Topic 2: Apparatus and Technique

1. Distinguish between accuracy and precision.

2. What is determinate error? An indeterminate error?
3. How many significant figures does each of the following numbers have?
(a) 200.06
(b) 6.030 × 10−4
(c) 7.80 × 1010
4. Calculate the formula weight f 𝐿𝑖𝑁𝑂3 to the correct number of significant figures.
5. Calculate the formula weight of 𝑃𝑑𝐶𝑙2 to the correct number of significant figures.
6. Give the answer to the following problem to the maximum number of significant
figures:
50.00 × 27.8 × 0.1167
7. Give the answer to the following problem to the maximum number of significant
figures:
(2.776 × 0.0050) − (6.7 × 10−3 ) + (0.036 × 0.0271)
8. A batch of nuclear fuel pellets was weighed to determine if they fell within control
guidelines. The weights were 127.2, 128.4, 127.1, 129.0 and 128.1g. Calculate
(a) The mean
(b) The median
(c) The range
9. Calculate the absolute error and the relative error in percent and in parts per thousand
in the following:
Measured Value Accepted Value
2.68% 2.71%

10. The tin and zinc contents of a brass sample are analyzed with the following results:
Zn: 33.27, 33.37, and 33.34%
Calculate the standard deviation and the coefficient of variation for each analysis.
11. Replicate water samples are analyzed for water hardness with the following results:
102.2, 102.8, 103.1 and 102.3ppm 𝐶𝑎𝐶𝑂3. Calculate the standard deviation
12. Replicate samples of a silver alloy are analyzed and determined to contain 95.67, 95.61,
95.71, and 95.60% Ag. Calculate the standard deviation
13. The following molarities were calculated from replicate standardization of a solution:
0.5026, 0.029, 0.5023, 0.5032, 0.5027, and 0.5026M. Assuming no determinate errors,
within what range are you 95% certain that the true mean value of the molarity falls?
14. Determination of the sodium level in separate portions of a blood sample by ion-
selective electrode measurement gave the following results: 139.2, 139.8, 140.1, and
139.4 meq/L. What is the range within which the true value falls, assuming no
determinate error
(a) at the 90% confidence level
(b) at the 95% confidence level
(c) at the 99% confidence level
15. Lead on leaves by a roadside was measured spectrophotometrically by reaction with
dithizone. The standard deviation for a triplicate analysis was 2.3ppm. What is the 90%
confidence limit?
16. The blood cell counts on 7 normal subjects are 5.2, 4.8, 5.4, 5.3, 5.1, 4.9, 5.5 million
cells per microliter. The lab work showed that my blood cell count is 4.5million cells
per microliter. Is my blood cell count too low? How confident are you? Show the
statistics that supports your answer.
17. This is a comparison of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) before and after a walk on a
cold winter’s day for a random sample of 9 asthmatics. As shown in the following table,
data in one column indicate the PEFRs before the walk and the other of PEFRs after
the walk. Each row represents the same subject. Is the PEFR significantly different
before and after a walk at 95% confidence level?
Expiratory flow rate (L/min)
Subjects Before walk After walk
1 312 300
2 242 201
3 340 232
4 388 312
5 296 220
6 254 256
7 391 328
8 402 330
9 290 231
 18. The following replicate calcium determinations on a blood sample using atomic
absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and a new colorimetric method were reported. Is
there a significant difference in the precision of the two methods?
AAS (mg/dL) Calorimetric (mg/dL)
10.9 9.2
10.1 10.5
10.6 9.7
11.2 11.5
9.7 11.6
10.0 9.3
Mean 10.4 10.1
11.2
Mean 10.4

19. In the nuclear industry, detailed records are kept of the quantity of plutonium received,
transported or used. Each shipment of plutonium pellets received is carefully analyzed
to check that the purity and hence the total quantity is as the supplier claims. A
particular shipment is analyzed with the following results: 99.93, 99.87, 99.91 and
99.86%. The listed purity as received from the supplier is 99.95%. Is the shipment
acceptable?
20. The following replicate molarities were obtained when standardizing a solution:
0.1067, 0.1071, 0.1066, and 0.1050. Can one of the results be discarded as due to
accidental error at the 95% confidence level?