Laboratory Techniques and Measurements Lab 1 (Labpaq) free essay sample

Throughout lab one we were introduced to many different forms of measurement, whether its using a ruler too measure length, a digital scale to measure weight, and also many different sized and shaped flasks to measure different volumes. Another key measurement of this lab was to teach the student about density and how to measure it. Density tells us that it is defined as the mass per unit measure, in which as we know is most oven referred to as volume and is also used to describe how heavy something is. We were also required to calculate many different measurements do to the number of moles that one substance might have due to the amount of material/solution we are currently working with. Along with all the measurements and how to use them correctly that Lab 1 teaches us, it also presents to use how to record our data correctly using Significant Figures. We will write a custom essay sample on Laboratory Techniques and Measurements Lab 1 (Labpaq) or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Significant figures are the number of digits that we may use including or excluding the zeros that we may be given with any number or solution. There are many different rules in determining the proper number of significant figure in an answer. For example; â€Å"All zeros to the right of the decimal place and to the right of a non zero digit are consider significant†. So we were given the number 45. 000, we know from the rule above that this figure has 5 significant figures because the zeros following he unit are behind the decimal place and are considered significant. My Hypothesis for this lab was simple, can I or can I not make the proper measurements using the provided materials and measuring devices included for this lab. Along with making the appropriate measurements, will I be able to use the rules I was taught and record my data with the correct significant figures? This lab is all about measurements and recording them properly. The lab first introduces to use the measurement of centimeters, millimeters, and meters to measure different household objects in our everyday life. We were given the task to use the provided ruler and measure a CD, key, spoon, and a fork in centimeters and then convert our findings to give us the appropriate units of millimeters and meters for each object required in the exercise. Data Table 1: Length measurements. | Object| Length (cm)| Length (mm)| Length (m)| CD or DVD| 12cm| 120mm| . .12m| Key| 5. 5cm| 55mm| 0. 055m| Spoon| 15cm | 150mm| . 15m| Fork| 18cm| 180mm| . 18m| Lab 1 also teaches us the importance of molecular weight of a substance and how to use that to find the amount of moles of that substance in a solution. For example; in exercise 3 we were asked to weigh 8 grams of sugar and then calculate how many moles of sugar it really was. Using the molecular weight of sugar (C = 12. 01 grams/mol, H = 1. 008 grams/mole, O = 15. 00 grams/mole). We were then able to use this molecular mass of the sugar that we then had to use to calculate and determine the molarity of the sugar solution that we were working on for exercise three. Data Table 8: Initial Concentration. | Chemical| Mass(g)| Molecular Weight (g)| Moles in Volumetric Flask| Total Volume (L)| Molarity(mol/L)| Sugar(C12H22O11)| 8. g8. | 28. 018g| 0. 29 | . 0025L| 116 mol/L| My analyses of this lab is like so. The lab presented itself with great learning options for teaching us how to use and proper measure the different units of the Si system, but as easy as they are to learn there are many of possible solutions for error. Since this was the first lab the many of the students have probably done in a couple years, I see plenty of room for h uman error do to the lack of training or experience with most of the lab equipment required to compete this lab to the full. Not only is there room for human error but there are also the possibilities of error with the lab equipment whether it is the student’s fault or just default equipment. For example, if the digital scale, required for most of the lab, is not tarred right, your numbers from your experiment are going to be way off. One wrong calculation or measurement could ruin a whole exercise if not whole entire lab itself. In my conclusion for this lab was pretty accurate to my hypothesis. I was able to make most of the appropriate measurements with little to no error at all. I had trouble with the density at first seeing I have never used the method for calculating density. After a few tries I was able to succeed in calculating all the appropriate calculation required for this lab as well as using the appropriate significant figures for all my answers in my lab right up. Measurements are all around us in our daily life. We use some sort of measurement on a daily bases whether we know it or not. Without measurement or the SI units we would have no since of idea of how much something may way or weather or not the water was going to fit into a single are or space (density). The unit of measure is used so much throughout the world everyday that without it, the world would have no since of weight, mass, height, width, or any other unit from the Si family. We use this form of description for almost everything living and non-living in our world today.