Sigh another AP Chem question

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
1

<p>I am just wondering. For the error analysis guideline I have, it says "do not include illegitimate errors such as blunders: spillage of samples, mistakes in reading instruments, errors in calculations etc.</p>

<p>So here is my question, when it says “mistakes in reading instruments” what does it mean? I mean isn’t that a random error? Like I weigh this mass of copper or whatever and it gives me like 2.1g, 2.2g, and 2.0g. Isn’t that considered as a random error? If so, why is that considered a illegitimate error?</p>

<p>My other question: For example, you are heating a crucible and say Mg is inside, you heat it for let’s say…15 minutes? After you have completed everything in your experiment, you are at the error analysis stage. Based on the guideline I mentioned before, can you include errors like “heating may have been too long or not long enough etc…” type of error? And what type of error does this fit into??</p>

2

<p>The point is that human error should not be mentioned in your lab report. So “I may have read the scale wrong” is not a legitimate error, nor is “I may have let the sample heat for too long”.</p>

3

<p>Ah okay, thanks.</p>

4

<p>its all legitimate error</p>