Working Scientifically Flashcards
Define “Hazard”
Something that can cause harm
Define “Risk”
A chance that a hazard will cause somebody harm.
What do you do to reduce the risks when using a corrosive acid?
Store acid away safely or at least move away from the edge of the bench.
What do you do to reduce the risks when using a flame from a Bunsen burner?
Tie hair back, tuck in ties and shirts.
What do you do to reduce the risks caused by the fumes from chemicals?
Open windows to allow movement of air in and out
What to do to reduce the hazards when having bags on the floor
Store bags under benches safely out of the way and walk carefully around the room.
What is an independent variable?
Something that you change during the experiment
What is a dependant variable?
The variable being tested or measured during the experiment.
Define accuracy
How close the measurement is to the true value
What is a control variable?
The variable that is kept the same throughout the experiment
Define calibration
Marking a scale in a measuring instrument. (eg, placing a thermometer in melting ice to see whether it reads zero, in order to check if it has been calibrated correctly)
Define data
Information, either qualitative or quantitative that has been collected
Define error
mistake
Define measurement error
The difference between a measured value and the true value
Define anomalies
These are values in a set of results which are judged not to be part of the variation caused by random uncertainty.
What does a random error do?
Causes readings to be spread about the true value, due to results varying in an unpredictable way from one measurement to the next.