Paul was asked to confirm that the amount of sodium chloride supplied by ITC pharmacy was 20 g. The measurement he obtained on Monday, day one was 18.99 g. The weighing balance had just been bought from the ITEMBUA supplier and had not been calibrated. The next day the measurement he obtained was 19.80 g. Paul had to travel to East London on day three but he decided to quickly take the measurement again but got distracted and wrote 20.10 g. What are the potential sources of Paul’s error?
1. Calibration error: The weighing balance may not have been calibrated properly when it was purchased from the supplier.
2. Human error: Paul could have made errors in his measurements due to carelessness or lack of attention to detail.
3. Instrument error: The weighing balance may not have been functioning properly, causing incorrect measurements.
4. Environmental conditions: External factors such as temperature and humidity can affect the weighing balance and measurements.
5. Measurement technique: Paul may not have used the correct measuring techniques, leading to inaccurate results.
6. Recording error: Paul may have recorded the wrong values due to errors in writing or data entry.
7. Intentional error: Paul may have intentionally altered the measurements to meet certain specifications or requirements.
The potential sources of Paul's error could be:
1. Uncalibrated weighing balance: The weighing balance that Paul used was newly bought and had not been calibrated. It is possible that the balance was not accurately measuring the weight, leading to incorrect measurements.
2. Inaccurate measurement technique: Paul might not have followed the correct measurement technique, which could result in obtaining incorrect readings.
3. Human error: Paul could have made mistakes while recording the measurements. Distraction or lack of attention while taking the measurements could have caused him to write down incorrect values.
4. Variation in the quantity supplied: It is also possible that the quantity of sodium chloride supplied by the ITC pharmacy was not exactly 20 g. There might have been some variation in the actual amount supplied, leading to discrepancies in measurements.