Root mean square expresses the ______ of point measurements.

Root mean square (RMS) is a statistical measure used to quantify the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values, particularly in the context of point measurements. When applied to point measurements, RMS calculates the square root of the average of the squares of the deviations of those measurements from their mean. This value provides insights into the precision of the measurements, which refers to the consistency and reproducibility of the measurements under the same conditions.

Precision is distinct from accuracy, which pertains to how close a measurement is to the true value. In other words, you can have a series of measurements that are all very close to each other (high precision), but if they are consistently off from the actual value, they lack accuracy. RMS helps to highlight this feature of the data, making it a key tool in evaluating precision. Thus, RMS is specifically designed to assess the spread or variability among replicated measurements, reinforcing the concept of precision.