ERIC Number: EJ1016968
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jun
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Measuring the Gas Constant "R": Propagation of Uncertainty and Statistics
Olsen, Robert J.; Sattar, Simeen
Journal of Chemical Education, v90 n6 p790-792 Jun 2013
Determining the gas constant "R" by measuring the properties of hydrogen gas collected in a gas buret is well suited for comparing two approaches to uncertainty analysis using a single data set. The brevity of the experiment permits multiple determinations, allowing for statistical evaluation of the standard uncertainty u[subscript "R"] within a laboratory period, while calculating "R" from the several measured quantities (pressure, volume, etc.) invokes a number of different methods of estimating the individual uncertainties involved in the calculation of the combined standard uncertainty u[subscript c]("R"). The two uncertainties, as obtained by several classes of upper-level college students, are typically within a factor of two or three. In the course of the data analysis, students interpret a q-q plot, identify outliers using Dixon's test, and apply the "F" test to the ratio of the two variances. Thus, the experiment gives students experience with a variety of methods for evaluating data they have gathered themselves. The Supporting Information contains an Excel workbook containing student data and all the above-mentioned calculations.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Science Experiments, College Science, Science Laboratories, Computer Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Scientific Concepts, Equations (Mathematics), Laboratory Experiments
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A