2.0 | 1 × 10-3 |
| R | 1.0 | 1 × 10-5 |
| S | 2.0 | 1 × 10-5 |
Assume the distance measurements are accurate. Which method gives the smallest timer resolution as a percentage of the travel time?
Method R
Method Q
Method P
Method S