Lesson 2 of 8 · Lab Skills

Experiment⭐ 30 XP

Accuracy, Precision and Resolution

🧪Lab Brief #2

Lab Skills.

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

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Mind = Blown

🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.

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Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

What You'll Learn

Accuracy is closeness to the true value; precision is how tightly repeated readings cluster. They are independent — a badly zeroed balance can be very precise and consistently wrong. Resolution is the smallest change an instrument can show.

Key Words

Tap a word to see its definition.

Materials Needed

kitchen scale
laboratory balance
object to weigh
notebook

Safety First

Do not overload either balance beyond its stated maximum.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.

Step 2 — Do

Measure the same object's mass ten times on a kitchen scale and ten times on a laboratory balance. Compare the spread of each set and the resolution of each instrument, and state which is more precise.

Step 3 — Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 — Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 2

A balance that is precise but reads 2 g high is:

How sure are you going to be?😐 maybe

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Where you see this in real life

This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.

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For the dinner table

“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”

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Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

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