2.

2b LAB: Measuring with Accuracy and Precision

Name _________________________________________________________________________________ Date _____________________________________

Have you ever lost use of your water because of an accident? This occurs often in East Coast states because of the
hurricanes that hit our nation.

How do people who have lost their water know that the water is again safe to drink? They must have a standard or
normal amount of contamination, which has been decided, is an acceptable level. Then officials from the health
department and water quality assurance compare the standard with the new contamination levels. This involves
measuring the contamination and making sure the measurements are accurate.

For you to replicate these processes, you must know the difference between accuracy and precision, and know how
to use significant digits to record information.

Read this article:

Cross Connection Causes Possible Potable Water Contamination
Edited by Paul Hersch
Residents of 1600 homes in Calabasas (Calif.) were warned on October 30 not to drink their tap water until further
notice. The notice came on the heels of a cross-connection discovery by the Las Vergennes Municipal Water
District.
Water district officials believe that the owner of a home had illegally installed a pipe to tap into a public irrigation
line that was carrying reclaimed sewage water for a nearby greenbelt, an official said.
The delinquent homeowner reportedly has moved since rigging the cross connection. The cause for concern arose
when a landscaper, on October 29 opened a valve, diverting water from the public irrigation pipe to a potable
water pipe in the home's backyard. Because the sprinkler system was not yet operating, the treated water flowed
into the home's drinking water system, which connects to the water system supplying the 1600 homes.
Investigators were unsure of how many, if any, homes received the tainted water. No health problems have been
reported.
A state health-department spokesperson in Sacramento, said initial testing showed no harmful bacteria in the
drinking water supply.
The water in the public irrigation pipe comes from the nearby Tapia sewage-treatment plant and is treated in three
stages. It is considered safe to drink in small quantities.
Why should you be concerned with telling people how uncertain your measurements are?
This activity will help you understand.
MATERIALS: Paper clip (large paper clip will work best), 3 other small objects
PROCEDURE:
1.) There are three rulers pictured on the screen. Carefully hold your paper clip up to the screen and measure the
length of the paper clip. Record your measurements on a sheet of paper. You will report these measurements in
a work assignment. The rulers measure in centimeters. You may report fractions as decimals (ex. 1/10 cm =.1
cm), but don't forget that you can estimate digits.
For example, let's say you are measuring on the second ruler. Your paper clip reaches to the 5 and goes a
little beyond the 5. Is the measurement 5? 5.5? You can estimate ONLY digit!

2.) Find 3 other small objects to measure with the tools below using the above guidelines.

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OBSERVATIONS: Remember to estimate only once! Each ruler should have a different number of significant
figures.
Object #1: Object #2

Ruler 1: Ruler 1:
Ruler 2: Ruler 2:
Ruler 3: Ruler 3:

Object #3: Object #4

Ruler 1: Ruler 1:
Ruler 2: Ruler 2:
Ruler 3: Ruler 3:

ANALYSIS QUESTIONS:
1.) Were all your measurements exactly the same?

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2.) Why were there differences in your measurements?

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3.) Where did you have to estimate the most? Explain.

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4.) Which ruler provided the most accurate measurement? Explain.

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5.) Which ruler would provide the most precise measurements if you re-measured the paper clip several times?
Explain.

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6.) What is the purpose of doing repeated trials?

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7.) Why should you be concerned with telling people how uncertain your measurements are?

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