Emilia Hawkins
Unit 2: Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques
D: Review personal development of scientific skills for laboratory work.
Colorimetry:
New skills I have learned.
From doing experiments that use colorimetry I learned how to use a digital colorimeter. This enables
me to measure the absorbance of light that passes through a liquid and therefore be able to
calculate the concentration of a solution. I learned how to select an appropriate wavelength for the
colorimeter because the wavelength of the light transmitted has to be the same as that absorbed by
the solution. From the experiment, I learned how to make solutions of copper sulphate that had
varying concentrations. I then used my results to produce a graph which enabled me to estimate the
concentration of a sample which had a known absorbency.
How did I accept responsibility for the quality of my work.
I was able to accept responsibility for the quality my work by making sure that instructions were
followed carefully and accurately. Due to this practical taking place whilst working with 1-2 other
people, I had to make sure that those working with me were correctly following the instructions
given to us. I was able to determine that my results were accurate by comparing them to my peers
and therefore can take responsibility of ensuring that my work was at a high quality. Equally, if I had
made any mistakes and my results were incorrect I can work out what I was doing wrong then
correct it to produce higher quality results.
How did I follow health and safety regulations.
I followed health and safety regulations by wearing goggles as copper sulphate can cause severe eye
irritation. I also was careful when handling liquids near the colorimeter because it is a piece of
electrical equipment that could cause an electric shock if liquid is spilled onto it.
How did I communicate and cooperate with others.
This experiment was completed in small groups so I had to communicate with the other people in
my group. By communicating this way with my peers, I made sure that the other people in my group
were following instructions carefully to produce results which were accurate and consistent. I was
able to compare my results with the results from other groups to check for any inconsistencies or
mistakes.
Strengths.
I was able to correctly use the colorimeter and produce results that followed a trend. I was able to
compare my results with my peers to determine if my results were incorrect. From the graph I
produced, I could estimate the concentration of an unknown sample of copper sulphate.
Weaknesses.
There were varying levels of adherence to the method and differing levels of competencies around
using he apparatus by the group, this may have introduced some discrepancies in the results and
therefore the groups conclusions. There was also a time limitation on performing the experiment
which only allowed for one set of results to be collected.
Unit 2: Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques
D: Review personal development of scientific skills for laboratory work.
Colorimetry:
New skills I have learned.
From doing experiments that use colorimetry I learned how to use a digital colorimeter. This enables
me to measure the absorbance of light that passes through a liquid and therefore be able to
calculate the concentration of a solution. I learned how to select an appropriate wavelength for the
colorimeter because the wavelength of the light transmitted has to be the same as that absorbed by
the solution. From the experiment, I learned how to make solutions of copper sulphate that had
varying concentrations. I then used my results to produce a graph which enabled me to estimate the
concentration of a sample which had a known absorbency.
How did I accept responsibility for the quality of my work.
I was able to accept responsibility for the quality my work by making sure that instructions were
followed carefully and accurately. Due to this practical taking place whilst working with 1-2 other
people, I had to make sure that those working with me were correctly following the instructions
given to us. I was able to determine that my results were accurate by comparing them to my peers
and therefore can take responsibility of ensuring that my work was at a high quality. Equally, if I had
made any mistakes and my results were incorrect I can work out what I was doing wrong then
correct it to produce higher quality results.
How did I follow health and safety regulations.
I followed health and safety regulations by wearing goggles as copper sulphate can cause severe eye
irritation. I also was careful when handling liquids near the colorimeter because it is a piece of
electrical equipment that could cause an electric shock if liquid is spilled onto it.
How did I communicate and cooperate with others.
This experiment was completed in small groups so I had to communicate with the other people in
my group. By communicating this way with my peers, I made sure that the other people in my group
were following instructions carefully to produce results which were accurate and consistent. I was
able to compare my results with the results from other groups to check for any inconsistencies or
mistakes.
Strengths.
I was able to correctly use the colorimeter and produce results that followed a trend. I was able to
compare my results with my peers to determine if my results were incorrect. From the graph I
produced, I could estimate the concentration of an unknown sample of copper sulphate.
Weaknesses.
There were varying levels of adherence to the method and differing levels of competencies around
using he apparatus by the group, this may have introduced some discrepancies in the results and
therefore the groups conclusions. There was also a time limitation on performing the experiment
which only allowed for one set of results to be collected.
