The purpose of this lab will be to investigate the concepts of accuracy and precision for quantitative measurements using density as an example. The density of a sample will be found experimentally and compared to a known value. The relationship of averages and different analysis techniques to percent error will also be explored.
Density is a characteristic of a substance which can qualitatively be described as the amount of matter (mass) squeezed into a given space (volume). The density of substance remains the same no matter the size of the sample at a given temperature.
Quantitatively, density can be expressed as the mass of a substance per unit volume, and the volume of a cylinder can be expressed as π times the radius …show more content…
squared times the height.
(Density=Mass/Volume V = π(Diameter/2)^2 x Height)*
*Microsoft Word Starter 2010 does not allow creation of equations. This was the best alternative
Materials:
Density sample cylinders; metric ruler; Electronic balance
Procedure:
Measure the mass, height, and diameter of five different cylinders from the substance as precisely as possible to ensure the correct measurements are recorded.
Data Table: Cylinder # | Mass (grams) | Height (centimeters) | Diameter (centimeters) | 2 | 12.82g | 4.60cm | 1.55cm | 4 | 16.51g | 5.60cm | 1.10cm | 8 | 21.37g | 7.60cm | 1.60cm | 10 | 24.09g | 8.60cm | 1.10cm | 14 | 29.80g | 10.70cm | 1.10cm |
Analysis: Graph -
Mass and Volume of Blue Cylindrical Objects
Mass and Volume of Blue Cylindrical Objects
Mass (g)
Mass (g)
Volume (cm^2)
Volume (cm^2)
`
Average Density Data Table - Average Density (g/cm^3) | Team Average Density (g/cm^3) | 2.495 g/cm^3 | 1.647 g/cm^3 |
Volume Calculations – V = π(Diameter/2)^2 x Height Cylinder #2: V = π(1.55cm/2)^2 x 4.60cm = 8.08 cm^3 Cylinder # | Volume (cm^3) | 4 | 5.32 cm^3 | 8 | 15.28 cm^3 | 10 | 6.75 cm^3 | 14 | 10.17 cm^3 |
Density Calculations – D = Mass/Volume Cylinder #2: D = 12.82g/8.08cm^3 = 1.477g/cm^3
Cylinder # | Density (g/cm^3) | 4 | 1.477 g/cm^3 | 8 | 3.103 g/cm^3 | 10 | 1.398 g/cm^3 | 14 | 2.930 g/cm^3 |
Given Averages – Object | Density (g/cm^3) | Polypropylene | 0.900 g/cm^3 | Acrylic | 1.17 g/cm^3 | Polyurethane | 1.23 g/cm^3 | Polyvinylchloride | 1.37 g/cm^3 | Teflon | 2.20 g/cm^3 | Zinc | 7.14 g/cm^3 | Aluminum | 2.71 g/cm^3 | Brass | 8.56 g/cm^3 | Gold | 19.3 g/cm^3 |
The personal average density recorded (2.495g/cm^3) is in the middle of the densities of Teflon and Aluminum. The average density of the team was 1.647 g/cm^3, and that matches up with Polyvinylchloride more than any of the others. Based on the recordings, unknown ID “D”’s blue cylinders match up with Polyvinylchloride. That makes the identity of the sample Polyvinylchloride. Percent Error – %Error = (Recording/Given Recording) x 100% | Average’s (g/cm^3) | Given Recording (g/cm^3) | %Error | Personal Average | 2.495 g/cm^3 | 1.37 g/cm^3 | 82.12% | Team Average | 1.647 g/cm^3 | 1.37 g/cm^3 | 20.22% |
Conclusion:
The original purpose of the lab was to investigate the concepts of accuracy and precision for quantitative measurements using density.
Through the lab, mass, height and diameter were recorded, that enabled the volume to be recorded. With the volume and the mass, then density was able to be obtained. Using the density, the concepts of accuracy and precision for quantitative measurements were able to be investigated.
The recordings in this lab relate to the purpose because the recordings were quantitative measurements and with the measurements, they were compared to other measurements to check for accuracy and precision.
The recordings collected in the data table were not recorded precisely. The density of each cylinder recorded was way off the density of Polyvinylchloride. That was an error on personal recordings. That could be affected by rushing to get the lab recordings in instead of taking time to get the recordings as precisely as possible as stated in the procedure.
If this lab was to be redone, there would be more precise measuring tools. That would allow the measurements to be more exact, and this would ensure a more accurate volume. A more accurate volume would enable a more accurate density to be compared to the densities on the given
list.