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Uncertainty in Measurements

▪ Define systemic error and give examples of systematic error.

▪ List three sources of systemic error.

▪ Define random errors and give examples

▪ Discuss the use of standard deviation in resolving random

errors.

▪ Calculate the standard deviation of a series of measurements.

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Uncertainty in Measurements

▪ Define accuracy and discuss the accuracy of a given

measurement: replicate measurements, relative error, absolute
error.

▪ Calculate the standard deviation of a series of measurements.

▪ Define precision and explain how standard deviation is used to

express accuracy.

▪ Define the terms analyte, interferences, sensitivity and matrix

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Uncertainty In Measurement

▪ Explain the process of developing a calibration curve

▪ Explain how a calibration curve is used to calibrate and to

determine unknowns.

▪ Define the blank and describes its use in measurements and

calibration.
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Accuracy and Precision

▪ Measurements, procedures and instruments all have a degree

of error. Researchers must account for these errors and attempt
to correct readings and calculations for these errors.

▪ To help reduce the errors in our measurements,

we repeat each measurement at least three times.
Each measurement performed is called a trial or replicate
measurements.
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Accuracy and Precision

▪ Scientists are concerned

with how close a
measurement is to the true
value or accepted value.
The closeness of a
measurement is described
as its accuracy.
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Accuracy and Precision

▪ Scientists are also

contained
with whether a series
of measurements are
close to each other.
This characteristic is
called the precision of
the series or
measurements.
Precision is not
affected by accuracy
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Accuracy and
Precision
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The accuracy of a
measurement is expressed by
the relative error and absolute
error.

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Absolute
Error and
Relative Error
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Standard Deviation

▪ The standard deviation

gives information on the
precision of a series of
measurements.
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Types of Error: Systemic and Random Error

▪ Systemic errors are errors that are not random/unpredictable.

▪ Systemic errors affect the measurement by a fixed amount or by

a constant multiple. In other words there is a degree
of organization in the error.

▪ The systemic error can be thought of as internal or (built in).

They originate from the instrument, the procedure or our own
internal judgement.
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Types of Error : Systemic or Random Error

▪ Random errors are not organized. They are considered

unpredictable and hard to correct.

▪ A random error affects the measurement in a haphazard way.

This means that each trial in the series of measurements will
vary by a random amount.

▪ A larger the series (number of trials) of measurements reduces

the random error.

▪ Random errors affect precision of a measurement

while systemic errors affect accuracy.
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Analyte, Interference, Sensitivity, Matrix

▪ When we investigate, we are hardly ever presented with a pure

sample.

▪ The sample is usually made up

of multiple compounds/molecules. This is called the matrix of the
sample.

▪ The molecule/compound of interest is a part of that matrix. It is

called the analyte.
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Analyte, Interference, Selectivity , Matrix

▪ The analyte can be detected : detected by an instrument , or by

observing a reaction .

▪ The method of detection should be specific to the analyte of

interest. Ideally it should not detect any other substance,
only the analyte.

▪ Molecules, compounds etc. can influence/prevent the

method/instrument from detecting the analyte correctly.
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Analyte, Interference, Selectivity , Matrix

▪ The selectivity of a method describes how well it selects

the analyte for detection.

▪ The method should also be able to detect small changes in the

analyte. This feature is called the sensitivity of the method of
detection.
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Analyte, Interference, Selectivity , Matrix

▪ Detection limit describes the smallest quantity of analyte

that can be detected with a degree of confidence.

▪ The detection limit tells us how sensitive an instrument is.

detection limit = ks/m

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Calibration and the Calibration Curve

▪ In order to be certain that a method or instrument is detecting

an analyte correctly /accurately we calibrate it.

▪ We often use a calibration curve to show the relationship

between the amount analyte present and the reading detected

▪ A blank is a sample used to ensure that the instrument is

properly calibrated. It has the matrix of the sample but no
analyte.
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The Calibration Curve

▪ The process of ensuring

an instrument is working/measuring correctly is called calibration

▪ A calibration curve can also be used to tell if an

instrument/method is working correctly.

▪ A calibration curve shows how the instrument responds

to changes in the analyte.
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Calibration and the Calibration Curve

▪ The blank has no analyte but may have interferences. We use the
blank to adjust the instrument to zero.

▪ Before determining the zero value of the instrument, a series of 10

blanks are tested.
The Calibration
z Curve

▪ To prepare a calibration
curve we prepare
samples of known
concentrations of the
analyte. These samples
are known as standards.
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The Calibration Curve

▪ Each of the standard solutions should be individually prepared to

minimize errors.

▪ If an error occurs in one of the solutions it will be detected from

the curve by comparison with the other standards.

▪ The best fit line of the calibration curve should be drawn

without considering outliers.
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The Calibration Curve

▪ The concentrations used in creating the calibration

curve should exceed the range of interest.

▪ The blank measurement should be included in creating the

calibration curve. This does not mean a zero reading. The
calibration curve should not intercept the zero line unless we
use experimental information to determine that it does.
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The Calibration Curve

▪ Then the standards should

have different concentrations of
the analyte. The concentration is
then measured , recorded and
plotted on a graph .
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The Calibration
Curve

▪ The calibration curve can

be used to determine the
amount of analyte in a
sample with an unknown
amount of analyte.