APPLICATION OF STATISTICAL CONCEPTS IN THE

DETERMINATION OF WEIGHT VARIATION IN SAMPLES

Z.C. HACHERO
DEPARTMENT OF MINING, METALLURGICAL, AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
DATE PERFORMED: AUGUST 14, 2015
INSTRUCTORS NAME: SEARLE AICHELLE DUAY

1. Discuss the significance of

standard deviation.
The standard deviation is a
measure of how precise the
mean is. The smaller the
standard deviation, the more
closely the measured values
tend to cluster about the mean,
indicating better precision. A
statement of the standard
deviation, then, gives us some
confidence in the reliability of
our measurements. It is also a
measure of a type of error
called random error.
2. Discuss the significance of
confidence limits.
Confidence intervals provide a
range of values around the
point estimate within which the
true value can be expected to
fall. The wider the confidence
interval is, the more variability
in the sample, and the less
precise the point estimate.[2] It is
also an indication of the
reliability of the data
3. Discuss the significance of QTest.
The Q-test is used to examine
the overall scatter of the data
and to either reject or accept a
statistical outlier in a set of
data.
4. Discuss how the statistical
parameters
calculated
from

data set 1 compare to those

obtained from data set 2.
The
statistical
parameters
obtained from data set 2 are
significantly smaller than those
obtained from data set 1. This
was due to a larger data set
with
a
smaller
standard
deviation, and a smaller degree
of freedom. Data set 2 has a
smaller confidence limit since
the bigger the sample size, the
smaller the confidence limit
value.
5. Discuss the significance of
pooled standard deviation.
The pooled standard deviation
is a
6. Discuss
the
3
types
of
experimental
error.
Give
examples of each type.
The three types of errors are
systematic, random, and gross
errors.
A
systematic
or
determinate error are those
which can be corrected and
whose
magnitude
can
be
determined and affects the
accuracy of results. It causes
the mean of a data set to differ
from
the
accepted
value.
Systematic error affects the
accuracy of an experiment but
not the precision.[5] An example
of these errors are by faulty
calibrations and the slowness of
Page 1 of 4

some
reactions,
the
incompleteness of others, the
instability of some species.
Random errors are caused by
the
many
uncontrollable
variables that accompany every
measurement
and
affect
measurement precision. They
are often the major source of
uncertainty in a determination.
[4]
Finally, gross errors usually
occur only occasionally, are
often large, and may cause a
result to be either high or low.
They are often the product of
human errors and lead to
[5]
outliers.
These
include
inattentiveness
of
the
experimenter,
spillage
and
carelessness.
7. Discuss the Gaussian/normal
distribution
and
the
requirements for a data to
have a normal distribution.
This curve predicts that the
most probable observed value is
that
of
the
mean
(zero
deviation). Larger deviations
from the mean, either positive
or negative, become less likely
as their magnitudes increase.
8. Discuss the rationale behind
the use of forceps/crucible
tongs in handling the coins.
The use of forceps in handling
the coins prevents moisture or
fingerprints from getting into
the coins and adding weight to
it, thereby causing errors.
9.
10.
REFERENCES
11.
12.
[1] Harris, D. C. Quantitative
Chemical Analysis 8th ed. W. H.
Freeman and Company, New York.
2010.
13.
14.
[2] Lamp, B.D, etal. Introduction
to
Statictics
in
Chemistry.
http://chemlab.truman.edu/DataAn

alysis/Statistics_Files/StatisticsFund
amentals.asp (accessed August 21,
2015)
15.
16.
[3] Skoog, D., West, D., Holler,
F.J.,
Crouch,
S.,
Chen,
S.
Introduction
to
Analytical
Chemistry
8th
ed.
Cengage
Learning. Singapore. 2012.
17.
18.
[5] Average, Deviation, and
Standard
Deviation.
http://alpha.chem.umb.edu/chemist
ry/ch115/carter/files/103more/Stan
dardDeviation.pdf 9 (accessed Aug.
21, 2015)
19.
20.
[6] IUPAC Pooled Standard
Deviation.
http://old.iupac.org/goldbook/P0475
8.pdf (accessed Aug. 21, 2015)
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
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50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.

63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.

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76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.

APPENDIX
Sample Calculations
Pooled Standard Deviation:

S pooled =

83.
84.
85.

S p=

n1

i=1

88.
89.
90.
91.

j=1

n1 +n2 ns

0.0305+0.0132+0.408+0.01979+ 0.01911+0.01537+0.4294 +0.0231+0.02408

10+10+ 10+ 10+10+10+10+10+10+109

86.
87.

n2

( x i x 1 )2 + ( x jx 2 )2

S p= 0.012137
S p=0.110