Three students measured the mass of a product of combustion. They recorded measurements of 5.14 g, 5.16 g, and 5.17 g. If the known mass of the product is 5.30 g, how would you describe the students’ measurements?

Question

Three students measured the mass of a product of combustion. They recorded measurements of 5.14 g, 5.16 g, and 5.17 g. If the known mass of the product is 5.30 g, how would you describe the students’ measurements??  
A. Accurate  
B. Precise  
C. Both accurate and precise  
D. Neither accurate nor precise

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: (B)Precise. 
Rationale: The students’ measurements are precise.Precision refers to how close repeated measurements are to one another, regardless of whether they are close to the true or accepted value. In this case, the three measurements (5.14 g, 5.16 g, and 5.17 g) are very close together, showing strong consistency. However, they are noticeably different from the known true mass of 5.30 g, which means they are not accurate. This pattern commonly indicates a systematic error, such as an improperly calibrated balance.A) AccurateAccuracy describes how close a measurement is to the true or accepted value. The true mass is 5.30 g, while all three measurements are between 5.14 g and 5.17 g. This is a difference of about 0.13–0.16 g from the true value, which is significant in laboratory measurement. Because the results are not close to 5.30 g, they are not accurate.B) PrecisePrecision describes how close measurements are to each other when repeated under the same conditions. The three values differ by only 0.03 g (from 5.14 g to 5.17 g), which is a very small range. This shows that the students were consistent in their technique and measurement method. Even though the results are not accurate, they are clearly precise, making this the correct answer.C) Both accurate and preciseFor measurements to be both accurate and precise, they must be close to each other and close to the true value. Although these measurements are close to one another, they are not close to 5.30 g. Therefore, they cannot be described as both accurate and precise.D) Neither accurate nor preciseThis option would apply if the measurements were widely scattered and far from the true value. In this case, the measurements are tightly grouped, showing good precision. Therefore, this option is incorrect.ConclusionThe students produced measurements that are very consistent with one another but not close to the known true mass. This means their results are precise but not accurate. Therefore, the correct answer is B) Precise.

Three students measured the mass of a product of combustion. They recorded measurements of 5.14 g, 5.16 g, and 5.17 g. If the known mass of the product is 5.30 g, how would you describe the students’ measurements?

A
Accurate

B
Precise

C
Both accurate and precise

D
Neither accurate nor precise

The students’ measurements are precise.

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Related Questions

Three students measured the mass of a product of combustion. They recorded measurements of 5.14 g, 5.16 g, and 5.17 g. If the known mass of the product is 5.30 g, how would you describe the students’ measurements?

A Accurate B Precise C Both accurate and precise D Neither accurate nor precise

The students’ measurements are precise.

Topic Flashcards

Mini Quiz

Related Questions

A
Accurate

B
Precise

C
Both accurate and precise

D
Neither accurate nor precise