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Experiment 1: Measurements, Uncertainty, and Significant Figures Gabriel Savage
CHE 111LG
Dr. Lawrence
12FEB2018

I. Introduction
In this experiment, physical measurements (i.e. length, mass, volume, and temperature) were
made of various instruments (glass vial, rubber stoppers, and beakers). These measurements
were then compared to their corresponding theoretical values. Uncertainties were also taken into
consideration and written alongside the measurements from the various instruments.
To collect these measurements, a meter stick, ruler, and Vernier caliper were used to measure
the length of a glass vial. Additionally, an analytical balance was used to measure the mass of the
glass vial as well as three beakers with water installed into them using three different devices, a
graduated cylinder, pipette, and a burette. A Vernier caliper and analytical balance were used to
measure the diameters, heights, and masses of five different sized rubber stoppers, respectively.
From this data, the experimental density of water was found. Additionally, the volume of the
five rubber stoppers was found from the measurements taken in this lab.

II. Theory
A. Equations Used

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑚
1. Mass density = ; 𝐷=
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑣

𝜋(𝑎2 +𝑎𝑏+𝑏2 )ℎ
2. V(truncated cone = rubber stopper) =
12
Where a = diameter of the small face
b = diameter of the large face
h = height of the rubber stopper

3. Mass of Water =
[(𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑟+𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟1 )−𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟1 ]+[(𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑟+𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟2 )−𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟2 ]+[(𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑟+𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟3 )−𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟3 ]
3

These calculations must be performed in order to obtain the properties of the measured
objects the lab prescribes. The mass density of the rubber stoppers was really acquired
through the LoggerPro graph once the points from the experiment were plotted,
therefore the calculation was not actually utilized to get this property. The volume of the
rubber stoppers was also found using LoggerPro by inputting the equation for the
volume of a truncated cone located above. The mass of water was the only calculation
used to acquire data that was not experimentally measured. This was done by subtracting
the first trials from each other and then averaging the results to get one final number for
the mass of water for a given instrument (i.e. graduated cylinder, pipette, and burette).
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III. Experiment
A. Diagrams

B. Lab Procedure Flow Chart

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C. Raw Data Tables
1. Lengths of Glass Vial with Different Instruments
Trial # Length w/ Ruler (cm) Length w/ Meter Stick (cm) Length w/ Vernier Caliper (mm)
1 6.2 ± 0.05 6.2 ± 0.05 62 ± 0.5
2 6.1 ± 0.05 6.5 ± 0.05 62 ± 0.5
3 6.2 ± 0.05 6.3 ± 0.05 62 ± 0.5
2. Mass of Glass Vial
Trial # Mass (g)
1 9.5167 ± 0.00005
2 9.5168 ± 0.00005
3 9.5169 ± 0.00005
3. Mass of Beakers & Water
Instrument Trial Mass of Beaker Mass of Beaker + Uncertainty of
Used # (g) Water (g) Mass of Water
(g)
Graduated 1 48.9628 ± 0.00005 67.8535 ± 0.00005
Cylinder 2 48.9633 ± 0.00005 67.8510 ± 0.00005 0.00005
3 48.9633 ± 0.00005 67.8499 ± 0.00005
Pipette 1 51.5976 ± 0.00005 71.6961 ± 0.00005
2 51.5980 ± 0.00005 71.6949 ± 0.00005 0.00005
3 51.5980 ± 0.00005 71.6937 ± 0.00005
Burette 1 50.3013 ± 0.00005 70.2265 ± 0.00005
2 50.3016 ± 0.00005 70.2245 ± 0.00005 0.00005
3 50.3017 ± 0.00005 70.2235 ± 0.00005
4. Rubber Stoppers
Stopper Mass (m, in g) Small Diameter (a, in Large Diameter Height (h, in cm)
# cm) (b, in cm)
2 8.2844 ± 0.00005 1.57 ± 0.05 1.94 ± 0.05 2.44 ± 0.05
3 12.5599 ± 0.00005 1.75 ± 0.05 2.38 ± 0.05 2.46 ± 0.05
4 12.6678 ± 0.00005 1.85 ± 0.05 2.24 ± 0.05 2.44 ± 0.05
5 14.7628 ± 0.00005 2.25 ± 0.05 2.62 ± 0.05 2.41 ± 0.05
6 22.4204 ± 0.00005 2.49 ± 0.05 3.05 ± 0.05 2.65 ± 0.05

IV. Calculations
A. Formula Examples
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B. Calculated Data Tables
1. Rubber Stoppers’ Volumes & Densities
Stopper # Volume (V, in cm3) Mass Density (D, in g/mL)
2 5.92 1.40
3 8.30 1.51
4 8.04 1.58
5 11.24 1.31
6 16.02 1.40
2. Calculated Mass & Density of Water from Beakers
Instrument Used Mass of Water (g) Density of Water (g/mL)
Graduated Cylinder 18.8884 0.9444
Pipette 20.0970 1.0049
Burette 19.9233 0.9962

V. Conclusion
The calculated data shows that the measurements taken during this experiment are slightly
inaccurate, but that may be due in large part to systematic errors in reading the measuring
devices. There is a margin of error inherent in reading any measuring device and that may
account for the differences between experimental and theoretical values seen in the data.