How do accuracy and precision affect scientific experiments?
Accuracy and precision are both vital components to a successful scientific experiment.
It’s a lovely day out and you decide to go to the duck pond. You bring a loaf of bread, break it up into little pieces, and begin to throw it at a duck. The first throw hits the duck’s beak. The second throw lands a few feet to the left of the duck. The third throw lands a few feet to the right of the duck.
- How accurate were each of your throws?
- How precise were your three throws combined?
- You decide to give the duck more bread and throw out 3 more pieces. All of them land an inch away from the duck’s beak. How precise and accurate were your throws?
- Finally you try one more time and throw out 3 more pieces. All of them land right in front of the duck’s beak. How precise and accurate were your throws?
- How can you relate this to a chemistry experiment? Why is it important to have controlled experiments?
- Make a conclusion. What exactly does accuracy mean? How about precision? How are they similar and how are they different?