Question

Graduated cylinders and pipettes are not particularly accurate nor are your measurements precise. Explain how this affects the reliability of your data (i.e. the observed density of water)

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

Graduated cylinders is used for measuring liquid volumes as it has markings on the sides. The level of accuracy of graduated cylinders is within 1%. That means that if you measure 10 ml, your measurement will be within 10 ml ± 0.1 ml.

Pippetes are used for transfering volumes from one container to another. The They can be a single glass piece or an automatic an adjustable pippete. The accuracy depends on the type of pippete.

Accuracy of the used graduated glassware affects the reliability of the data because the lesser the accuracy, the higher the associated error and in last instance you have a higher uncertainty of the measurement. For example, if you have to determine the density of a liquid, you have to weigh an accurate volume of the liquid by using a proper volumetric glassware since density= mass/volume. In the case the measured value is higher than the real value, you will obtain a density value lower than the real one.