Experiment 1: Measurement and Density1

PURPOSE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This is an introductory exercise that includes the uses of common laboratory equipment, the importance of experimental
measurement and the practice of the scientific method. You will learn to evaluate the precision and the accuracy of
measurements made with different glassware and with an analytical balance during the processes of determining the
densities of coke and diet coke. You will also be introduced to the LabQuest data gathering instrument and the Logger
Pro data analysis programs that we will use repeatedly throughout the semester. A simple temperature versus time
procedure will generate data that will be collected and saved on the LabQuest instrument and then transferred to Logger
Pro for analysis.

CONCEPTS
You should be familiar with the following concepts prior to this lab; they will not be covered in the reading below or in
lecture:
1) The scientific method.
2) The definitions of matter:
a. Pure substances
b. Mixtures (homogeneous and heterogeneous)
3) Measurement
a. Prefixes
b. Units
4) Density

PRINCIPLES
Chemists recognize and compare the differences in matter by two general classifications, physical and chemical
properties.

Physical properties are certain characteristics of substances that can be observed or measured without changing the
composition of matter. These properties are used to observe and describe matter such as, odor, color, state (s, l, g),
density, solubility, conductivity (electrical & heat), melting point and boiling point. Thus, the strength of the
intermolecular forces determines the physical properties of the substance. A physical change takes place without any
changes in molecular composition of the substance. The same element or compound is present before and after the
change.

Chemical properties of matter describe its "potential" to undergo some chemical change or reaction by virtue of its
composition. What elements, electrons, and bonding are present to give the potential for a chemical change? For
example, iron metal will react with atmospheric oxygen to produce rust; however, platinum does not react with
atmospheric oxygen. Consequently, a chemical property of iron is that it will react with atmospheric oxygen and a
chemical property of platinum is that it will not react with atmospheric oxygen. A chemical change alters the
composition of the original matter. Different elements or compounds are present at the end of the chemical change. The
atoms in compounds are rearranged to make new and different compounds and different physical properties often
accompany the change.

1
Adapted from Herrick, R. S.; Nestor, L. P.; Benedetto, D. A. J. Chem. Ed. 1999, v 76, p 1411.
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 CH204 Experiment 1: Measurement and Density spring 2015

A further classification of matter is dependent on the amount of substance present.

Properties that do not depend on the amount of the matter present are called intensive properties.
• Color
• Odor
• Luster - How shiny a substance appears.
• Malleability - The ability of a substance to be beaten into thin sheets.
• Ductility - The ability of a substance to be drawn into thin wires.
• Conductivity - The ability of a substance to allow the flow of energy or electricity.
• Hardness - How easily a substance can be scratched.
• Temperature – The degree of hotness or coldness of an object as measured by some defined scale.
• Melting/Freezing Point - The temperature at which the solid and liquid phases of a substance are in equilibrium
at atmospheric pressure.
• Boiling Point - The temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the pressure on the liquid
(generally atmospheric pressure).
• Density - The mass of a substance divided by its volume and can be interpreted as mass per volume (see
equation below), which is unvarying for a given substance at constant temperature and pressure. Changing the
temperature of a substance at constant mass and pressure will result in a different density as a consequence of
the changing volume that occurs as the molecules or ions become more or less kinetic E.g., water under
standard conditions will have a density of 1.0 g/cm3 regardless of the volume measured. However, the density
of water becomes smaller as the temperature decreases (kinetic energy is reduced) because the molecules are
pushed apart due to electrostatic repulsion. A gram of ice occupies more three dimensional space (volume)
than a gram liquid water at room temperature under the same pressure as the ice. Therefore, a gram of ice has a
lower density than a gram of water at room temperature.

The relationship between mass and volume for density is

• Specific heat capacity - The amount of heat (in Joules) is required to raise the temperature of one gram of the
substance by one Kelvin with no change in state (under constant pressure).
Properties that do depend on the amount of matter present are called extensive properties.
• Mass - A measurement of the amount of matter in an object (grams). The SI unit is the kilogram but the gram
is more commonly used in the laboratory.
• Weight - A measurement of the gravitational force of attraction of the earth acting on an object.
• Volume - A measurement of the amount of space a substance occupies. The SI unit is the cubic meter (m3),
however, the cubic centimeter (cm3) is the common volume used in general chemistry laboratory. One cm3 is
equal to one milliliter (mL).
• Length – A measurement with the SI base unit of a meter.
• Heat Content – The amount of heat is determined by the mass of the substance at constant temperature and
pressure. If two different masses of the same substance are measured for heat content at constant temperature
and pressure, the substance with the larger mass has the largest heat content.
• Molarity – The concentration of a solution is determined by the number of moles of solute per liter of solution.

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SOLUTIONS
A solution results from combining two or more substances. Making a solution can produce either a physical and/or
chemical change.
A physical change occurs when the original substances (components) of the solution can be separated from one another
by physical means. E.g. salt water, made from dissolving sodium chloride in water, can be separated by boiling and
evaporating the water from the salt (a process call distillation). The water goes from a liquid to a gas (physical change)
and the salt is released from the hydration of water and is dried to its original state (physical change).

A chemical change occurs when the original substances cannot be separated from one another. E.g. a solution made by
adding the same volumes and concentrations of a strong acid with a strong base produces salt water. Neither the original
acid nor original base exists in the solution after they are mixed. Often chemical changes are accompanied by a change
in physical properties. E.g. adding aluminum metal to a blue aqueous solution of copper ions will produce solid copper
and the aqueous solution will become colorless.

As a rule, the term solubility refers to a physical change.

MEASUREMENT
Measurement is a quantitative observation that is composed of two parts; a number and a unit. In order for a
measurement to be meaningful, both parts must be present. The system of units called the International System (SI) is
based on the metric system and is used exclusively to record chemistry observations in the form of measurement. The
size of a unit in the SI system is determined by prefixes, e.g. kilo (103), centi (10−2), milli (10−3), micro (10−6), and nano
(10−9).

The final results of an experiment usually involve calculations that include addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division of the various measurements recorded throughout the procedures. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the
uncertainty that is in the final result. The number of digits that should be retained in measurements and from an outcome
of a series of calculations is an important factor when determining the final results. The significance of the number of
digits in measurements is important in establishing the uncertainty in the final results.

Determining Significant Figures

All non-zero digits are significant. There are only two cases when zeroes are not significant:
• 36000 = 2 sig figs
• 0.0075 = 2 sig figs

“Captive” zeroes are significant:

• 36,003 = 5 sig figs
• 1.0075 = 5 sig figs

Trailing zeroes after a decimal place are also significant:

• 0.0007100 = 4 sig figs

Ballpark: There are two criteria for a zero to be counted as a significant figure:
1) There must be a decimal in the number.
and
2) There must be a whole number to the left of the zero.

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E.g. The number 36000 contains whole numbers that are located to the left of the zeros but there is no decimal in
the number. Therefore there are only two significant figures in the number. However, the number 36000. contains
both a decimal and a whole number to the left of all the zeros; therefore, there are five significant figures in the
number.

Multiplying and Dividing Measurements (significant figures are counted)

When measurements are multiplied or divided, the number of significant figures shown in the result is determined by
the measurement with the fewest digits. The number to the immediate right of the last digit in the significant figures is
used to round the answer. If the number to the immediate right is ≥ 5, then round up.

45,398 × 34.5 = 1566231 = 1,570,000 or 1.57 × 106

↑
round up

471.01 ÷ 90.0000 = 5.233444444 = 5.2334

E.g. Round the number 89.49821 to two significant figures.

89.49821 = 89

Adding and Subtracting Measurements (decimal places are counted)

When measurements are added or subtracted, the measurement with the fewest places after the decimal determines the
number of significant figures in your answer.

55.685 215.01 Note: The period was added to the

+ 1.7 – 15 zero in order to maintain three
57.485 = 57.5 190.01 =190. significant figures in the answer.

37.76 + 3.907 + 226.4 = 268.1

319.15 - 32.614 = 286.54
104.630 + 27.08362 + 0.61 = 132.32
125 - 0.23 + 4.109 = 129

The logarithm (base 10) of x, log x = a, where x = 10a. The antilogarithm (base 10) of a, antilog a = x, where x = 10a. A
logarithm is divided into two (2) parts by the decimal. The integer before the decimal reflects the exponent and the
numbers after the decimal reflect the significance of the measurement. If a number is a logarithm the exponent reflects
the power of ten and is not considered to be part of the significant figures; only the digits after the decimal are
significant.

E.g. What is the log of 4.5 × 10−10?

The number 4.5 × 10−10 has two significant figures. Remember that all numbers given in scientific notation are
significant. The log of 4.5 × 10−10 is -9.346787486. Since there are only two significant figures in the number, there are
only two significant figures in the log. The number before the decimal does not count as a significant figure in the log
number; therefore, -9.35 is the correct answer.
Log 811 (8.11 × 102) = 2.909 (3 sig figs in the log number; therefore, 3 digits after the decimal is equivalent to 3
sig figs)
Antilog (2.909) = 811 (3 sig figs in the answer is determined by number of digits after the decimal in the antilog
number)
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The pH of a solution with a [H+] = 2.85 × 10-5 M would be correctly reported as pH = −log [H+] = −log (2.85 ×
10−5) = 4.545
The [H+] in a solution with a pH of 8.30 would be correctly reported as [H+] = 10−pH = 10−8.30 = 5.0 × 10−9M

Calculations and Significant Figures

All of the digits in multiple step calculations should be carried through on your calculator. Determine your answer to the
correct number of significant figures based on the rules of addition-subtraction and multiplication-division.

Rules: order of operations.

1) Calculations must be done from left to right.
2) Calculations in brackets (parenthesis) are done first. When you have more than one set of brackets, do the
inner brackets first.
3) Exponents (or radicals) must be done next.
4) Multiply and divide in the order the operations occur.
5) Add and subtract in the order the operations occur.

Example 1. Complete the following calculation to the correct number of significant figures.

(4.125 + 3.2) → remember this calculation only has 2 sig figs

1.225

Your calculator will show the following answer:

7.325
= = 5.979591837
1.225

However, in the original calculation, there were only 2 significant figures in one of the measurements in the numerator.
Therefore, the answer cannot have more than 2 significant figures.

7.325
= = 5.9 79591837
14243 = 6.0
1.225 not significant

Example 2. Complete the following calculation to the correct number of significant figures.

 
 195.6 × 15  + 2.55 = 2936.55 ( answer on calculator )
 2 significant figures 
14 24 3
 
= 2.9 × 103
Note: the answer for the calculation in parenthesis will have only two significant figures. (There are only two whole
numbers in the hundreds and thousands place in the number.) The answer on the calculator should be rounded to 2900
with no decimal to the right of the zero in the ones place.

Example 3. Complete the following calculation to the correct number of significant figures.

(247.01 - 3.81) × 2.9 = 705.28 (answer on calculator )

14243
2 sig. figs.

= 710

ERROR IN MEASUREMENT: ACCURACY AND PRECISION

Accuracy refers to how closely the measured value of a quantity corresponds to its “true” value.

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Precision expresses the degree of reproducibility, or agreement between repeated measurements.

Random error will cause some of the measurements to be a little high and some to be a little low.
An example of random error is the fluctuation of the readings of an electronic balance during the determination of a
sample mass, which is caused by tiny vibrations, voltage fluctuations, and air currents. Although random errors can
never be eliminated, they can be minimized.
• Random error can be reduced by averaging several measurements.
• Random errors are errors that affect the precision of a set of measurements.
• Random error scatters measurements above and below the mean, with small random errors being more
likely than large ones.

Systematic errors are ones that cause readings to be always high or always low. These kinds of error are generally due
to mistakes, equipment malfunction, and poor laboratory technique. Systematic errors have an identifiable cause and
effect on the accuracy of results. E.g. if a balance reads 0.25 g when there is no mass on it, this would introduce a
systematic error to each mass measurement—they would all be too large by 0.25 g. This can be corrected by zeroing the
balance. Other systematic errors can only be eliminated by calibrating the instrument (e.g. pH meter) or by using a
different experimental setup. Most of the simple experiments will have some small systematic error.

Gross errors are undetected mistakes made by the student that cause a measurement to deviate farther from the mean
measurement than other measurements. These types of error usually produce outliers, which are data points that are
inconsistent within a set of data for a given measurement. Gross errors are almost always caused by the individual
taking the measurement – a personal fault. E.g. if a student determines the weight of a liquid in a beaker but does not
subtract the weight of the empty beaker then the weight of the liquid will be erroneously high. Often time the gross error
is introduced by failing to record a measurement correctly; e.g., a student records the density of water as 100 g/cm3
rather than 1.00 g/cm3.

Precision of measurements can be improved by taking the average ( X ) of a set of repeated measurements.

x 1 + x 2 + x 3 + ... + x n
X=
n
where :
x 1 + x 2 + x 3 + ... + x n are the repeated measurements
n is the number of measurements

The magnitude of random error can be determined by a statistical function called the standard deviation around the
mean. Standard deviation is a measure of the scatter in the data, which tells us how many decimal places we should
keep in our average. A set of at least three measurements are necessary to analyze the standard deviation of a set of
repeated measurements.

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∑ (x )
2
1 −X
s=
n −1

When reporting the standard deviation for the average of repeated measurements, only one significant figure is used.
The average of the repeated measurements is reported to the number of significant figures that is allowed by the
standard deviation.

E.g. Five measurements are taken for the mass of four pennies (given in the table below).

Measurement # 1 2 3 4

Mass of a sample (g) 5.7128 5.6947 5.7085 5.6907

The average is:

5.7128 + 5.6947 + 5.7085 + 5.6907
X=
4
= 5.70168

The standard deviation is:

(5.7128 − 5.70168)2 + (5.6947 − 5.70168)2 + (5.7085 − 5.70168)2 + (5.6907 − 5.70168)2

s=
4 −1
= 0.01064

Since the first significant digit in the standard deviation is 0.01, the number of decimal places in our recorded average
cannot be more than two places.

Std. deviation = 0.01064 = 0.01 (the standard deviation is reported to only ONE significant figure)
Mean = 5.70168 = 5.70

5.70 ± 0.01 g

For an experiment that allows only a single measurement (or reading), the random error is determined by the precision
of the equipment

For an experiment that allows only two measurements (or readings), the random error can be reduced by averaging the
measurements. However, taking at least three measurements and determining the standard deviation will present the
best results for determining random error and the ultimate precision of the measurements.

THE Q-TEST
Sometimes one data point is inconsistent with the remaining data points within a given set of data. You can use a Q test
to determine whether the questionable data point should be kept or rejected. In order to apply the Q test, the Q value
must be calculated by the following equation:

gap
Qcalculated =
range

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Gap is the absolute value of the difference between the questionable data point, xsuspect, and the closest value, xclose, in
the data set.
gap = xsuspect − xclose

Range is the difference between the maximum value data point, xmax, and the minimum value data point, xmin, within the
given set of data.
range = x max − x min

Compare the Qcalculated value to the Qtable value given in the table below:

If Qcalculated > Qtable, the questionable point should be discarded.

If Qcalculated < Qtable, the questionable point should be retained.

Number of Qtable value (90%

Measurements confidence)
3 0.94
4 0.76
5 0.64
6 0.56
7 0.51
8 0.47
9 0.44
10 0.41

For example, for values 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, if we wanted to test "9", we would take (9-4)/(9-1) = 5/8 = 0.625, which is less
than 0.64, so we'd have to keep the 9.

On the other hand, for the values, 3, 3, 4, 4, 9, if we wanted to test "9", we would take (9-4)/(9-3)=5/6 =0.833, which is
greater than 0.64, so we can throw the 9 out. In small groups of values, usually 3-10 values, only one value in the group
can be removed by the Q-test test. If you have more than one questionable value, then you have a group of data with a
large amount of scatter and all of the values must be kept.

SAFETY
Wear safety goggles at all times.

MATERIALS
Coke and Diet Coke, LabQuests and temperature probes.

PROCEDURE: This experiment is comprised of two parts.

For part 1, the lab section will be divided into two groups by your TA; one group will measure the density of Coke and
the other group will measure the density of Diet Coke. Each student in the group will determine the density of either
Coke or Diet coke using three different types of glassware that are commonly used in laboratory procedures. All the

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data will be collected and pooled in order to determine if the densities of the two different soft drinks are statistically
different. In addition, the glassware that gives the most precise measurements will be determined.

PART I: Is the density of Coke different from the density of Diet Coke? (Each student will perform the
measurements outlined in the protocol below.)

Figure 1.
a) beaker; not volumetric, do not measure liquid volume in this glassware
b) buret measure to 0.01mL
c) volumetric pipe measure to 0.01 mL
d) graduated cylinder measure to 0.1 mL
e) volumetric flask measure to 0.01 mL

1. Formulate a hypothesis regarding the answer to the question. That is, do you believe that the density of coke is
different from the density of Diet Coke. (The hypothesis should be written before you write your procedure in your
lab notebook.)

2. Measure approximately 40.0 mL of Coke or Diet Coke (as assigned to your group) into an empty clean beaker
(Figure 1a).

3. At your bench, measure the temperature of your soft drink sample and record the result in your lab notebook.

4. Weigh two labeled beakers (30 mL or 50 mL) on the analytical balance. Record the mass to the nearest 0.0001
gram in Table 2 in your lab notebook.

5. Dispense (deliver) 5.0 mL of your sample into each of the labeled beakers using a 5 mL volumetric pipette (Figure
1c). Weigh the beakers with the sample and record the masses in Table 2 in your lab notebook.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 using a 10 mL graduated cylinder (Figure 1d) to deliver the 5 mL samples.

7. In this step, you will use a 50 mL burette. You will be directed to a special section of the lab where the burettes are
located (Figure 1b). Once you have obtained a burette, clean inside by rinsing it well with deionized water. You
will also need to rinse the inside of the burette with small amounts of your assigned soft drink.

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8. After you have prepared your burette, mount it and close the stopcock. Fill the burette about half-way to the full
mark. Open the stopcock and allow some of the soft drink to drain into an empty waste beaker. Be sure that the tip
of the burette is full and that there are no air-bubbles inside the tip.

9. Weigh two labeled beakers (30 mL or 50 mL) on the analytical balance. Record the mass to the nearest 0.0001
gram.

10. Record the initial volume reading of your burette to ±0.01 mL into Table 1.

11. Dispense 5 mL of your soft drink sample into each of the labeled beakers and record the final volume reading of
your burette to ±0.01 mL into Table 1. Calculate the volume delivered and record into Table 1.

Table 1. Volume delivered by burette.

Trial 1 Trial 2

Initial Burette Reading (mL)

Final Burette Reading (mL)

Volume Delivered (mL)

Table 2. Densities of Samples Using Different Glassware

Volumetric Pipette Graduated Cylinder Burette

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

Mass of Empty Beaker (g)

Mass of Beaker + Soft Drink
Sample (g)
Mass of Soft Drink Sample (g)

Volume Delivered (mL)

Calculated Density (g/mL)

12. All students enter their data into the designated computer. The data will be pooled into an Excel program graph.

13. Enter the calculated densities (six per student) for the different glassware used to measure the density of your
assigned soft drink. Note: you will calculate the six densities without consideration for significant figures. Calculate
the density for each measurement of mass (usually to three decimal places) and volume (decimal places determined
by type of glassware) and enter the calculator results into Table 2 and into the Excel spreadsheet under the
appropriate glassware. As the data points are entered into the spreadsheet, a scatter plot of the pooled data will
appear in a table for each of the glassware used in the measurements. Using the pooled data in the table
spreadsheet, complete Table 3 below. Be sure to use the correct number of significant figures when entering the
final results.

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14. CALCULATIONS: (Leave space for calculations in your lab notebook.) Although you will enter the total
number of digits from the density calculations into the Excel spreadsheet, show one sample calculation of density
from your measurements with the correct significant figures and proper units. That is, using one of your measured
volumes and mass data, calculate the density using the rules of significant figures and show your work

Table 3. Average Density and Standard Deviation of Measurement Glassware.

Average Density ± Standard Deviation
Sample
Pipette Graduated Cylinder Burette

Coke (g/mL)

Diet Coke (g/mL)

15. Your TA will e-mail you a copy of the Excel data sheet that contains the scatter plot and data table. Print a copy of
the data sheet and attach it to your lab report.

PART 2. Temperature versus Time Measurements

The following procedure is an introduction to the use of the LabQuest data collection instrument and the Logger Pro3
software for data analysis.

PROCEDURE (Connect the USB drive to the LabQuest Device before you begin collecting data.)

1. Obtain and wear goggles.

2. Press the silver on/off button in the upper left corner of the LabQuest (2a in figure 2 below). It may take several
seconds for the screen to activate.

3. Connect the Temperature Probe to one of the ports on the top of LabQuest and choose New from the File menu.
The temperature sensor will be automatically indentified by the LabQuest instrument.

4. You will measure the change of temperature that occurs when the temperature probe is exposed to air and then
exposed to the heat of your hand.

5. Once the LabQuest screen has been activated you will observe a red box indicating the location of the channel in
which the temperatures probe has been connected and the word temperature. The temperature of the room is shown
in large white numbers.

6. Connect the USB drive into the USB slot on top of the instrument.

7. In the upper right corner of the screen, “single “tap” MODE with stylus. In the box to the right of “interval” you
will delete the 0.5 and replace it with 3.0. To accomplish this change, use the stylus to “tap” the box”. A keyboard
will appear at the bottom of the screen. Using the backspace arrow, remove 0.5 and “tap” in the number 3.0 in the
box, then ““tap”” OK. You are now ready to measure the temperature at 3 second intervals.

8. Hold the temperature probe so that the tip is exposed to the air unobstructed. To begin the measurement, “tap” the
arrow on the bottom left corner with the stylus. You may also use the collection button on the body of the
instrument

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9. You will observe the graph as it is drawn in real time. At the bottom right corner of the screen the digital readout of
the time advancing in 3.0s intervals is visible. When 90s has elapsed, cover the tip of the probe with your hand.
You may either hold the tip between your thumb and forefinger or cusp the tip in your fist.

10. Hold the probe until the time automatically stops at 180s. “Tap” FILE on the toolbar located at the top of the
screen, then “tap” the USB icon and save the run. Name the file such that you will recognize the run when you open
it in Logger Pro. (E.g. Trial 1 Expt. 1) SAVE the data on the LabQuest as well (use your name and expt #, e.g. lyon
expt 1 run 1).

11. Once the data is saved, note the box labeled Run 1 in the upper right corner of the screen. “tap” the FILE
CABINET ICON next to Run 1 and Run 2 will appear. You are now ready to measure a second data set.

12. Repeat the steps above to measure a second run. Be sure to save the second run to your USB and the LabQuest
before you begin Run 3. You may elect to measure a Run 4 and 5; however, the procedure can be ended once you
have collected data for 3 good runs. IMPORTANT: Before you “tap” the file cabinet icon to advance the run
number, be sure that each run is saved separately in your USB drive.

Note: factors such as standing under a heating/cooling vent, movement while measuring and wet palms that
have been air cooled can cause fluctuations in the measurements of the initial air temperature and the initial
temperature of your hand between different sets of measurements. Allowing 90s intervals to lapse before
beginning a new set of temperature measurements will help lower random error between the different sets of
measurements by allowing the air temperature and hand temperature to normalize. Also waiting until the
heating or cooling from a vent has stopped and drying hands between sets of measurements will also lower
random error between the different sets of measurements.

13. When you have completed at least three runs, turn off the LabQuest device by pushing the on/off button for a
couple of seconds (it will take another 3 seconds or so for the screen to go black). Remove your USB and analyze
the data in the Logger Pro software that you downloaded from the Vernier Web site. (Password was provided on
Blackboard.) You may practice using the software before you leave the lab. The Logger Pro software has been
loaded on the lab computers.

14. Use the LoggerPro software on the lab computers and check the data saved on your USB drive before you leave the
lab. Failure to produce all of the LoggerPro graphs on your lab report will cost you points on your lab report so be
absolutely sure you have your data before you leave lab. If discover that you have corrupted data on your USB and
you saved the data on the LabQuest then you may go to your lab later in the week (before or after the remaining lab
periods) and save it on your USB. Eric, the storeroom manager will open the lab room for you. DO NOT wait until
the day before the lab report is due to discover you do not have the data on your USB, it will most likely be too late
to recover it from the LabQuests!

LOGGER PRO INSTRUCTIONS: (Do not include the Logger Pro instructions in your preliminary lab write up, you
can read and follow these outside of lab class.)

1. Launch the Logger Pro software. Open a data file from your USB drive.

2. Select your first trial.

3. A graph and a table of data points will appear. At this point you may want to reduce the size of your graph – right
click the graph and pull the box (located at the corners) inward until the graph is about half of its original size.

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4. Double click the graph. The title box will appear. Write the title of your graph (include your name in parenthesis) in
the title box area. E.g., Temperature vs. Time, Expt. 1 Trial 1(name). See example in figure 3 below.

5. On the toolbar, select “Analyze”. On the drop down menu select statistics. The stats box will appear in your graph.
Record the minimum and maximum temperatures given in the stats box into Table 4 in your lab notebook.

6. Calculate and record the change of temperature (ΔT) into Table 4.

Temp. vs Time Expt.1 trial 1 (Dr. Lyon)

Figure 3 The statistics given for Run 1 are the minimum temperature is 21.84oC at 30.00s and the maximum
temperature is 33.01oC at 147.0s. (Note: Do not copy the graph in figure 3 into your lab notebook – it is only presented
in this procedure as an example of how the graph should appear.)

If you have more than one run saved under a title then multiple runs (Run 1, Run 2, etc.) will appear in the analysis
columns. To analyze this type data, please read and follow the instructions for MANIPULATING MULTIPLE RUNS
FOR DATA ANALYSIS below:

MANIPULATING MULTIPLE RUNS FOR DATA ANALYSIS IN LOGGER PRO (Do not include these
instructions for manipulating multiple runs in your preliminary lab write up, you can read and follow these outside
of lab class.)

1) After creating a graph for Run 1, click anywhere on the graph. Select “Graph Options”.
2) Select the “Axis Options” tab at the top. There will be a box labeled “Y-axis columns”.
a. Note that Run 1 is open in the Y-axis columns box. Remove the check from the Y-box. To open Run 2,
check the Y-box to graph Run 2 and select “done”. The graph on the screen for Run 1 will change to the
graph for Run 2.
3) You can go back and forth between Runs by right clicking in the graph area and removing the checks from the
boxes (the y-axis) under the Run you want to leave and checking the boxes under the Run you want to analyze.

The change of temperature for each run is determined by the following:

ΔT = Tf inal - Tinitial
Where Tfinal is Tmax (maximum temperature) and Tinitial is Tmin (minimum temperature).

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 CH204 Experiment 1: Measurement and Density spring 2015

Table 4
Tmin ( oC) Tmax ( oC) ΔT (oC)

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average ΔT and Standard Deviation ____________________

CALCULATIONS: (Leave space for calculations in your lab notebook.) Show a sample calculation of the change
of temperature from one set of data. Calculate the average and standard deviation of the change of temperature for
your three trials. (Show all your work with the correct units and significant figures.)

7. Print a copy of your results from Logger Pro for each of your three trials. Each of the three graphs must include the
table of data, the graph, graph title, your name, TA name, lab section and statistics box. (Essentially you are
printing the entire page on Logger Pro.) When you select print, you will be prompted to complete the footer name
(your TA and section number). You should also check all the boxes before you print. An example of a printed data
sheet from logger pro is available at the end of this procedure. Attach the three data sheets to your lab report.

DISCUSSION GUIDELINES
A discussion will be written for each experiment. The discussion part of your lab describes the objectives, observations,
results and conclusions of the lab experiment you just completed. It will be typed, 1.5-spaced and submitted
electronically through SafeAssign in Blackboard before the beginning of the next lab period. One copy of the
discussion will also be printed and attached to the back of your lab report. A late penalty of 10% (10 points) per day
(excluding weekends and holidays) will be assessed for the lab report without a discussion. In other words, if either part
of the lab report is turned in late, a 10% penalty will be assessed per day starting immediately.
For each experiment there is a Discussion Guide document included at the end of the procedure (see DISCUSSION on
next page). The guide contains several questions or statements that will direct you through the writing of your
discussion. DO NOT write these questions in your discussion, but rather, be sure to include the answers to these
questions, in paragraph form, as you write your discussion. DO NOT number your paragraphs. When your TA
instructor grades your submitted discussion, he or she will look to see if the answers to the questions were addressed in
your writing, which will also be graded for misspellings and incomplete sentences (use spelling and grammar check).

Below are the guidelines for the Discussion that will be submitted on Blackboard. Be sure your name, EID,
experiment number and name are on your submitted discussion.

1. Type the experiment number and name of experiment. Do not use hyphens, colon, semicolon, dashes in the name of
the experiment. These types of symbols in the title (name of experiment) will cause the document to be rejected.
2. Typed and 1.5 line-spaced. (These guidelines are 1.5 line-spaced)
3. Do not write the questions in the discussion and do not number paragraphs.
4. No script or bold fonts can be used.
5. The font size can only be 10.
6. The font style must be regular; do not use bold or italic styles. You may use superscript or subscript.
7. Set one-inch margins for all sides.
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 CH204 Experiment 1: Measurement and Density spring 2015

8. No more than a two-page discussion can be submitted unless otherwise indicated in the lab manual. Number pages
if more than one page is submitted.
9. Please refer any difficulties uploading discussion documents into SafeAssign to the Blackboard Help Desk (475-
9400). Neither your TA nor Dr. Lyon can help you with these types of problems.

Submitting Written Discussion to SafeAssign:

1. In Blackboard, select the link to your lab section (not the master class).
2. Click on Assignments
3. Click on SafeAssignment 1 – Discussion *Experiment 1 Measurement and Density
4. Open the browser and upload a copy of your discussion. Submit the written assignment. Be sure your name, EID,
section number and experiment number are included on your written report.
5. DO NOT wait until the last minute to upload your written discussion into SafeAssign. Give yourself time to
determine a solution to a problem of uploading a document, otherwise, you will be accessed a penalty if the
document is not submitted on time.
6. The SafeAssign system only allows one submission per discussion link in SafeAssign. If you accidently uploaded
your discussion into the incorrect link or need to make changes to a submitted discussion before the deadline, you
must contact your TA. He or she can delete the discussion from SafeAssign and let you know when you may
resubmit. Caution: Do not abuse this TA service. Repeated requests for deletion of discussion assignments could
cause serious point deductions.
* Note: Each TA labels and posts links for uploading discussions in Blackboard. If the link is missing, please email your
TA and let him or her know ASAP.

DISCUSSION (Attach written discussion to end of lab report and upload into SafeAssign.)
1. What were the objectives of this experiment? Briefly describe the differences between random, systematic and
gross error? How is the number of decimal places determined for the correct number of significant figures that
should be reported for your results in this experiment?

Part 1:
2. What was your hypothesis regarding the densities of Coke and Diet Coke? Considering the different
ingredients in Coke and Diet Coke, should the densities of the two soft drinks be different? Why?
3. From the results of your experimental data, are the densities of the Coke and Diet Coke different? Explain.
4. Was there a difference in the densities of Coke and Diet coke between the glassware? (Explain your answer
considering the results that were obtained from your measurements with the graduated cylinder, Burette and
volumetric pipette.) Which of the instruments was the most precise in your measurements according to the
scatter plot? Which of the instruments was the most precise in your measurements according to the results of
the average and standard deviation table? Which of the instruments was the most accurate?
5. If the volume of the coke/diet coke had been changed between measurements but the temperature and pressure
remained the same for each measurement, would you expect the density of the coke/ diet coke to have also
changed? Explain. If the temperature of the coke/diet coke has been changed between measurements but the
mass and pressure remained the same for each measurement, would you expect the density of the coke/diet
coke to have also changed? Explain.

Part 2:
6. Briefly describe the procedure used to determine the change of temperature in part 2.

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 CH204 Experiment 1: Measurement and Density spring 2015

7. Why was it necessary to wait 90 seconds before beginning a new set of measurements of your hand
temperature? Was there a difference in the initial temperature of the air between the three different sets of
measurements, if so why? Was there a difference in the initial temperature of your hand between the three
different sets of measurements, if so why?
8. Rate the precision of the three different measurements (high or low). How did you determine the precision of
your measurements?

Overall Results: Conclusion

9. What have you learned from the procedures in this experiment that will be beneficial for analysis of future
experiments that involve measurements?
10. What were some of the possible sources of error in this experiment?

Be sure to upload a copy of this discussion into SafeAssign before the next lab period.

All references used to write your discussion must be cited in the discussion. The Citation Guidelines that should
be used are provided by the American Chemical Society under the following URL
(http://library.williams.edu/citing/styles/acs.php#reference).

You do not have to write a separate reference page, simply cite your reference at the end of your written
discussion. Any information included in your written discussion that is contrary to the information provided in
the background reading must be cited in the written discussion or that information will be counted incorrect and
you will lose those points, even if you provide the evidence after the discussion has been submitted and graded.

References:
Zumdahl, S. S. Chemical Principles, 5th Edition, Houghton Miffin Company, 2005, pp. A8-A15.
Atkins, P.W.; Jones, L. L. Chemical Principles: The Quest for Insight, 3rd Edition, W. H. Freeman and Company, 2005,
pp. F6-F8, A6-A7.

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CH204 Experiment 1: Measurement and Density spring 2015

Temperature vs. Time

Expt. 1 Trial 1 (Dr. Lyon)

Example of a printed data sheet from Logger Pro.

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