Accuracy and Precision

Remember these definitions? Accuracy – a description of how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity measured Precision – the exactness of a measurement

Accuracy verses Precision

Is it Accurate, Precise, Both or Neither? Known Density = 3.11 g/mL Test Results 3.77, 3.81, 3.76, 3.80 Precise, not accurate Test Results 3.01, 3.89, 3.50, 5.99 Neither Test Results 3.04, 3.20, 3.13, 3.07 Accurate, not precise Test Results 3.11, 3.12, 3.12, 3.10 Both

What are some reasons for accuracy or precision being off? Error Human Error Parallax Error – angle error Mathematical Error Instrument Error

How do we represent error?  

Example Problem Working in the laboratory, a student finds the density of a piece of pure aluminum to be 2.85 g/cm3.  The accepted value for the density of aluminum is 2.699 g/cm3.  What is the student's percent error?

Another Example Problem A student takes an object with an accepted mass of 200.00 grams and masses it on his own balance.  He records the mass of the object as 196.5 g.   What is his percent error?

Which leads us to the lab Density can be measured in two ways. If it is a liquid: Find the mass of the liquid Find the volume of the liquid Divide the mass by the volume If it is a solid Find the mass of the solid Submerge the solid in a liquid and record the difference in the volume of the liquid (final – initial) Divide the mass by the volume difference