Chemistry Lab Survival Guide Flashcards

Flashcards for key concepts in chemistry lab, including significant figures, mass vs. weight, accuracy and precision, balances, error analysis, and volume/density.

Significant Figures

The exactness of a measurement in calculations.

Multiplication/Division (Significant Figures)

The result should have the same number of significant figures as the input with the fewest significant figures.

Addition/Subtraction (Significant Figures)

The result should have the same number of decimal places as the input with the fewest decimal places.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object.

Weight

The force of gravity on an object.

Accuracy

How close a measurement is to the true value.

Precision

How reproducible a measurement is.

Beam Balance

Less precise, measures to 0.1g.

Analytical Balance

More precise, measures to 0.0001g.

Systematic Errors

Consistent, predictable errors that can be corrected.

Random Errors

Unpredictable errors that affect precision.

Beakers

Least accurate glassware, for rough estimates.

Graduated Cylinders

More accurate than beakers, for approximate volumes.