UNIVERDSITY OF ZAMBIA

SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES

CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT
CHE 1010 Tutorial Sheet 5

Topic: Sampling and Analytical Data Treatment

Answer ALL Questions. Submission Deadline: 2nd June 2023 by 16:00
1.

a. What type of sampling produces representative samples?

b. What is a representative sample, and when is it important to obtain a representative
sample?
c. The best sampling plan for collecting samples depends on whether the population is
homogeneous or heterogeneous. Define homogeneous and heterogeneous
d. If you collect and analyze a single sample, can you determine if the population is
homogeneous or heterogeneous? Explain in three lines or less.

2.
a. Explain the difference between accuracy and precision in chemical analyses.
b. Name two of the three sources of error typically encountered in analytical chemistry
c. What type of error (determinate or indeterminate) is typically biased or unidirectional
d. A method of analysis yields weights for gold that are low by 0.4 mg. Calculate the
percent relative error caused by this uncertainty if the weight of gold in the sample is
700 mg
e. During sample preparation, some samples will easily dissolve in a suitable solvent
simply by swirling and heating gently while others will not. If this occurs, digestion
with a suitable solvent or solution is preferred.
i. How do you understand sample digestion in this context?
ii. Aqua regia is one solution made up two components. Name these components
of aqua regia and the ratio of composition.
3.
a. Analysis of the potassium ion content in a food sample yielded the following data: %
K: 3.09, 4, 2.775, 2.5, 3.80 Calculate the standard deviation of the sample. Show all
calculations and indicate the answer to the correct amount of significant figures.
b. The following masses were recorded for 12 different Zambian One kwacha coins (all
given in grams):
5.683 5.549 5.548 5.552
5.620 5.536 5.539 5.684
5.551 5.552 5.554 5.632
Report the mean, median, range, standard deviation, and variance for these data.
Within what range are you 95% confident that the true value lies?

4. F-Test is designed to indicate whether there is a significant difference between two

methods based on their standard deviations. The following results were obtained
during the Gravimetric and Volumetric determination of iron in sample A.

Gravimetric: 13.0, 13.5, 13.3, and 12.9.

Volumetric: 15.1, 13.3, 12.7, 12.6, and 13.1.

From the following two sets of replicate analyses on the same sample, determine
whether the variance of gravimetric differs significantly from that of the volumetric
method.

5. Apply the Q test to the following data set to determine whether the outlying result
should be retained or rejected at the 95% confidence level: 41.27, 41.61, 41.84, and
41.70 g.