Introduction
I've conducted a number of scientific and practical investigations. This report evaluates my own
performance and ability level in certain practical and investigation. Therefore, I investigate
colorimeters, titration, and chromatography techniques while learning practical scientific procedures
and techniques. After the practicals were over, I began to look back and analyse my performance as
well as the skills I had learned. I realised I had learned some important new skills and had
substantially improved my practical technique. Therefore, these skills will help me complete the
remaining units of this course successfully.
New skilled learned
This assignment taught me how to calibrate a digital colorimeter. This is a basic skill that may be
applied to various chemistry topics. I educated myself on the Beer Lambert law, which helped me
determine the wavelength to use and how to use the colorimeter to choose the exact wavelength. I
also learned how to create serial dilution from copper sulphate.
How did I accept responsibility for the quality of my work?
Despite the fact that I was working in a group for various practicals, I was able to accept responsibility
for the quality of my work. When completing the practical I was able to obtain accurate and precise
results which allowed me to produce a graph showing the amount of absorbance for each dilution
and use it to determine the concentration of the unknown substance.
How did I communicate and cooperate with my peers?
Communication between myself and my peers was great. When we discussed our data, we were able
to determine whether there were any anomalies or similarities between our results.
Strength/Weakness
I was able to accurately operate the colorimeter and determine the amount of absorption. I know my
recordings are accurate since I compared my results to my classmates' results and they either
matched or were 0.1 apart from each other, indicating that the results were accurate. I was able to
create a graph in which I could detect unknown concentration levels of absorbance, and I know they
were correct since they corresponded with my classmates' results.
One of my weaknesses was that in titration when doing the practical it was easy to overshoot the
endpoint because for different people it varies as the colour change will look different. Therefore, I
made sure to use a white tile to make it visible, which allows me to see if the colour change or more
solution is needed to neutralise the acid.
How did I follow health and safety regulations?
All safety precautions were taken into consideration and followed. This covers the dangers of broken
glass, electricity, and the chemical copper sulphate. I made sure that at least all glass equipment was
placed in the centre of the table to avoid it going off the edge and breaking, and if it did, I
acknowledged how to properly dispose of it into the glass bin. To avoid electrocution, I made sure the
colorimeter was dry before using it, and if any liquid spilled on it, I knocked it off and washed it down. I
lowered the possibility of copper sulphate getting into my eyes by wearing goggles and washing my
hands after handling it.
How could I transfer the skill I had learned while carrying out my practical work into other areas of my
future studies and work?
Following a set of instructions correctly is a skill that may be transferred. Being able to use various
thermometers is also a transferable ability that I may use in the future for everyday tasks like checking
weather, temperature, or using a digital thermometer to take a child's body temperature when they are
sick. These practical help me with my career for example, chromatography is used to create vaccines
such as the Pfizer vaccine.
, Why is it important to develop scientific practical skills? (think about what you want to do after this
course).
It’s important because it shows trends and patterns by gathering the result and comparing the result to
the published result to see if the method is accurate and precise. This show is to show repeatability
and reproducibility.
Which types of practical skills have you worked on so far?
- Titration and different ways of carrying out titration such as ph titration, colorimetry,
standizalisation with HCL, and sodium carbonate using an indicator.
- Chromatography and different types of methods such as amino acid, thin layer
chromatography, leaf pigment and ink chromatography.
- Physical practicals such as ice and boiling water to determine the temperature, and to show
which thermometer is more accurate such as digital thermometer and glass thermometer.
Also stearic acid and paraffin wax.
How do you feel about the progress you have made with these? Is there anything that you
have learned that you can apply to other assignments in other units?
The practicals have helped to be more careful when carrying out experiments because there are
some risk assessments that should be supervised to students before starting the practicaled.
Skills Skills when I Skills after completing the unit 2 course Skill I want to develop
started the further
course
Standard I don’t know how I know how to weigh the amount of sodium carbonate. When starting the course I
solution to carry out the Firstly, weigh the volume of sodium carbonate on the didn’t know how to carry
sodium carbonate. weighing scale using a weighing boat. Once I accurately out the standard solution.
measured the amount of sodium carbonate I transfer it Also, what is the meniscus
into the beaker and add distilled water and use a stirring line and how to make sure
rod to mix the solution. When the solution has been to not go above or below
mixed I transfer it into a volumetric flask using a funnel the meniscus line.
and pipette so I don’t go above or below the meniscus
line. Therefore, I have an understanding of how to make
a standard solution and that the bottom curve of the
solution should lie on the meniscus line.
Calibrating the I have little idea I have an understanding of how to rinse the equipment At the start of the course I
equipments about how to so as to avoid wrong results when I carry out titration or didn't know how to calibrate
calibrate the other methods. THis is because by rinsing the equipment the equipment and rinse
equipment such as burette, pipette, beaker, conical flask and etc will the equipment to prevent
contain the same solution it has been rinsed with. contamination.
Digital scale I didn’t use a Digital scale is used in a titration method to accurately When doing the experiment
digital scale measure the weight and the volume of the solution. I used a digital scale,
before, therefore I Therefore, digital scales are used in a variety of methods meaning that now I have an
have no clue how to obtain an accurate and precise result.For example, I idea how to use a digital
to use a digital used digital scale to measure the volume of HCL scale.
scale. because when using pipette and pipette filler to transfer
25cm^3 of HCL into the conical flask It’s possible that
you go above or below the meniscus line. Therefore, by
using a digital scale by placing the beaker in the centre of
the digital scale and using the pipette and pipette filler to
fill the solution and pour it in the beaker. Then I pressed
the bottom ‘tear’ and ‘start’.
I've conducted a number of scientific and practical investigations. This report evaluates my own
performance and ability level in certain practical and investigation. Therefore, I investigate
colorimeters, titration, and chromatography techniques while learning practical scientific procedures
and techniques. After the practicals were over, I began to look back and analyse my performance as
well as the skills I had learned. I realised I had learned some important new skills and had
substantially improved my practical technique. Therefore, these skills will help me complete the
remaining units of this course successfully.
New skilled learned
This assignment taught me how to calibrate a digital colorimeter. This is a basic skill that may be
applied to various chemistry topics. I educated myself on the Beer Lambert law, which helped me
determine the wavelength to use and how to use the colorimeter to choose the exact wavelength. I
also learned how to create serial dilution from copper sulphate.
How did I accept responsibility for the quality of my work?
Despite the fact that I was working in a group for various practicals, I was able to accept responsibility
for the quality of my work. When completing the practical I was able to obtain accurate and precise
results which allowed me to produce a graph showing the amount of absorbance for each dilution
and use it to determine the concentration of the unknown substance.
How did I communicate and cooperate with my peers?
Communication between myself and my peers was great. When we discussed our data, we were able
to determine whether there were any anomalies or similarities between our results.
Strength/Weakness
I was able to accurately operate the colorimeter and determine the amount of absorption. I know my
recordings are accurate since I compared my results to my classmates' results and they either
matched or were 0.1 apart from each other, indicating that the results were accurate. I was able to
create a graph in which I could detect unknown concentration levels of absorbance, and I know they
were correct since they corresponded with my classmates' results.
One of my weaknesses was that in titration when doing the practical it was easy to overshoot the
endpoint because for different people it varies as the colour change will look different. Therefore, I
made sure to use a white tile to make it visible, which allows me to see if the colour change or more
solution is needed to neutralise the acid.
How did I follow health and safety regulations?
All safety precautions were taken into consideration and followed. This covers the dangers of broken
glass, electricity, and the chemical copper sulphate. I made sure that at least all glass equipment was
placed in the centre of the table to avoid it going off the edge and breaking, and if it did, I
acknowledged how to properly dispose of it into the glass bin. To avoid electrocution, I made sure the
colorimeter was dry before using it, and if any liquid spilled on it, I knocked it off and washed it down. I
lowered the possibility of copper sulphate getting into my eyes by wearing goggles and washing my
hands after handling it.
How could I transfer the skill I had learned while carrying out my practical work into other areas of my
future studies and work?
Following a set of instructions correctly is a skill that may be transferred. Being able to use various
thermometers is also a transferable ability that I may use in the future for everyday tasks like checking
weather, temperature, or using a digital thermometer to take a child's body temperature when they are
sick. These practical help me with my career for example, chromatography is used to create vaccines
such as the Pfizer vaccine.
, Why is it important to develop scientific practical skills? (think about what you want to do after this
course).
It’s important because it shows trends and patterns by gathering the result and comparing the result to
the published result to see if the method is accurate and precise. This show is to show repeatability
and reproducibility.
Which types of practical skills have you worked on so far?
- Titration and different ways of carrying out titration such as ph titration, colorimetry,
standizalisation with HCL, and sodium carbonate using an indicator.
- Chromatography and different types of methods such as amino acid, thin layer
chromatography, leaf pigment and ink chromatography.
- Physical practicals such as ice and boiling water to determine the temperature, and to show
which thermometer is more accurate such as digital thermometer and glass thermometer.
Also stearic acid and paraffin wax.
How do you feel about the progress you have made with these? Is there anything that you
have learned that you can apply to other assignments in other units?
The practicals have helped to be more careful when carrying out experiments because there are
some risk assessments that should be supervised to students before starting the practicaled.
Skills Skills when I Skills after completing the unit 2 course Skill I want to develop
started the further
course
Standard I don’t know how I know how to weigh the amount of sodium carbonate. When starting the course I
solution to carry out the Firstly, weigh the volume of sodium carbonate on the didn’t know how to carry
sodium carbonate. weighing scale using a weighing boat. Once I accurately out the standard solution.
measured the amount of sodium carbonate I transfer it Also, what is the meniscus
into the beaker and add distilled water and use a stirring line and how to make sure
rod to mix the solution. When the solution has been to not go above or below
mixed I transfer it into a volumetric flask using a funnel the meniscus line.
and pipette so I don’t go above or below the meniscus
line. Therefore, I have an understanding of how to make
a standard solution and that the bottom curve of the
solution should lie on the meniscus line.
Calibrating the I have little idea I have an understanding of how to rinse the equipment At the start of the course I
equipments about how to so as to avoid wrong results when I carry out titration or didn't know how to calibrate
calibrate the other methods. THis is because by rinsing the equipment the equipment and rinse
equipment such as burette, pipette, beaker, conical flask and etc will the equipment to prevent
contain the same solution it has been rinsed with. contamination.
Digital scale I didn’t use a Digital scale is used in a titration method to accurately When doing the experiment
digital scale measure the weight and the volume of the solution. I used a digital scale,
before, therefore I Therefore, digital scales are used in a variety of methods meaning that now I have an
have no clue how to obtain an accurate and precise result.For example, I idea how to use a digital
to use a digital used digital scale to measure the volume of HCL scale.
scale. because when using pipette and pipette filler to transfer
25cm^3 of HCL into the conical flask It’s possible that
you go above or below the meniscus line. Therefore, by
using a digital scale by placing the beaker in the centre of
the digital scale and using the pipette and pipette filler to
fill the solution and pour it in the beaker. Then I pressed
the bottom ‘tear’ and ‘start’.
