Homework
Textbook assignment: Read Kotz and Triechel, Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity Review Section: The tools of quantitative chemistry (pp. 22-31).
This section throws you into the nitty gritty of the material for this text. There are lots of examples. Slow down and work your way through each one. Do not skip over them. The basics you master now will really pay off during the rest of the course.
When we use the SI system, we mean the combination of Meters/Kilograms, and seconds (for time). Sometimes we use the CGS (centimeter/gram/second) system when it is more convenient.
Which unit system we use is a choice for our convenience in doing a particular type of analysis. There is no one "right" system for every application. The cardinal rule is that you identify which system and which units you will use, and remain consistent throughout a particular analytic exercise.
For a moment, ignore the actual digits and keep in mind the type of quantity you need to answer the question. The units have to match the answer. "How long?" cannot be answered with " 20 kilograms".
If units for the same type of quantity are given in more than one form (kilometers and meters, or meters and miles, for example), you must first use a standard conversion factor to convert one of the numbers into the form of the other before you can do the final numerical calculation. Sometimes (as in the case of temperature), you must also take into account the fact that the scales you are using have different "0" points. The zero point for Kelvin is absolute zero, where motion stops. The zero point for Celsius is the freezing point of water. When converting from one to the other, we have to both convert the units and then shift the scale.
Y numbers of UNIT A * conversion factor = X numbers of UNIT B |
6.35 kilograms * 1000 grams/kilogram = 6350 grams |
15 milliliters * 1 milliliter/1 cubic centimer = 15 cubic centimeters |
30 °C * 1Kelvin/1°C + 273.15 = 303.15K |
Precision is a measure of how well you measure a given quantity: three measurements of the same characteristic will be precise if they are nearly the same. Accuracy is a measure of how close the measurements are to the expected value: three measurements of 10.1 meters/second2, 10.05meters/second2, and 10.0meters/second2 may be precise measurements of acceleration due to gravity in a falling body experiment, but they are not very accurate (the expected amount is 9.8 meters/second2).
In order to help us understand results, we look at the difference between our data and the accepted value: this is the experimental error, which may be due to inappropriate methods of measuring, mis-calibration of our measuring devices, or the influence of some hitherto unsuspected physical phenomena. Calculations using statistical techniques, in particular, standard deviation (which we will be discussing in conjunction with writing up your lab reports) help us see whether our data is accurate enough to be useful.
Concept | Relationship | Formula | Symbols | Typical Units |
---|---|---|---|---|
Temperature conversion | Kelvin to Celsius | T (K): Temperature in Kelvin T *C: Temperature in Celsius |
K or C | |
Temperature conversion | Kelvin to Celsius | T (K): Temperature in Kelvin T *C: Temperature in Celsius |
K or C | |
Energy conversions | Calories to Joules | 1 cal = 4.184 J | cal: calorie (note small c!) J: Joules |
cal: heat required to raise 1 gm water 1 °C, or J |
Error | Percent error as proportion of measurement | % error: error as fraction of measurement error in measurement: difference between individual measurement and expected value or average accepted value: standard value or average |
NO UNITS! | |
Standard deviation | Statistical error range | σ: Standard deviation n: number of measurements xi: ith measurement xavg: average of measurements |
NO UNITS! |
Read the following weblecture before chat: Scientific Method: the Uses of Experiment
Take notes on any questions you have, and be prepared to discuss the lecture in chat.
Video Site Table of contents: Thinkwell Video Lessons
Please read Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture, Chapter 2 - Lab Safety, and survey pages 52-67. Make sure that you understand how to determine the safe storage and disposal methods for a particular chemical.
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