WEIGHT VARIATION IN SAMPLES

Jenny Rose G. Porras

Submitted by:

Laboratory Groupmates:

Phoebe Tobias

Oliver Peñaranda

Justin Yma

September 5, 2019
 I. INTRODUCTION

Analytical chemistry is a measurement science consisting of a set of powerful ideas and it is

important that the data used in analytical chemistry are reliable to be able to get correct results in
experiments (Skoog, D.A., and et. al. 2014). In this experiment statistical concepts were applied
in weighing variation in one-peso coins using an analytical balance. There are different statistical
parameters used in evaluating the data’s such as the mean which is the sum of the measured
values, standard deviation it measures how closely the data are clustered about the mean,
coefficient of variation is the percentage of the mean value, confidence interval gives a range of
values where the true value lies and also the relative standard deviation was calculated.
Statistical treatment of data greatly depends on the kind of experiment and the desired result
from the experiment.

In connection with this, the experiment was conducted with the following objectives: (1)
to understand better certain statistical concepts and apply these in analytical chemistry. The
concepts namely mean, median, standard deviation, variance, coefficient of variation, RSD (parts
per thousand, standard deviation of the mean confidence interval at 95% and the Spooled, (2) to
introduce the students to the importance of statistics in interpreting the data from experiments,
and lastly (3) to learn how to use an analytical balance.
 II. METHODOLOGY

A. Chemicals And Apparatus

The apparatus used include: analytical balance, forceps, watch glass and the material used
on this experiment was the ten peso coin with the same year (2011).

B. Procedure

The ten one-peso coins was piled on a watch glass and weighed on an analytical balance.
The weight of the coin was measured by using the subtractive weighing /weighing by difference
method. Each coin was removed from the pile but before removing it the TARE was pressed on
first. And lastly the results were tabulated and calculated.

C. Mathematical Equations

1.) Mean

2.) Median

3.) Standard deviation

4.) Variance
5.) Coefficient of Variation

6.) RSD, parts per thousand

7.) Standard deviation of the mean

8.) Confidence interval at 95%

9.) Spooled
 III. DATA/RESULTS/CALCULATIONS

The results of the experiment are summarized in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Weight of the one-peso coins.

Weight of the Coin, g

Sample
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5

1 5.3060 5.3074 5. 3361 5.4410 5.9726

2 5.3344 5.2759 5.3581 5.3473 5.9709
3 5.3063 5.3227 5.3384 5.3730 5.9896

4 5.3905 5.3828 5.4079 5.4707 5.9519

5 5.3198 5.3665 5.3197 5.3599 5.9799

6 5.4049 5.3482 5.3541 5.3483 5.9735

7 5.3054 5.3620 5.3545 5.4385 5.9603

8 5.3584 5.3154 5.3356 5.4029 5.9791

9 5.3354 5.3635 5.3218 5.3941 5.9760

10 5.3057 5.3713 5.2955 5.2977 5.9597

Table 2. Calculated results of statistical parameters

Statistical Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group5

parameters
Mean 5.3415 5.3416 5.3427 5.3873 5.9689

Median 5.3352 5.3551 5.3373 5.3836 5.9731

Standard deviation 0.0353 0.0344 0.0302 0.0526 0.0152

 Variance 0.0012 0.0012 0.0009 0.0028 0.0002

Coefficient of 0.6613% 0.6446% 0.5652% 0.9755% 0.2552%

Variation

RSD, parts per 6.6129 ppt 6.4456 ppt 5.6520 ppt 9.7546 ppt 2.5521 ppt
thousand

Standard deviation 0.0112 0.0109 0.0095 0.0166 0.0048

of the mean

Confidence 5.3415±0.0252 5.3416±0.0246 5.3415±0.0216 5.3415±0.0376 5.3415±0.0109

interval at 95%

Spooled 0.0356

CALCULATIONS:

1.) Mean

2.) Median

3.) Standard deviation

4.) Variance
5.) Coefficient of Variation

6.) RSD, parts per thousand

7.) Standard deviation of the mean

8.) Confidence interval at 95%

9.) Spooled

IV. DISCUSSION/INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

 The Table 1. Shows the weights of the coins of each groups. There are ten one-peso coins
are used as samples. Every group used different year of one-peso coin, we used 2011 year
one-peso coin in our ten samples for our group. It is said that the older coins were relatively
heavier than newer ones due to slow oxidation of nickel-plated steel, the main composition of
one peso coins (Wikipedia contributors, 2014). Each weight is measured using the analytical
balance and weighed by difference method. The process called “weighed by difference” was
considered as the most accurate method of measuring the weight of a solid sample (Loja,
J.P., 2013). There are five sets of data and all values are recorded in the table 1.

The Table 2. Shows the calculated values of the set of data per group for the different
statistical parameters used in this experiments. It includes the mean, median, standard
deviation, variance, coefficient of variation, relative standard deviation parts per thousand,
standard deviation of the mean, confidence interval at 95% and the Spooled.

In the experiment, the mean was calculated using the equation No.1. By calculating for
average value of the data set, it can be determined whether the set of data obtained is close to
each other or is close to the theoretical value. Thus, both accuracy and precision may be
determined with the mean, coupled with other statistical references. The calculations used the
data from each group, which had ten samples. The result mean value in our group is 5.9689.
It can be observed that the mean indeed shows the precision of the accumulated values, as all
the values are close to each other and the mean (Curran, G. 1966). The median is the middle
value in a set of data that has been arranged in numerical order. The median is used
advantageously when a set of data contain an outlier, a result that differs significantly from
others in the set. An outlier can have a significant effect on the mean of the set but has no
effect on the median. The data set composed of ten samples, in calculating the median with
even number of results, we arranged the samples in numerical order and get the mean of the
middle values to get the result, and our median value is 5.9731.

The standard deviation is the more measure of how closely replicate data cluster around
the mean. A smaller standard deviation would show that the values are relatively closer to the
mean, and a bigger one would show that the values are spread out more. This does not
determine the validity of the experimented values. Instead, it is used to calculate further
statistical measures to validate the data. The equation No. 3 was used to calculate the
standard deviation where s represents standard deviation and the rest are known for the mean.
The computed standard deviation listed on the table 2 in our group is 0.0152 and it is
relatively low which indicates that the weights tend to be very close to the mean while the
other group has a high value of standard deviation which indicates that the values are spread
out more to the mean. Variance is the expectation of the squared deviation of a random
variable from its mean. It measure how far a set of numbers are spread out from their average
value, the variance in our data low which is 0.0002 it means that spread out of the set of
numbers is not too far to the average value, while the other set of data of the other group has
a high value which means that the spread out of the set of numbers is far to the average value.
The coefficient of variation is a standardized measure of dispersion of a probability
distribution or frequency distribution. The equation No. 5 was used to calculate the value of
the coefficient of variation and the result value of our data set is 0.2552%. The relative
standard deviation is a useful way of determining the precision of the data compared to
other sets of data, as the ratio would be a good way of differentiating the two. The equation
No. 6 was used to calculate the value of the relative standard deviation in parts per thousand
and the result of our set of data is 2.5521 ppt of the mean of 5.9689 which is small, in other
words the data is tightly clustered around the mean.

The Standard deviation of the mean measures how far the sample mean of the data is
likely to be from the true population mean. The equation No. 7 was used to calculate the
value of the standard error of the mean and the calculated result is 0.0048 which indicates
that the less the spread and more likely it is that any sample mean is close to the population
mean. The 95% Confidence interval is a range of values that you can be 95% certain
contains the true mean of the population. The equation No. 8 was used to calculate the value
of the 95% confidence interval and the calculated result is 5.3415±0.0109 which indicates the
lower the confidence level is that you get a narrower and more precise confidence interval.
And the last statistical parameter used in this activity is the S pooled it is the average spread
of all the data points about their group mean. It is weighted average of each group’s standard
deviation. The equation No. 9 was used to calculate the value of the S pooled and the
calculated result for all the group is 0.0356. These values are significant in determining the
accuracy of the experiment.
 V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based on the result of the experiment, the conclusions were drawn. The data collected from
ten sample coins were characterized by central tendency (where the values cluster), and spread
(the variation of individual values around the central value). The data became less precise as
more values were added, which is normal since one cannot always expect perfect results from
every trials. The relative values all show the precision of the data from each other the lower the
number, the more precise they are. In addition the calculated results of our data set has lower
value of the weights which indicates that it is precise and very close to the mean.

Based on the result of the experiment, the recommendations were drawn. A similar
experiment should be conducted with different year or if possible newer year of a coin. It may
be advisable to repeat the experiment with slightly different procedures, so that future
researchers could explore a different dimension to the design.

VI. REFERENCES

Curran, G. (1966). Homework Helpers: Chemistry. USA: Book-mart Press.

Loja, J.P. (2013). Weighed by Difference Method. Retrieved from

https://schools.smcps.org/gkes/ cms /Weighed _By_Difference _Method.pdf

Skoog, D.A., West, D.M., Holler, F.J., and Crouch, S. (2013s). Fundamentals of analytical
chemistry. Fort Worth: Saunders college Pub.

Wikipedia contributors, (2014). Philippine One Peso Coin. Retrieved fromhttps://www.mrsd.

/cms/lib/NH01912397/Wikipedia /Foundation /194/4 /Philippine%20One%20Peso
%20Coin.