March 28, 2024, 06:43:18 PM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: How to calculate the percentage error in change in pH?  (Read 4413 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline marimelida

  • Very New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Mole Snacks: +1/-0
How to calculate the percentage error in change in pH?
« on: January 26, 2019, 08:53:27 AM »
In my experiment, I added HCl(aq) into a buffer solution until there was a pH change of 1 pH unit. The pH meter has an uncertainty of +/- 0.2. I was wondering how I would calculate the percentage uncertainty of the solution facing a pH change of 1 unit.

I did it by calculating Change in pH = 7.2 +/- 0.2  -  6.2 +/- 0.2  = 1 +/- 0.4

but the percentage uncertainty is then 40%, is this correct? It's just such a large amount

Offline mjc123

  • Chemist
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2048
  • Mole Snacks: +296/-12
Re: How to calculate the percentage error in change in pH?
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2019, 07:14:22 AM »
Assuming the error is random, not systematic, variances not errors are additive. Thus the variance of the sum (or difference) of two measurements is 0.22 + 0.22, and the error of the sum is the square root of that.
Rule of thumb: error of the sum or difference between 2 measurements with the same error is sqrt(2)*error of one measurement.

Offline Enthalpy

  • Chemist
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4041
  • Mole Snacks: +304/-59
Re: How to calculate the percentage error in change in pH?
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2019, 08:24:02 AM »
Beware pH are logarithms! Percentages of logarithms are most often meaningless.

That is, an absolute change in a logarithm, for instance a change of 0.2 in the pH, is already a relative (percentage) change in the H+ concentration.

Consistently, you could also have 0.2 uncertainty on a pH of zero.

Offline Evann

  • New Member
  • **
  • Posts: 3
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-1
Re: How to calculate the percentage error in change in pH?
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2019, 11:13:00 PM »
I'm also doing an experiment that uses a pH probe.

What I’m wondering is whether it’s possible to apply other uncertainties like uncertainty from the measuring equipment to the data.

Thanks!

Sponsored Links