EXPERIMENT 1

ESTIMATING GLASSWARE ERROR AND

CALIBRATING A FEW VOLUMETRIC APPARATUS

KULIAH 3
LECTURER
Dr. ADILA BINTI MOHAMAD JAAFAR

LAB DEMONSTRATOR
CIK ASMA NAJAJ BINTI ANUAR

MEMBERS
1. MUHAMMAD HARITH ILMI BIN NASRI (AS07170)
2. MUHAMAD AIDIL HAFIF BIN JALIL (AS07314)
3. MUHAMMAD SYAMEEL WAFI BIN NOR AZWADY (AS06765)
TITLE:

ESTIMATING GLASSWARE ERROR AND CALIBRATING A FEW VOLUMETRIC

APPARATUS

OBJECTIVES:
1. To provide students the right techniques of using volumetric
glassware.
2. To develop students skills in using apparatus such as electronic
digital balance and thermometer.
3. To introduce the proper procedures for keeping a laboratory
notebook to the students.
4. To teach the students in calculating experimental errors and
calibrating a few volumetric apparatus like beaker, measuring
cylinder, burette and pipette.

INRODUCTION:
This particular experiment is to determine the accuracy in a few
apparatus that is being used to measure the volume of liquid and
substance. We were conducting this experiment by using beaker,
measuring cylinder, burette and pipette. Each of this volumetric glassware
is marked with its total volume, the notation of TD or TC and a
temperature. The phrases of TD and TC are to deliver and to contain.
Since density and volume change with temperature, the volume markings
are strictly correct only at the calibration temperature
The volumetric glassware that were being used in this experiment
have its own accuracy of measurement. So, it is possible for all the
volumetric glassware to have slightly different result when compared.
Burette and pipette are the glassware that are being used to deliver which
mean this apparatus is frequently deliver liquid or substance to other
container because of the accuracy of the apparatus. Beaker and
measuring cylinder are used to contain in the context of containing liquid
or substance in an experiment because of their lack accuracy of five
percent.
During experiment, it is impossible to calculate the exact value of
each apparatus. This is due to the other errors that occurred in the
experiment such as interminate error, determinate error and gross error.
For example, in a thermochemical experiment, you may not be able to
calculate heat losses.

MEASURING VOLUMES
Volume of a liquid can be measured using a :
1. Beaker and measuring cylinder
2. Burette
3. Pipette
BEAKER AND MEASURING CYLINDERS
Beaker and measuring cylinders are least accurate. If they have
graduations (marks) every 1ml, then when you measure a 10mlvolume,
you are likely to have more than 9.5 ml but less than 10 ml.In this case
your error is 0.5ml in a 10 ml, and the percentage error is 0.5/10
100=5%.
If you had measured 50ml with the same beaker or measuring cylinder,
the error would have been 0.5/50 100=1%. So he bigger the reading
the smaller is the percentage error.
BURETTES
Burettes are more accurate than measuring cylinders. They have
graduations every 0.1 ml, so when you take a reading, it should not be
more than 0.05 ml too high or too low.
However, when you use a burette you take a reading at the start and at
the end, so you have two errors of 0.05 ml i.e. total error = 0.10 ml. if you
are using your burette to do a titration there may be another error of one
or two drops which is due to your judgement of when the indicator
changes colour. This means that in a titration (as opposed to just using a
burette as a dispenser) you may have an error of 0.2 ml.

GRADUATED PIPETTES
Pipettes are also more accurate than measuring cylinders. Most pipettes
are made to an accuracy of one drop if they are used correctly. The
volume of one drop=0.05ml. A 10ml pipette has an error of 0.05ml in
10 ml. The percentage error is 0.05/10 100=0.5%.

CALIBRATING GLASSWARE
Calibration is the process by which to state measure such as the volume
of a container is checked for accuracy. In general, measurement of mass
can be determined more precisely and accurately than measurements of
volume. Therefore, the mass of a liquid contained or dispensed by
glassware, will be measured and the corresponding volume calculated
using the density of a liquid. However, a relatively small change in
temperature causes a change in the liquids volume and thus its density. In
this experiment, distilled water will be used as the liquid. Accurate values
of the density of distilled water at different temperatures are given in the
accompanying table.
Volumetric glassware is calibrated either to contain (TC) or to deliver (TD)
the stated volume. Many glassware have the initials TC or TD on them, so
you can know which way they have been calibrated. Beaker and
measuring cylinders are calibrated to contain. Most pipettes and burettes
are calibrated to deliver. In calibrating the beaker and measuring cylinder,
what you need to know is how much liquid is contained when the
glassware is filled to a given mark. Therefore, the mass of the empty
container must be subtracted from the mass of the container plus the
liquid in order to determine the mass of liquid in the container. The
volume contained is then calculated using the density dimension.
Density(p)=Mass/Volume
Volume=Mass/Density

APPARATUS:

100ml beaker
100ml graduated measuring cylinder
50ml burette
25ml graduated pipette
thermometer
electronic balance
medicine dropper
pipette filler

CHEMICALS:

Distilled water

PROCEDURE:
A. Beaker Calibration
1. A clean and dry 100 ml beaker was weighed using an electronic
balance to an appropriate number of significant figures.
2. The reading was recorded
3. The beaker was removed from the balance and distilled water
was filled until 50 ml mark. A medicine dropper was used to
adjust the final volume.
4. The beaker and the water was reweigh
5. The temperature of the water was measured and recorded. The
volume of the water in the beaker is calculated (use the
temperature-density table provided).
6. The beaker was dried with a paper towel and the entire process
was repeated by the other group member.
7. The obtained data being compared with that of the other group
member.
B. Measuring Cylinder Calibration
1. A clean and dry 100 ml beaker was weighed using an electronic
balance to an appropriate number of significant figures.
2. The reading was recorded
3. 50 ml of distilled water was measured using a 100 ml graduated
measuring cylinder.
4. The water from the graduated measuring cylinder was poured
into the previously weighed beaker
5. The beaker and water was reweighed.
6. The temperature of the water was measured and recorded. The
volume of water in the beaker was calculated (use the
temperature-density table provided).
7. The beaker was dried with a paper towel and the entire process
was repeated by the other group member.
8. The data obtained was compared with that the other group
member.
C. Burette Calibration
1. The burette was cleaned by washing the inside of it with dilute
detergent solution. Rinse several time with distilled water.
2. The burette was filled with distilled water and the liquid was
drawn down to exactly 0.0 ml carefully. Besure tht there was no
air bubbles in the inner wall and at the ti of the burette, and no
water drop hanging at its tip.
3. A cleaned and dried 100ml beaker was weighed and its weight
was recorded.

4. The water in the burette was drained to exactly 25.0ml into the
the weighed beaker. Touch the tip to he side of the beaker if there
was a water drop hanging from the tip of the burette.
5. The beaker and the water was reweighed.
6. The temperature of the water was measured and recorded. The
vlume of water in te beaker was calculated (use the temperaturedensity table provided)
7. The beaker was dried with a paper towel and the entire process
was repeated by the other partner.
8. Your data was compared with your partner
D. Pipette Calibration
1. A 25ml pipette and 100ml beaker were cleaned and dried. This
will remove any residue from the past use that could bring skew
measuremens.
2. The ,ass of the beaker was determined. A balance was used for
this step.
3. The pipette was filled with water until the mark using pipette
filler.
4. The water from the pipette was draned into the weighed beaker.
5. The beaker and the water were reweighed. The difference in
weight was recorded from earlier measurement.
6. The temperature of the water was measured and recorded. The
volume of the water in the beaker was calculated (use the
temperatue-density table provided).
7. This experiment was repeated by your partner and the results
were compared.

Calculations :
1. Calculate the volume ofwater in the beaker.
a. Refer table 1 4
2. Calculate the average volume of water.
a. Beaker:
48.27+ 47.20+48.64
=48.04
i.
3
b. Measuring cylinder:
i.
c. Pipette:
i.
d. Burette:

50.10+50.25+ 50.30
=50.22
3
24.72+24.69+ 24.72
=24.71
3

i.

24.32+24.91+24.95
=24.73
3

3. Calculate the percent error to determine the accuracy of the volumetric

apparatus:
a. Beaker:
i.

0.5
100 =1.04
48.04

b. Measuring cyinder:
i.
c. Pipette:
i.
d. Burette:
i.

0.5
100 =1.00
50.22
0.05
100 =0.20
24.71
0.1
100 =0.40
24.73

4. Calculate the average deviation to determine the precision of the

measurement:
a. Beaker:
i.

( 48.2748.04 )+ ( 47.2048.04 ) + ( 48.6448.04 )

=3.33 103
3

b.

Measuring cylinder:
( 50.1050.22 ) + ( 50.25+50.22 )+ ( 50.3050.22 )
3
=3.33 10
i.
3

c.

Pipette:
( 24.7224.71 )+ ( 24.6924.71 ) + ( 24.7224.71 )
=0
i.
3

d.

Burette:
( 24.3224.73 ) + ( 24.9124.73 ) + ( 24.9524.73 )
3
=3.33 10
i.
3

Question:
1. Explain the terms precision and accuracy. How to they differ?
Accuracy means the state of being exact or the ability to
measure without mistake. For example, the actual weight of a

substance is 9.1 kg and in the lab we obtain 13 kg. hence the

measurement was not accurate and not close with the actual value.
Precision means the quality to measure something
frequently exact the same or almost same along the experiment. For
instant, the first trial to measure diameter of a beaker is 4.5 cm.
then for the other trials that had been done in for five times is
exactly the same 4.5 cm. So the equipment that used to measure
the diameter of beaker is precision.
So, how to differ this terms? We can differentiate them by
carrying out an experiment to observe how accurate and precise the
substance is. In this case, when the result of the experiment shows
nearly same result for each trial, we can conclude that it is precise.
Then, if the results of the experiment is closed to the existing value
that has been measured by many, many scientists, eventhough the
apparatus did not get the same measurement throughout the
experiment, we can call it accurate.

2. Suggest some simple statistical methods of estimating precision and

accuracy of each glassware/experiment.

Discussion:
Based on the results of experiment we can conclude that each
volumetric glassware had a different rate of accuracy depends on their
function. To Contain apparatus had bigger percentage of error compared
to To Deliver apparatus. This is due to their scaling numbers. Pipette and
burette had reading of 0.1 mL for the smallest division while measuring
cylinder and beaker had reading of 1 mL and 10 mL for the smallest
division.
Some experiments had been done in order for us to calculate the
percentage errors which require us to do three trials for each volumetric
glassware (beaker, measuring cylinder, pipette and burette) to get
average results that is much better. Therefore, the results of the
experiment can be reported as;
48.04 0.50 for beaker at 1.04% of percentage error, 50.22 0.50 for
measuring cylinder at 1.00% of percentage error, 24.71 0.05 for
pipette at 0.20% of percentage error and lastly 24.73 0.10 for burette
at 0.40% of percentage error.
In circumstances for this experiment, pipette is the most accurate
volumetric glassware for To Deliver apparatus instead of burette for
having the least percentage error and measuring cylinder is the most
accurate glassware for To Contain apparatus compared to beaker. In the

context of precision and accuracy, pipette win the title because of its zero
average deviation that determine its precision and 0.2% of percentage
error which is the least that determine its accuracy.
However, all the volumetric glasswares were not accurate and
precise as the results outcome are according to the situation of the
environment. So, to reduce the percentage error, some precautions
should be observed. These are some precaution steps that must be taken
seriously during experiment;
1. Reading the meniscus by making sure that the eyes must be
level with the bottom of the meniscus.
2. The apparatus must be placed on a stable surface such as the
desk top of the work area.
3. The experiment must be carried out repeatedly to get an
average result which is the better one.
4. Use the same apparatus for one experiment so that the result
wouldnt out of the range.

Conclusion
Due to this experiment, the students had learnt the proper
techniques of conducting labarotary experiment. The students can
independently use the electronic digital balance, other apparatus which
are new to them and also can familiarize themselves in the right ways of
doing lab experiments and reports.
The students were also exposed to the knowledge of how accurate
and precise the apparatus and know the technique to calculate the
percentage errors. Eventhough the volumetric glasswares doesnt show
the accurate value, this experiment had taught students about the terms
of accuracy and precision.

References
1. https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/Ernest13/experiment-on-thestandardization-of-some-volumetric-glasswares
2. https://www.ncsu.edu/labwrite/Experimental
%20Design/accuracyprecision.htm
3. http://www.sembangsantaihoi.blogspot.my/2012/06/experiment-1estimating-glassware-error.html