Sources of Error in Experiments
Biology ⇒ Scientific Inquiry and Experimental Design in Biology
Sources of Error in Experiments starts at 8 and continues till grade 12.
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See sample questions for grade 12
A biologist uses a pH meter that has not been calibrated for several months. What type of error is most likely to occur?
A researcher finds that all their measurements are consistently higher than the expected value. What should they check first?
A student consistently reads the meniscus from above rather than at eye level. What type of error does this introduce?
A student finds that their results are highly variable each time they repeat the experiment. What type of error is most likely present?
A student forgets to zero the balance before weighing a sample. What type of error does this introduce?
A student measures the length of a leaf three times and gets values of 5.1 cm, 5.2 cm, and 5.0 cm. What type of error is most likely present?
A student records the time for a reaction as 30.2 s, 30.4 s, and 30.3 s. The actual time should be 28.0 s. What type of error is most likely present?
A thermometer consistently reads 2°C higher than the actual temperature. What type of error is this?
Describe how contamination of samples can introduce error in biological experiments.
Describe how using expired reagents can affect the outcome of a biological experiment.
Describe one way to reduce observer bias in a biological experiment.
Describe the impact of not using a control group in a biological experiment.
Explain how human error can affect the results of a biology experiment.
Explain why it is important to record all observations, even those that seem like errors, during an experiment.
Explain why repeating measurements and calculating the average can help minimize the effect of random errors.
Explain why using a control group is important in minimizing sources of error in biological experiments.
What is the difference between random error and systematic error in biological experiments?
