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Inquiry-Based Activity 2 - Accuracy and Precision Errors and Uncertainties

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18 views

Inquiry-Based Activity 2 - Accuracy and Precision Errors and Uncertainties

Uploaded by

venkatesh.pranauv
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IB

Chemistry

Inquiry-based Activity 2: Accuracy and


Precision, Errors and Uncertainties

Lesson objectives
● Understand the difference between accuracy and precision
● Understand the significance of errors and uncertainties in data
measurements
● Recording of uncertainties and propagation of errors in measurements
● Identify the type of errors as either systematic or random.

Inquiry 2: Collecting and processing data


Interpreting results
● Assess accuracy, precision, reliability and validity.

Accuracy and Precision


● Describe the accuracy and precision as either High or Low for the dart
boards below.

…………. accuracy …………. …………. ………….


accuracy accuracy accuracy

…………. precision …………. …………. ………….


precision precision precision

Discussion
1. Construct your own definition of what accuracy and precision mean.
2. What is your reference value in deciding the accuracy and precision for the
dart boards?
3. Suggest one action each to improve on the (i) accuracy and (ii) precision for
the dart boards?

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IB
Chemistry

4. Which is more important in chemistry – accuracy or precision? Discuss.

Inquiry 3: Concluding and evaluating


Evaluating
● Identify and discuss sources and impacts of random and systematic errors.

Types of experimental errors


In scientific investigations, we are often required to evaluate the types of
experimental errors which could have affected our experimental results. Hence,
it is necessary to identify the two main types of error and explain how they
affect the accuracy and precision of the experimental results.

Identify the possible types of errors for each scenario and suggest of ways to
mitigate them.

Scenario A
Jane measured the volume of CO2 produced in the reaction between calcium
carbonate and hydrochloric acid by the displacement of water in an upturned
measuring cylinder.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Scenario B
John measured out 25 cm3 of dilute acid using a measuring cylinder and
recorded the reading from the top of the meniscus.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

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IB
Chemistry

Scenario C
May measured out 0.400 g of solid NaOH to prepare a 0.2 M solution for use in
an acid-base titration. From the safety data sheet, it was said that sodium
hydroxide is very hygroscopic (absorbing moisture from the atmosphere).

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tool 3: Mathematics
Processing uncertainties
● Understand the significance of uncertainties in raw and processed data.
● Record uncertainties in measurements as a range (±) to an appropriate level
of precision.
● Propagate uncertainties in processed data, in calculations involving addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division and (HL only) exponents.
● Express measurement and processed uncertainties—absolute, fractional
(relative), percentage—to an appropriate number of significant figures or
level of precision.

Recording and propagating uncertainties in measurement


No physical quantity can be measured with perfect certainty, regardless of the
nature of the scale or the instrument. As such, all raw data should be reported
with an associated uncertainty (random error). This uncertainty must be
expressed to the same number of decimal places as shown in the measurement.
For example, 5.2 g ± 0.1 g or 98.15 ℃ ± 0.05 ℃ .

The skill of propagating the total uncertainties in any experimental


measurement is important for analysing the random errors due to measurement
uncertainties as the total uncertainties in an experiment is always greater than
the individual uncertainties of each procedural step.

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IB
Chemistry

1. When adding or subtracting measurements, the absolute uncertainties


of the measurements are added. For example:

2. When multiplying or dividing measurements, the percentage


uncertainties of the measurements are added. For example:

3. When taking the average of measurements, the final uncertainty is the


same as the absolute uncertainty in the component values.

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IB
Chemistry

Worked example 1
(20.00 ± 0.05) g of sugar is dissolved in (50.00 ± 0.10) cm 3 of distilled water.

Find its concentration in g cm-3 and its final uncertainty.

IB Nov 2019 P2

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