Formal Report 1

Principles of Chemistry Laboratory

CHEM 121.02 ABC

Practicing accuracy and precision on the density of

beverages
Magpantay, Danielle Marie D.
1
Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City 1108, Philippines

ABSTRACT
This experiment regarding density of beverages aims to familiarize students with the use of certain laboratory
instruments and glassware, to calculate and observe accuracy and precision, and to calculate for density and understand
how it is affected by the concentration of a substance. This experiment was divided into two parts: measuring water
density using three volumetric glassware, and determining the sucrose content of two unknown beverages from data
acquired from four sucrose solutions. Errors in this experiment were probably due to the experimenter’s lack of
experience on handling most materials. Nonetheless, this experiment ascertains that pipette is the most precise
volumetric glassware with standard deviation of 0.002332, while burette is the most accurate with percent error of
3.154%. It was also verified that density has a linear relationship with solute. Utilizing this linear relationship, the
identity and sugar content of two unknown beverages were determined—diet coke and coke; with sugar content of
0g per can and around 34g-35g per can respectively. Improvements on this experiment can be made by practicing
using volumetric glassware to perform this experiment more precisely and accurately. This paper will help
experimenters better replicate this experiment, and people to better understand the applications of density.

Keywords: density, accuracy, precision, volumetric glassware, water, sucrose, solution, concentration

1. Introduction content as well as the identity of two unknown

Accuracy and precision indicate the quality of
quantitative data. While accuracy refers to how close a
measured value is to the true value, precision pertains to
how close the measured values are. They are determined
by percent error and standard deviation, respectively [1].
This experiment regarding density, based on the manual
by San Esteban and Yanza [1], strived to practice both
accuracy and precision using common laboratory
glassware. From what is expected to be least accurate
and precise, these glassware were graduated cylinder,
pipette, burette [2]. Information on liquid density is
highly significant as humans live in a physical world. To
name some applications, density allows people to know
how heavy a substance is; determine how a substance
should be transported (i.e. by larger or smaller transfer
pump); set reasonable and profitable prices on liquid
commodities, and predict the other properties of a
substance [3]. The general understanding is that density
is the mass per unit volume of a substance [1].
Furthermore, density depends on the concentration of a
substance—the higher the solute concentration, the
higher the density [4]. Using this concept, the sucrose
beverages can be predicted [1].
2. Methodology
The experiment is divided into two parts: Part A,
wherein the density of water was measured using a
graduated cylinder, pipette, and burette; and Part B,
wherein the densities of four solutions with different
sucrose concentrations were determined. For a more
comprehensive discussion, the methodology elaborated
these two parts separately.
A. Exploring Volumetric Glassware
This section is further divided into three parts:
using a graduated cylinder, a pipette, and a burette.
Water was the only chemical used in this part of the
experiment. This and all the other materials used were
provided by the Department of Chemistry of Ateneo de
Manily University.
a. Using a Graduated Cylinder
An empty, clean graduated cylinder was first
weighed on a top-loading balance to determine its mass.
It was then removed on the balance, and a beaker was

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 Formal Report 2

used to pour in it 10mL of distilled water from a 3. Results and Discussion

container. The graduated cylinder, now containing For a more comprehensive iteration, parts A and B
10mL of water, was again weighed on the balance; and of the experiment will be discussed separately in this
the mass of the water was calculated by subtracting the section.
mass of the graduated cylinder with water with the mass
of the empty graduated cylinder. For the second trial, A. Exploring Volumetric Glassware
another 10mL of water was then added so that the After determining the mass and volume of water a
cylinder contains 20mL. The mass of this new amount glassware contains, the density was calculated using the
of distilled water was calculate the same way. This was formula
done a third time before calculating the density of each 𝑚
𝜌=
trial and the mean density. 𝑣
wherein,
b. Using a Pipette
ρ = density
An empty, clean beaker was weighed on a top-
m = mass
loading balance to determine its mass. Another clean
v = volume
beaker was filled with distilled water from a container.
Using a 10mL pipette and an aspirator, 10mL of distilled Similarly, the precision could be determined using
water was transferred from this beaker to the beaker that the formula for standard deviation which is
was weighed. The mass of the water in the beaker was
determined the same way as the mass of the water in the ∑𝑛𝑖=1(𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥̅ )
graduated cylinder. This was done two more times— 𝑠= √
𝑛−1
adding 10mL more water each time—so that there were wherein,
three trials. The individual densities of each trial and s = standard deviation
their mean density were then calculated.
𝑥𝑖 = experimentally derived data
c. Using a Burette 𝑥̅ = mean
A burette was cleaned and filled up with distilled However, the Excel function STDEV.P was used
water to the zero-mark, making sure that there are no air instead.
bubbles anywhere in it; especially at the tip. The steps The results of the experiments for each glassware,
for using a burette follow that of the pipette, except that as well as the answers to the computation of density and
the burette was used to transfer liquid to a beaker. After standard deviation, are tabulated below:
three trials, the individual densities of each trial, as well
as their mean density, were calculated. Table 3.1.1. Density and Standard Deviation of Water
Using a Graduated Cylinder
The precision or standard deviation of the collected Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
data was calculated and plotted using MS Excel, and m 8.98g 19.25g 29.36g
their accuracy was determined using percent error. The v 10.00mL 20.10mL 10.00mL
true value of water was taken from the CRC Handbook ρ 0.898g/mL 0.9577g/mL 0.9783g/mL
of Chemistry and Physics. ρave 0.9447g/mL
s 0.034053
B. Determining Sucrose Content
Mass of empty graduated cylinder: 127.49g
The density of four reference sucrose solutions with
different concentrations were determined using a burette. Table 3.1.2. Density and Standard Deviation of Water
The concentrations of sucrose were 5%, 10%, 20%, and Using a Pipette
30%. Two trials were done for each solution before the Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
average density of each solution was calculated. Using m 8.46g 16.79g 25.28g
MS Excel, a calibration curve was made, showing the
v 10.00mL 19.98mL 29.97mL
linear relationship between the solutions’ percent mass of
ρ 0.846g/mL 0.8403g/mL 0.8435g/mL
sucrose and their density. The density of two unknown
ρave 0.8432g/mL
sodas were also determined using a burette. Their
%(m/m) sucrose and identity were then determined s 0.002332
using the calibration curve obtained from the four Mass of beaker: 66.62g
reference solutions. All the solutions and materials in this
experiment was provided by the Department of
Chemistry of Ateneo de Manila University.

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 Formal Report 3

Table 3.1.3. Density and Standard Deviation of Water Table 3.1.4. Accuracy of each Glassware
Using a Burette Glassware Mean density Percent error
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 0.9447g/mL
Graduated cylinder 5.297%
m 10.53g 20.58g 30.34g
Pipette 0.8432g/mL 15.47%
v 10.02mL 20.05mL 30.03mL
ρ 1.051g/mL 1.026g/mL 1.010g/mL 1.029g/mL
Burette 3.154%
ρave 1.029g/mL
These results show that burette is the most accurate
s 0.016872
glassware with 3.154% error, followed by graduated
Mass of beaker: 66.62g cylinder with 5.297% error. The least accurate is the
pipette with 15.47% error.
The tables above show that the pipette was the
Other studies show similar results to that of this
most precise measuring instrument with a standard
experiment. An analysis on the accuracy of laboratory
deviation of 0.002332; followed by burette with a glassware [2] found that pipettes are the most precise,
standard deviation of 0.016872; while the graduated and burettes are the most accurate. Similarly, a science
cylinder was the least precise glassware with a standard database [7] identified pipettes as having high precision.
deviation of 0.034053. A scatter plot of the results of the However, contradictory to the result of this experiment,
trials is shown below to better depict the precision or Brennan [8] stipulated that both pipettes and burettes
closeness of the experimentally derived densities: have higher accuracy than graduated cylinders. The
anomaly on the result of the accuracy of the pipette is
probably caused by the untimely or improper releasing
Figure 3.1. Scatter Plot of the Three of the aspirator. Like other imprecisions and
Volumetric Glassware inaccuracies in this experiment, this is due to the
1.2 experimenter’s lack of experience handling laboratory
materials.
1
B. Determining Sucrose Content
Tabulated below are the results of the data on the
0.8
four reference sucrose solutions:
Density

Table 3.2.1. Density of 5% Sucrose Solution

0.6
Solution 1
5% sugar solution
0.4
Trial 1 Trial 2
0.2 m 10.62g 20.74g
v 10.01mL 20.02mL
0 ρ 1.061g/mL 1.036g/mL
ρave 1.049g/mL
Graduated cylinder Pipette Burette
Mass of beaker: 66.62g
Table 3.2.2. Density of 10% Sucrose solution
The accuracy of the instruments was determined Solution 2
by computing for the percent error using the formula 10% sugar solution
Trial 1 Trial 2
𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 − 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = |
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
| 𝑥 100 m 10.45g 20.77g
v 10.01mL 20.02mL
The experimental value is the average density of ρ 1.044g/mL 1.037g/mL
water for a glassware; whereas the theoretical value is the
ρave 1.04g/mL
true value of water at the temperature the experiment
Mass of beaker: 66.62g
was performed. It is important to consider the
temperature when the experiment was conducted Table 3.2.3. Density of 20% Sucrose Solution
because temperature affects density because they are Solution 3
inversely related [5]. Laboratory temperature during the 20% sugar solution
performance of the experiment was about 23.0oC; hence
Trial 1 Trial 2
water had a density of 0.997538g/mL [6]. Substituting
the mean densities and the true value of water to the m 11.13g 21.77g
equation, the accuracy of each glassware is tabulated v 10.03mL 20.08mL
below: ρ 1.110g/mL 1.084g/mL

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 Formal Report 4

ρave 1.097g/mL
Mass of beaker: 66.62g
Table 3.2.4 Density of 30% Sucrose Solution
Table 3.2.5. Density of Unknown Beverages
Solution 4
30% sugar solution Beverage A Beverage B

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 2

m 11.54g 22.21g m 10.09g 20.65g 10.68g 21.10g
v 10.02m
10.05mL 20.05mL v 20.05mL 10.05mL 20.10mL
L
ρ 1.148g/mL 1.108g/mL 1.006g/ 1.030g/ 1.063g/ 1.050g/
ρ
ρave 1.128g/mL mL mL mL mL
Mass of beaker: 66.62g ρave 1.018g/mL 1.057g/mL
Substituting each density of the unknown
Noticeably, the average densities of the sucrose
beverages to the y variable of the equation of the best-
solutions are higher than that of water alone. This is
fit line (y = 0.3586x + 1.0202), x, which represents the
because the concentration of a substance influences its
%(m/m) sucrose, can be calculated as shown below.
density—the higher the solute concentration, the higher
the density would be [4]. Likewise, density is directly 𝑦 = 0.3586𝑥 + 1.0202
related to mass, which increases more significantly than Beverage A
volume when solute is added. In other words, with the 1.018 = 0.3586x + 1.0202
addition of solute, mass increases; and so does density x = -6.135x10-3 = -0.6135%
[9]. Beverage B
Since density and solute concentration, sucrose in 1.057 = 0.3586x + 1.0202
this case, have a linear relationship, plotting them in MS x = 0.1026 = 10.26%
Excel should result to a straight, increasing line. On the
Hence, Beverage A has no sucrose content;
next column is the graph from MS Excel:
whereas Beverage B has 9.98% sucrose. Considering the
color of the sodas, they are either Pepsi or Coke.
Figure 3.2. Density vs. % Mass Sucrose of
However, it is difficult to identify which between the
Standrard Sucrose Solutions
two the sodas are since their true densities are
1.14 1.0409g/mL [10] and 1.042g/mL [11], respectively.
1.13 y = 0.3586x + 1.0202 Factor label is then used to calculate for the sugar
1.12 R² = 0.9219 content of one can of each soda. The computations are
1.11 shown below.
Density (g/mL)

1.1 Coke – 330mL per can (data from Coke label)

1.09 1.057𝑔 10.26𝑔
1.08 330𝑚𝐿 ( )( ) = 35.79𝑔
1𝑚𝐿 100𝑔
1.07
1.06 Pepsi – 355mL per can (data from Pepsi label)
1.05 1.057𝑔 10.26𝑔
335𝑚𝐿 ( )( ) = 36.33𝑔
1.04 1𝑚𝐿 100𝑔
1.03 According to their nutrition facts, Coke has 34.5g
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 of sugar, while Pepsi has 41g sugar. The difference
% Mass Sucrose between the computed sugar content of Coke and the
actual sugar content of Coke is less than that of Pepsi’s;
therefore, Beverage B is Coke, and Beverage A is its diet
Ideally, as shown by the best-fit line, the %(m/m) soda counterpart, Diet Coke since diet sodas have no
sucrose of the 10% sugar solution should be higher than sugar content. As was previously said, density is
that of the 5% sugar solution. However, an opposite influenced by the amount of solute in a solution; and
result was produced by the experiment; causing a non- since diet sodas such as Beverage A do not have sugar,
linear, crooked graph. This error is probably due to their density is different and less than that of sugar-
mistakes in reading the measurement, or the containing beverages.
experimenter’s lack of experience handling a burette.
Nonetheless, the best-fit line and its equation can 4. Conclusion
be used to determine the density of two unknown Some expected results were acquired, and the
beverages. The data regarding these beverages are experiment was mostly successful. However, parts of it
shown below: can still be refined as errors arose from the

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 Formal Report 5

experimenter’s lack of experience on using most of the Water-vs-Temp.pdf. [Accessed 12 September

materials. As expected, the pipette was the most precise, 2018].
and the burette was the most accurate; however, the [7] JoVE Science Education Database, "Common
percent errors computed can still be lessened. lab glassware and yses.," 2018. [Online].
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found to be coke and diet coke.
http://depts.washington.edu/chem/facilserv/le
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Modern experiments in general chemistry I,
Quezon: Department of Chemistry, Ateneo de
Manila University, 2018.
[2] "Analysis of the accuracy of laboratory
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Available:
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September 2018].
[3] Scientific Gear, "5 ways we use liquid density
information," 20 March 2015. [Online].
Available:
https://www.scientificgear.com/blog/5-ways-
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[4] C. Kosinksi, "Beverage density lab report," 13
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[5] American CHemical Society, "Temperature
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