Question

identifying sources of error
which circumstances could be sources of error within the experiment? check all that apply.
□ not fully submerging the object when doing the fluid displacement procedure
□ water that is left behind in the collection container when it is transferred for measurement
□ water that soaks into the materials of the balls, affecting the mass in repeated trials
□ the time of day when the measurements are recorded
□ water in the bucket, approximated to the closest 10 ml due to surface tension at the top of the bucket
□ the air pressure in the room and its affect on the scales that measure the mass of each object

Explanation:

1. not fully submerging the object: In fluid displacement (e.g., Archimedes' principle), incomplete submersion leads to inaccurate volume measurement, so this is an error source.
2. water left in collection container: When transferring water for measurement (like volume), residual water changes the measured volume, causing error.
3. water soaking into balls: If the ball's material absorbs water, its mass will change across trials, leading to inconsistent mass measurements (systematic or random error).
4. water approximated to 10 mL: Approximating volume (due to surface tension) introduces measurement error, as the actual volume differs from the approximation.
5. air pressure affecting scales: Air pressure can impact the accuracy of mass - measuring scales (e.g., buoyancy effects or scale calibration), so this is an error source.
6. time of day for measurements: The time of day, in the absence of factors like temperature - time - dependent changes (e.g., if the experiment is not temperature - sensitive), does not directly affect most common experimental measurements (mass, volume in typical setups). So this is not a source of error.

Answer:

• not fully submerging the object when doing the fluid displacement procedure
• water that is left behind in the collection container when it is transferred for measurement
• water that soaks into the materials of the balls, affecting the mass in repeated trials
• water in the bucket, approximated to the closest 10 mL due to surface tension at the top of the bucket
• the air pressure in the room and its affect on the scales that measure the mass of each object