Scribd
Upload
43 views29 pages

Chapter 1. Review Topics in Analytical Chemistry

This document provides an overview of analytical chemistry topics including the scientific method, significant figures, scientific notation, uncertainties in measurement, accuracy and precision. It discusses systematic and random errors and how to express measurements with uncertainty. Key points are that every measurement has uncertainty, and accuracy refers to closeness to the true value while precision refers to the reproducibility of measurements. The document provides examples of expressing measurements with uncertainty and calculating relative uncertainty. It recommends techniques for reducing uncertainty such as instrument calibration, repetition of measurements, and identification of major sources of uncertainty.

Uploaded by

Joksian Trapela
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
43 views29 pages

Chapter 1. Review Topics in Analytical Chemistry

This document provides an overview of analytical chemistry topics including the scientific method, significant figures, scientific notation, uncertainties in measurement, accuracy and precision. It discusses systematic and random errors and how to express measurements with uncertainty. Key points are that every measurement has uncertainty, and accuracy refers to closeness to the true value while precision refers to the reproducibility of measurements. The document provides examples of expressing measurements with uncertainty and calculating relative uncertainty. It recommends techniques for reducing uncertainty such as instrument calibration, repetition of measurements, and identification of major sources of uncertainty.

Uploaded by

Joksian Trapela
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 29

ANALYTICAL

CHEMISTRY
CHAPTER I
TOPICS:
1. Review on
a. Scientific Method
b. Significant figures & Scientific Notation
2. Systematic and Random Errors
3. Uncertainty in Measurement
4. Accuracy and Precision
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
UNCERTAINTIES IN
MEASUREMENT
MEASUREMENT
• A measurement tells us about a property of something. It
might tell us how heavy an object is, or how hot, or how long
it is.
• A measurement gives a number to that property.
Measurements are always made using an instrument of some
kind. Rulers, stopwatches, weighing scales, and thermometers
are all measuring instruments.
• The result of a measurement is normally in two parts: a
number and a unit of measurement, e.g. ‘How long is it? ... 2
metres
Uncertainty in Measurement
•is the doubt that exists about the result of any
measurement. You might think that well-made rulers,
clocks and thermometers should be trustworthy, and give
the right answers. But for every measurement - even the
most careful - there is always a margin of doubt.
ERROR VS. UNCERTAINTY
Error is the difference between the measured value and the ‘true
value’ of the thing being measured.
Uncertainty is a quantification of the doubt about the measurement
result.
Whenever possible we try to correct for any known errors: for
example, by applying corrections from calibration certificates. But
any error whose value we do not know is a source of uncertainty.
SYSTEMATIC VS RANDOM ERRORS
1. Systematic Error - errors resulting from measuring devices
being out of calibration. Such measurements will be consistently
too small or too large. These errors can be eliminated by pre-
calibrating against a known, trusted standard.
2. Random Errors - errors resulting in the fluctuation of
measurements of the same quantity about the average. The
measurements are equally probable of being too large or too
small. These errors generally result from the fineness of scale
division of a measuring device.
For example, if we measure a length of 5.7 cm with a meter
stick, this implies that the length can be anywhere in the
range 5.65 cm ≤ L ≤ 5.75 cm. Thus, L =5 .7 cm measured
with a meter stick implies an uncertainty of 0.05 cm. A
common rule of thumb is to take one-half the unit of the
last decimal place in a measurement to obtain the
uncertainty.
5.70 ± 0. 05 cm
5.65 cm – 5. 75 cm
Another examples
307.5 ± 2.5 km/h
305 km/h – 309 km/h

78.5 ± 0.5 ml
78 ml – 79 ml
In general, any measurement can be stated in the following
preferred form:
measurement = Xbest ± σx
Xbest = best estimate of measurement
σx= uncertainty (error) in measurement
Rule For Stating Uncertainties - Experimental
uncertainties should be stated to 1- significant figure.

Ex. v = 31.25 ± 0.034953 m/s


v = 31.25 ± 0.03 m/s (correct)
The uncertainty is just an estimate and thus it cannot be more
precise (more significant figures) than the best estimate of the
measured value.
Rule For Stating Answers – The last significant figure in
any answer should be in the same place as the
uncertainty
Ex. a = 1261.29 ± 200 cm/s2
a = 1300 ± 200 cm/s2 (correct)
Since the uncertainly is stated to the hundreds place, we
also state the answer to the hundreds place. Note that the
uncertainty determines the number of significant figures in
the answer.
What is its measurement?

0.65 ± 0.05 cm
ACCURACY VS PRECISION
The terms accuracy and precision are often mistakenly used
interchangeably. In error analysis there is a clear distinction
between the two.
Accuracy – an indication of how close a set of
measurements is to the exact (true) value.
Precision – a measure of the closeness of a set of
measurements. (sometimes it is used to specify the
exactness of a measurement)
What is its relative
uncertainty?
0.65 ± 0.05 cm

0.05
= = 7. 69%
|0.65|
How to reduce uncertainty in
measurement
Always remember that it is usually as important to minimize
uncertainties as it is to quantify them. There are some good practices
which can help to reduce uncertainties in making measurements
generally. A few recommendations are:

• Calibrate measuring instruments (or have them calibrated for you) and
use the calibration corrections which are given on the certificate.
• Make corrections to compensate for any (other) errors you know about.
• Choose the best measuring instruments, and use calibration facilities
with the smallest uncertainties.
How to reduce uncertainty in
measurement
• Check measurements by repeating them, or by getting someone
else to repeat them from time to time, or use other kinds of checks.
Checking by a different method may be best of all.
• Check calculations, and where numbers are copied from one place
to another, check this too.
• Use an uncertainty budget to identify the worst uncertainties, and
address these.
• Be aware that in a successive chain of calibrations, the uncertainty
increases at every step of the chain.
PRACTICE
exercise
The Quiz will be given this
afternoon at 1:30 PM.
1. Students measuring the dimensions of a
table top using a meter stick. They determine
that the width of the table is between 78.4
and 78 cm.
◦A. Express the measurement and uncertainty in the form:
x ± ∆x
B. What is the absolute uncertainty of the width measurement?
C. What is the relative uncertainty of the width measurement?
Prepared by:

MA. LUCILLE W. ABARRACOSO

You might also like