Lab Experiment One: Pennies and Good Sense

This document appears to be a lab report examining the variation in mass of U.S. pennies over different mint years. The key components are: Table of Data The report includes a data table (Table 1) showing the masses in grams of 6-10 individual penny samples across 21 different mint years from 1970 to 1996. This allows analysis of mass variation between different years as well as within a single year. Calculations The calculations section shows the formulas used to find the average mass and standard deviation of the penny masses for each mint year from . This time period covers the known transition from copper to zinc-based penny composition in the early 1980s. Graph A scatter plot graphs the calculated average mass and standard deviation versus the mint year. Trendlines are fitted showing the decreasing average mass and standard deviation over time as the composition changed. Discussion The discussion interprets the data trends, noting the clear drop in mass in the early 1980s corresponding to the switch from copper to cheaper zinc-based pennies. It considers how large standard deviations in those transition years indicate a gradual rather than sudden composition change within those mint years. Conclusion The conclusion summarizes how the results supported the expected mass decrease for older copper pennies compared to newer zinc pennies. However, it notes some outliers/exceptions and suggests additional variables may influence penny mass variation. Overall, this appears to be a well-constructed lab report using empirical data and analysis to examine the changing composition and mass of U.S. pennies over recent decades. The description, data presentation, calculations, and conclusions are clear and insightful.