Unit 2 Chem LAB NUMBER 4

Chemistry Unit 2
Experiment # 4
March 22, 2024
Title: Calibration of Pipette
Aim: To determine the precision and accuracy of a 10.00 cm3 laboratory pipette.
Skills Assessed: M/M and ORR
Introduction:
An ordinary laboratory pipette may be expected to deliver its nominal volume with good
precision and good accuracy if it is used in the way recommended. In this experiment
investigate the precision and accuracy of such a pipette by making accurate determinations of the
mass of water it delivers in repeated operations.
Apparatus & Materials:
10.00 cm pipette, 150 cm3 beaker, 250 cm3 conical flask, thermometer and pipette filler.
Procedure:
1. The beaker and the pipette were cleaned, and the beaker was dried with a paper towel.
2. Distilled water was obtained in the conical flask, and it was left to stand on the bench for
5 minutes before determining its temperature, which was 39°C.
3. The beaker was weighed on an analytical balance to the nearest tenth of a milligram (i.e.,
0.0001 g), and its mass was recorded as 99.52 g.
4. The pipette was filled and discharged using a pipette filler into the beaker, and the mass
of water discharged was determined by taking the difference between the two masses.
5. Step 4 was repeated until the results of eight (8) trials were obtained. It was noted that the
beaker was not emptied and dried between trials to expedite the process within the time
limit.
6. The temperature of the water pipetted was determined, and the mean of the two
temperatures measured was taken as the effective temperature of the water during the
calibration.
Results:
TABLE 1 SHOWING DENSITY OF WATER AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES
Temperature (℃) Density (g/cm3)
25 0.997044
26 0.996783
27 0.996512
28 0.996232
29 0.995944
30 0.995646
TABLE 2 SHOWING MASS AND VOLUME OF WATER OBTAINED IN 8 PIPETTE

TRIALS
Trial No. Mass of Water/ g Vol. of Water (Vi) /cm3 (Vi-Vm)/ cm3 (Vi - Vm)2 /cm3
1 9.81 9.85 -0.14125 0.02
2 9.92 9.96 -0.03125 0.001
3 10.07 10.11 0.11875 0.014
4 9.93 9.97 -0.02125 0.0005
5 10.01 10.05 0.05875 0.003
6 10.10 10.14 0.14875 0.022
7 9.90 9.94 -0.05125 0.003
8 9.87 9.91 -0.08125 0.007
Sum (∑) 79.61 79.93 0.0005 0.071
Mean Volume (Vm) = ∑Vi /8

Vm = 9.99125cm3
Vm=9.85+9.96+10.11+9.97+10.05+10.14+9.94+9.91
Vm=79.93/8
Vm=9.99125cm3
Calculations:
1.Determine the density of water, at the temperature measured in 6 above, from the data given in
Table 4.1.
Based on the temperature measured in Table 4.1 (30°C), we can find the corresponding density
of water from Table 1.
From Table 1:
● Temperature: 30°C
● Density: 0.995646 g/cm³
Therefore, at a temperature of 30°C, the density of water is approximately 0.995646 g/cm³.
2. Find the mean volume of water discharged by the pipette using the formula
V =mass /density
Mean Volume (Vm) = ∑Vi /8
Vm = 9.99125cm3
Vm=9.85+9.96+10.11+9.97+10.05+10.14+9.94+9.91
Vm=79.93/8
Vm=9.99125cm3
3. We now want to determine the precision of the pipette. Perform the statistical analysis to find
the standard deviation of the eight data points.
The Standard Deviation, σ, is given by the formula:
σ=√{∑(Vi-Vm)2 / (N-1) }
The Standard Deviation, σ =
σ=√∑(Vi−Vmean)2/ N-1
σ=√(9.85−9.99125) 2+(9.96−9.99125)2 +(9.91−9.99125)2/ 8-1
σ= √(−0.14125)2 +(−0.03125)2 +(−0.08125) 2/7
σ=√0.019976953125+0.0009765625+...+0.006599609375/7
σ=√0.0378578125/7
σ=√0.005408259821428571
σ=0.0735690047 cm3
4. Write your result for the mean volume you determined with the standard deviation you have
now estimated from your data.
The mean volume Vmean determined from the data is 9.99125 cm³. The standard deviation σ
estimated from the data is 0.0735690047 cm³.
Discussion:
The experiment aimed to determine the precision of a pipette by analyzing the standard deviation
of eight data points representing the volume of water dispensed in each trial. Precision, in
scientific terms, refers to the consistency and reproducibility of measurements. It is distinct from
accuracy, which reflects how close a measurement is to the true value. The standard deviation
calculated from the data serves as a measure of precision, with a lower value indicating higher
precision due to less variability among the measurements. Upon evaluating the outcomes, it was
determined that the mean volume of water dispensed by the pipette was approximately 9.99 cm³,
with a calculated standard deviation (σ) of around 0.073 cm³. This standard deviation value
implies that the measurements exhibited consistency and minimal variability across the trials,
signifying a high level of precision in the pipette's performance.While accuracy cannot be
directly determined without knowledge of the true volume, the precision of the pipette can be
inferred from the standard deviation. A lower standard deviation signifies that the measurements
were more consistent and closer to each other.The experiment also highlighted potential sources
of errors, including variations in pipetting technique, parallax errors in volume readings,
temperature fluctuations affecting water density, calibration inaccuracies, and evaporation of
water leading to volume changes. To mitigate these errors, it is crucial to maintain consistent
pipetting techniques, minimize parallax errors, control temperature conditions, regularly calibrate
equipment, and reduce the time between pipetting and measurement to mitigate evaporation
effects. Implementing these measures can significantly enhance the accuracy and precision of the
experimental results.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the laboratory pipette demonstrated a high level of precision based on the low
standard deviation of volume measurements, with a calculated standard deviation (σ) of
approximately 0.073 cm³.

Unit 2 Chem LAB NUMBER 4

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Unit 2 Chem LAB NUMBER 4

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Chemistry Unit 2

Skills Assessed: M/M and ORR

Apparatus & Materials:

TABLE 1 SHOWING DENSITY OF WATER AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES

Temperature (℃) Density (g/cm3)

TABLE 2 SHOWING MASS AND VOLUME OF WATER OBTAINED IN 8 PIPETTE

1 9.81 9.85 -0.14125 0.02

2 9.92 9.96 -0.03125 0.001

3 10.07 10.11 0.11875 0.014

4 9.93 9.97 -0.02125 0.0005

5 10.01 10.05 0.05875 0.003

6 10.10 10.14 0.14875 0.022

7 9.90 9.94 -0.05125 0.003

8 9.87 9.91 -0.08125 0.007

Sum (∑) 79.61 79.93 0.0005 0.071

Mean Volume (Vm) = ∑Vi /8

of water from Table 1.

Therefore, at a temperature of 30°C, the density of water is approximately 0.995646 g/cm³.

Mean Volume (Vm) = ∑Vi /8

The Standard Deviation, σ, is given by the formula:

The Standard Deviation, σ =

σ=√(9.85−9.99125) 2+(9.96−9.99125)2 +(9.91−9.99125)2/ 8-1

σ= √(−0.14125)2 +(−0.03125)2 +(−0.08125) 2/7

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