Accuracy and Precision
Accuracy and Precision
Laura Norwood
CHM/110
October 11, 2012
Dr. Grant W.Wangila
Accuracy and Precision
Chemistry is a vibrant part of society. When experiencing some of life’s simplest of pleasures, there is usually a process that has undergone different aspects of what a chemist studies every day. In the text for this course, the example of experiencing even a simple sunset can be related to chemistry. “Molecules in the air interact with light from the sun, scattering away the blue and green light and leaving a red and orange light to create the colors.” Personally, it was very surprising to me to find out that out of all the sunrises I have been blessed to witness, I have never took the time to understand the process behind its beauty. The study of chemistry starts with understanding accuracy and precision.
Accuracy involves a true value. Being accurate involves no estimated figures but those instead that are not questionable. By using accuracy in chemistry, the results will have less of a chance of producing error. In society, accuracy is used in places such as the lumber yard and grocery store every day. When building homes and structures, contractors rely on the sizes of the wood purchased from lumber yards and also the measurements of lumber that is cut prior to building. Strict specifications that are not followed could result in damage to the basic foundation and frames which the home or structure belongs by causing undo stress on support beams. In the grocery store, prices on produce and meat are based on weights. If the prices are estimated versus being accurate, the company loses money by not meeting above cost that was spent on purchasing produce and there will be no revenue. Being accurate is very different from being precise.
Precise involves an estimate or how close of a range you are to something. For example, there is precisely four feet from where I am sitting to the door. This means that I am estimating based on the
Laura Norwood
CHM/110
October 11, 2012
Dr. Grant W.Wangila
Accuracy and Precision
Chemistry is a vibrant part of society. When experiencing some of life’s simplest of pleasures, there is usually a process that has undergone different aspects of what a chemist studies every day. In the text for this course, the example of experiencing even a simple sunset can be related to chemistry. “Molecules in the air interact with light from the sun, scattering away the blue and green light and leaving a red and orange light to create the colors.” Personally, it was very surprising to me to find out that out of all the sunrises I have been blessed to witness, I have never took the time to understand the process behind its beauty. The study of chemistry starts with understanding accuracy and precision.
Accuracy involves a true value. Being accurate involves no estimated figures but those instead that are not questionable. By using accuracy in chemistry, the results will have less of a chance of producing error. In society, accuracy is used in places such as the lumber yard and grocery store every day. When building homes and structures, contractors rely on the sizes of the wood purchased from lumber yards and also the measurements of lumber that is cut prior to building. Strict specifications that are not followed could result in damage to the basic foundation and frames which the home or structure belongs by causing undo stress on support beams. In the grocery store, prices on produce and meat are based on weights. If the prices are estimated versus being accurate, the company loses money by not meeting above cost that was spent on purchasing produce and there will be no revenue. Being accurate is very different from being precise.
Precise involves an estimate or how close of a range you are to something. For example, there is precisely four feet from where I am sitting to the door. This means that I am estimating based on the