Valid measurements
Planning to collect measurements that are valid
Controlling factors
The conclusions that can be drawn from the experiment are valid if the method makes sure that the effects observed and measured are due to the cause claimed.
It is important that other factors are accounted for. The factors that need to be controlled should be identified and the plan should include how these will be controlled.
Question
Two students investigate how the The concentration of a solution tells us how much of a substance is dissolved in water. The higher the concentration, the more particles of the substance are present. of Corrosive substance which has a pH lower than 7. Acidity is caused by a high concentration of hydrogen ions. affects the rate of reaction between marble chips and acid. They test the first two concentrations on one day. They test the other concentrations the following week when the weather is much hotter.
Why is any conclusion from this experiment not valid?
The conclusion cannot be valid because the surrounding temperature was different on the two days. An increase in the rate of reaction could be caused by the reaction mixture being much hotter, not just by a change in concentration.
Question
What factors should the students have controlled?
The surface area of a 3D shape is the sum of the area of its faces. and temperature also affect rate of reaction, so the students should have controlled these.
Question
How could the students make their results repeatable?
They should also use the same volume of acid and the same The amount of matter an object contains. Mass is measured in kilograms (kg) or grams (g). of marble chips each time.
Deciding range
The range of measurements made must be enough to draw a valid conclusion. If the measurements are too close together, it is difficult to be confident in any trend shown.
Question
The students record the volume of gas produced at 20 second intervals.
Their first set of results are:
| Time (s) | Volume of gas (cm3) |
| 20 | 1 |
| 40 | 2 |
| 60 | 3 |
| 80 | 5 |
| 100 | 6 |
| Time (s) | 20 |
|---|---|
| Volume of gas (cm3) | 1 |
| Time (s) | 40 |
|---|---|
| Volume of gas (cm3) | 2 |
| Time (s) | 60 |
|---|---|
| Volume of gas (cm3) | 3 |
| Time (s) | 80 |
|---|---|
| Volume of gas (cm3) | 5 |
| Time (s) | 100 |
|---|---|
| Volume of gas (cm3) | 6 |
How could the students improve the experiment to collect a broader range of results?
The students could take measurements over a longer time period so that the volumes collected are larger. They could, if this is safe to do, use higher concentrations of acid. They could also use a larger mass of marble chips.
Planning to collect measurements that are precise and accurate
Precision
Measurements are precise if the results are very close in value. The choice of measuring apparatus can affect the precision of data collected.
For example, during A method for accurately finding volumes involved in chemical reactions. , the volume of sodium hydroxide in the flask should be measured with a pipette. If a measuring cylinder were to be used, the volume would vary between repeats, so the titration reading would differ. They would not be precise.
Accuracy
The accuracy of a numerical result is how close it is to the The actual value that a measurement should be..
For example, if following a rate of reaction by loss of mass, reading from a balance with two decimal places would be closer to the true value than readings from a balance with no decimal places. The data would be less accurate.
Identify hazards and suggest ways to minimise the risk
The substances used in a chemistry experiment may be a Something that has the potential to cause harm or damage.. They could be harmful to the eyes or skin, or cause harm if breathed in.
The risk of harm from these hazards may be minimised by using the lowest concentration of any solutions, wearing eye protection, wearing gloves and using a fume hood.
Procedures can also be hazardous. For example, care must be taken not to touch very hot equipment. Loose clothing or hair should be kept away from flames.
All experiments should be Process of working out the likelihood of harm or damage being caused by identified hazards.. Always follow teacher instructions and safety advice.