Precision Lab

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Chemistry is a science that makes measurements and use data to draw conclusions. Although chemistry is about measurements all data can have a margin of error if one does not correctly follow procedure of the lab. Error may also occur even if everything is done correctly. In this experiment, you will be finding the error within certain calculations using raw data, and the determination error which will allow you to find the density of different substances. To calculate error in the experiment we will be using two terms precision and accuracy. Precision is a measure of how well an instrument or technique or student generates reproducible results. This means that if an experiment is tested multiple times the precision is how close each measurement …show more content…

Students decided amongst each other which student would be handling each measuring device. They either obtained a 50ml beaker, a 25ml graduated cylinder, a 10ml graduated cylinder, and a 10ml graduated pipet. Once the devices were decided each student weighed their individual 50ml beakers. Then students transferred 10ml of water from their 250ml beaker to their 50ml beaker using their specific measuring device and recorded the mass. Students repeated adding 10ml to their 50 ml beaker until it read 40ml and recorded the mass at 10ml, 20ml, 30ml, and 40ml. Students then shared their data on what masses they got from their individual devices. After students found the mean densities of each device they use that to calculate percent error and standard deviation from the literature value density of water. For the inquiry based project students chose and unknown metal from the back room and used an analytical scale to find the mass and record. Then they filled a 25ml graduated cylinder with 10ml of water and added the unknown metal. By using the water displacement students were able to find the volume and calculate the density of the metal. Students then compared their density with literature density values and chose which value was closest to …show more content…

This device also contained the largest amount of standard deviation which I believe is because it is the largest measuring device and is inefficient when transporting 10 ml increments. The most accurate devices were the 25 ml cylinder and the 10 ml pipet because they are smaller devices that have more precise measurements increments that allow the user to better weigh out 10 ml increments. The biggest margin in error most likely occurred when measuring out 10 ml with each device. The 50 ml beaker does not contain precise measurements and it contains a larger volume which causes measuring 10 ml harder. Whereas the 10 ml cylinder and pipet had more precise measuring allowing the user to better measuring out the precise 10 ml and get and accurate density of

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