Evaluation of procedures:

Precision
The precision of each of the measurements you made is indicated by
the % uncertainty calculated.
Accuracy The accuracy of an overall result (concentration of acid) means how
close it is to the true value.
It is possible to make very precise measurements but still end up with
an inaccurate result because of a weakness in the procedure.
Reliable
You repeat measurements and if they are close then they are said to
be reliable. sin!le measurement could be an outlier.
Limitation
This is a sta!e in the procedure which could have led to an inaccuracy
in the overall result (concentration of acid).
Points to bring out:
Do go over the definitions and include why we evaluate both measurements
and procedures. Refer back to enthalpy of combustion in DF and the huge
loss of heat to the surroundings with the apparatus used.
Ask students to make a list of aspects of the procedure they were careful
about to ensure the overall result (concentration of acid was as accurate as
possible. !tudents could fill in the relevant page in the "otes here.
#alk about washing apparatus. Discuss the conical flask and if reused$ what
should % should it not be washed out with.
Although the new assessments are less demanding in terms of evaluation$
we are still training for &'( coursework and you might talk about how some
of the limitations might affect the overall result (concentration of the acid.
).g. *f we had overshot the mark on the volumetric flask by not using a
dropping pipette here or we hadn+t washed the burette out with the solution
to be used after the distilled water. #ime is tight however.
&ou could look at the ,uantitative effect of not being careful at the endpoint
refered to in the )- activity. .urette (class . / one drop from a burette has
a volume of appro0imately 1.12 cm
(
. All burette readings should include 3
decimal places in which the second figure is either 1 or 2. An error of one
drop in a volume of 32.11 cm
(
gives a percentage error of 1.34 for each
reading.
&ou could try to pull it all together / measurements and procedures. * think
the most likely source of error is in 5udging the end point.
A little book of tips for titrations.
"ecordin! results
#alculatin! the avera!e titre
$valuation of results
$valuation of procedures
Recording results and calculating the average/mean titre:
Titration Rough ! " # $
%inal burette readin!&cm
'
((.)) *'.+, ((.-,
Initial burette readin!&cm
'
).)) ((.)) ..))
Titre&cm
'
((.)) T (..+, (..-,
Average titre % !.&$ ' !.($ / ! % !.() *+uote to ! decimal places,
Titration Rough ! " # $
%inal burette readin!&cm
'
((.)) *'.+, ('.., **..)
Initial burette readin!&cm
'
).)) ((.)) ..)) ((..,
Titre&cm
'
((.)) T (..+, ((.., (..-,
Average titre % !.&$ ' !!.$ ' !.($ / " % !.(& *there is a rule that you use any titres
-ithin a )."cm
"
range of the concordant titres to calculate the average,
.hat is the average titre/
!.) ' !.$) ' !.!)/
Points to bring out:
6se a ruler
*nclude units
Readings to 3 d.p. and second number is 1 or 2 / don+t put 1 or 1.17
8o through their e0amples from Act )!2.' as well as the ones above
!how working for average see below from Derek Denby
6se # and (THE LATER IF INCLUDED IN CALCULATION OF AVERAGE TITRE)
Average now to 3 d.p and the second number after the decimal place can be anything.
If a student !ets (..()/ (..,)/ they need to do another titration because there results are not within )... If they then
!et (..' they can stop as they have two results within )... They should calculate an avera!e of all ' results because
they are within ).'.

If they !et (..(). (..,) and (...) they should stop because they now have two results within )... They should use
only (..() and (...) to calculate the avera!e because (..,) is beyond the ).' ran!e.

If there were a case where there is more than one way of calculatin! an avera!e I !uess I would su!!est that the
student chooses the smallest ran!e.
Evaluation has t-o aspect 0 evaluation of measurements and
evaluation of procedures *same as 123E no-,
Evaluation of results:
0e look at how precise the measurements are. 0e look at the uncertainty associated with a
measurement (sometimes called the precision error). Then we calculate the percentage
uncertainty (sometimes called the percentage error).
%or !raduated e1uipment the uncertainty / precision error is taken to be half a division on
either side of the smallest unit on the scale you are usin!. %or volumetric (or un!raduated)
measurin! e1uipment you use the precision error associated with it.
4sing the balance:
The uncertainty associated with a t-o decimal place balance readin! 2 3).)),!
The percenta!e uncertainty associated with a readin! of ..-.)4! 2 ).)), 5 .)) 2 ).))#5
..-.)4
The uncertainty associated with the difference between two balance readin!s 2 ( 5 ).)), 2
3).).)!
The percenta!e uncertainty in wei!hin! out a mass of (.,4! 2 ).).) 5 .)) 2 ).#5
(.,4
4sing the !$)cm
"
volumetric flask:
The uncertainty associated with a volumetric flask readin! 2 3).(cm
'
The percenta!e uncertainty associated with volumetric flask readin! 2 ).( 5 .)) 2 ).)&5
(,)
4sing the !$cm
"
pipette:
The uncertainty associated with a pipette readin! 2 3).)4cm
'
The percenta!e uncertainty associated with pipette readin! 2 ).)4 5 .)) 2 ).!5
(,
Percentage uncertainty *percentage error, % uncertainty *precision error, 6 ))
reading
4sing the burette:
The uncertainty associated with a burette readin!s 2 3).),cm
'
The percenta!e uncertainty associated with a readin! of (,.+,cm
'
2 ).), 5 .)) 2 ).!5
(,.+,

The uncertainty associated with the difference between two burette readin!s (a titre)
2 ( 5 ).), 2 3)..)cm
'
The percenta!e uncertainty in measurin! out a volume of (,.+,cm
'
2 )..) 5 .)) 2 ).#5
(,.+,
Points to bring out:
Alternative terminology / need to know both
8o through how we get double the uncertainty when we have a difference
#he uncertainty to use will be given
9ompare the burette and pipette with the relevant measuring cylinder
Percentage error will be least for a large reading / what would you do if your titre
was 3.11 cm
(
: ;hy not have a huge titre of '11 cm
(
:
-ook at the errors for students own measurements as asked at the end of the activity
<uote percentage error to ' s.f / idea that you use the same number of s.f. as the
number with the least s.f.
=ay want to have a reminder of s.f. and d.p.::: =ay be more later
=ake the point that all of these measurements have a low precision error.
&ou could mention that in &'($ students often add the precision errors together >