Lab Report
Measurements of Physical Properties
08/29/2024
Cynthia Veliz Sandoval.
Partners: Carolina, and Taylor Yarber-Smith
Abstract
Unit measurements, whether we like it or not, are important and are
used daily, constantly telling us how much of what is required. As a group,
the measurements of a notebook, iPhone, and pencil box were taken using a
ruler, the results consisted of a +/- 1 uncertainty measure. After working with
length measurements, using an unknown solid, later discovered to be red
brass; along with other objects such as beakers, graduated cylinders and
burnets were also measured. The measurements calculated consisted of
mass, volume, and density which demonstrated percentage errors between
7% and 30%, the highest being 74%. In conclusion, Unit measurements are a
universal translator that helps understand quantity.
Materials
Ruler
Beaker, 250 mL beaker
Graduated cylinder 25 mL, 50 mL graduated cylinder
Buret
Water (H20)
Instruments
Top scale
Analytical scale
Methods
Experimental
Measurement of length:
-Notepad, iPhone, and pencil box was measured in centimeters and millimeters using a ruler.
Measurements were then recorded on a table.
Measurement of volume:
-A glass beaker was filled with distilled water resulting in a measurement of 48 mL.
- The water from the beaker was then transferred into a graduated cylinder which held 36.8 mL.
-Percent error was calculated, resulting in a 30% error
-% Error =( |Vbeaker1-Vgrad cylinder|)/Vgrad cylinder x 100
Part B Graduaed cylinder vs Buret
-A buret was filled with 48 mL distilled water which showed 48.6 mL of water on the buret
initially.
- 10 mL were then drained from buret onto a 25 mL graduated [Link] final volume of
water in the buret was 38.8 mL and the volume of water in graduated cylinder was 10.1 mL.
Uncertainty demonstration
-A 250 mL beaker was filled with 200 mL of distilled water. Initial volume of beaker was
200mL
-A graduated cylinder was filled with 1.0 mL of distilled water. This was then poured into the
250 mL beaker filled with 200 mL of distilled water. The final volume in the beaker was 201.0
mL.
Measurment of Mass
-After obtaining the red brass, it was taken to a top loading balance which was zeroed out first
before putting the red brass. Mass of the brass was 54.88g
-Red brass was then weighed on a analytical balance, which was zeroed out before placing the
red brass, and then closed. Mass of red brass was 54.7772g.
- Density was determined using D=M/V (Density=Mass/Volume).
Measurement of Density (solid)
-After recording the unknown umber of the solid sample (red brass) it was measured using a top
loading balance with a mass of 54.80g
- A 50 mL graduated cylinder was filled with distilled water, about half height of the cylinder.
The volume was 38.8 mL
-The solid wasslowly slid into the graduated cylinder. The volume of the water and sample was
recorded as [Link] volume of the sample was calculated to be 6.8 mL.
-Density of sample was calculated to be 8.05 g/mL Accepted value of solid was 8.73 g
-Percent Error resulted in 7.7%
- % Error = (|calculated value – accepted value|/accepted value) x 100
Results
Table 1.1 Measurements of Length
Objects Lenth cm Length mm Uncertainty
iPhone 15.4 cm 154mm +/- 1
Notepad 15.3 cm 153mm +/-1
pencil box 19.9 cm 199 mm +/-1
1cm=10mm
15.4 cm = 10mm/1 cm
154 mm
Table 1.2 Measurements of volume
Volume of water in beaker 48 mL
(mL)
Volume fo water in 36.8 mL
Graduated cylinder (mL)
Percent Error 30%
% Error =( |Vbeaker1-Vgrad cylinder|)/Vgrad cylinder x 100
Table 1.3 Measurement of Volume
Graduated Cylinder vs Buret
Initial volume of water in buret 48.6 mL
(mL)
Final volume of water in buret (mL) 38.8 mL
Volume of water delivered by buret 9.8 mL
(ml)
Volume of water in graduated 10.1 mL
cylinder (mL)
Percent Error 74 %
-% Error =( |Vbeaker1-Vburet|)/buret x 100
1.4 Uncertainty Demonstration
Initial volume in beaker (mL) 200 mL
Volume of water in grad cylinder (mL) 1.0 mL
Final volume of water in beaker (mL) 201 mL
Table 1.5 Top loading vs Analytical
Mass of Metal g Top Loading Balance Analytical balance
54.88g 54.777sg
Table 1.7 Measuring Density of a Solid
Number of Solid 64
Mass of solid sample (g) 54.80g
Volume of water in Cylinder 38.8g
(mL)
Volume of water and solid 45.6mL
sample (mL)
Volume of solid sample (mL) 6.8mL
Density of solid sample 8.05 g/mL
Percent error 7.7%
D=M/V (Density= Mass/Volume)
D=54.80g/6.8 mL =8.05g/mL
% Error =( |calculated value –accepted value|)/accepted value x 100
Accepted value 8.73g (actual mass of red brass)
8.05g/mL -8.73g/8.73x 100= 7.7%
Discussion
How many significant figures can you reasonably use to report any volumes measured with the
beaker? How does your experiment with the 1.0 mL of water measured with the graduated
cylinder being added to the volume of water in the beaker support this?
A: When reporting volumes measured with the beaker, two significant figures can be reported
because anything after the two is a rough estimation given how precise a beakers marking are.
After pouring the 1.0 mL into the beaker filled with 200 mL water, the final volume of water in
the beaker was estimated to be 201 mL, the 1 was an estimation given that the meniscus.
Conclusion
The objective of this lab was to use some of the commom unit measurements that are all around,
in particular length, mass, volume and density. Unit measurements were put into practice, along
with significant figures in determining the length of a notepad, iPhone, and pencil box as well as
the volume, mass, and density of solids such as red brass. Despite using the correct
measurements and tools there was still room for error, and it showed when it was calculated. A
part for errors could have been related to the fact that there was a lot of estimation to do, so
everyone could have estimated/calculated a little differently.