Flashcards on Scientific Data Collection and Experimental Errors

Scientific Data Collection and Experimental Errors: A Guide

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What four qualities should good experimental data have?

Repeatable, reproducible, accurate and precise.

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Experimental Data Collection

14 cards

Card 1

Question: What four qualities should good experimental data have?

Answer: Repeatable, reproducible, accurate and precise.

Card 2

Question: How do you check repeatability of measurements?

Answer: Repeat each reading at least three times and check that the results are similar.

Card 3

Question: How can you check reproducibility of results?

Answer: Take a second set of readings with another instrument or a different observer to cross-check results.

Card 4

Question: What does accuracy mean for experimental results?

Answer: Results are close to the true value; accuracy depends on measuring the right thing and including everything that should be measured.

Card 5

Question: Give an example from the text of a less accurate method and a more accurate alternative.

Answer: Estimating gas released by counting bubbles is less accurate; measuring gas volume with a gas syringe is more accurate.

Card 6

Question: What does precision mean in the context of experimental data?

Answer: Data points are closely clustered around the mean (little spread) of repeated results.

Card 7

Question: Based on the example table, which data set is more precise and why?

Answer: Data set 1 is more precise because its repeated values are closer to each other (mean 13) than data set 2 (mean 14) which shows more spread.

Card 8

Question: What does the resolution of a measuring instrument refer to?

Answer: The smallest change the instrument can detect (e.g., 1 g vs 0.1 g).

Card 9

Question: Why must measuring equipment be sensitive enough for the job?

Answer: So it can detect the size of change you're studying (e.g., to measure 1 cm^3 changes you need a device with 1 cm^3 resolution).

Card 10

Question: What is calibration of equipment and why is it important?

Answer: Measuring a known value to identify differences between measured and true values so you can correct equipment inaccuracy.