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When research chemists perform experiments, they may obtain slightly different results on different replications, even when the experiment is performed identically each time. These differences are due to a phenomenon called "measurement error." a. List some variables in a chemical experiment that might cause some small changes in the final response measurement. b. If you want to make sure that your measurement error is small, you can replicate the experiment and take the sample average of all the measurements. To decrease the amount of variability in your average measurement, should you use a large or a small number of replications? Explain.

Short Answer

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Answer: Variables that might cause small changes in the final response measurement in a chemical experiment include temperature fluctuations, imprecision in the measurement of reagents, contamination of materials, human error, and equipment error. To decrease variability in the average measurement, a large number of replications should be used. This allows the random errors to average out and increases the precision of the results.

Step by step solution

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a. Listing variables that cause small changes in the final response measurement

In a chemical experiment, several factors can lead to small changes in the final response measurement, such as: 1. Temperature fluctuations: A slight change in temperature during the experiment can result in different outcomes. 2. Imprecision in the measurement of reagents: Slight inaccuracies in the volume or mass of the reagents used can affect the experiment's results. 3. Contamination of materials or reagents: Any contamination, even at the microscopic level, can alter the outcome of a chemical reaction. 4. Human error: Researchers might make small, unintentional errors while performing the experiment, like mixing substances incorrectly or misinterpreting their instruments. 5. Equipment error: Any malfunction or subtle inaccuracies in the experimental equipment can introduce small errors into the results.
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b. Deciding the number of replications to decrease variability in the average measurement

To decrease the amount of variability in the average measurement and ensure that measurement error is small, you should use a large number of replications. By repeating the experiment numerous times and taking the sample average of all the measurements, you can average out the random errors and increase the precision of your results. This process is based on the concept of the Law of Large Numbers, which states that as the number of trials (in this case, replications) increases, the average of the results approaches the true value.

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