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2.4: Data Analysis

  • Page ID
    379578
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    Data Analysis

    The link to make a copy of the template is located on the next page

    In this lab you will work your data up in a Google Workbook.  (The link to it is in the next section)  

    Cover Sheet

    The first sheet of your Workbook is always your cover page.

    clipboard_e90d2cbbbbb7c082b968b544457173bf1.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Cover Page of the Lab manual. You will paste your results such as the Graph here. (CC-BY 4.0; Robert Belford via LibreTexts)

    Data Sheet

    The second sheet will be where you work up your data.  Copy the raw data from the datasheet you used in class and enter it into the orange cells.  Then perform the calculations in the blue cells.  You must put your answers in this table, as it is connected to the grader's workbook.  If you choose, you can use functions in this sheet, or you can do the calculations by hand. The last column is for Units, pay attention to Column A as it specifies which units certain values should be in.

    clipboard_e0bd9357c959dab24adf30b3239b521cc.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): The Data tab is where you will enter data collected in the lab and perform the necessary calculations for your report. (CC-BY 4.0; Robert Belford via LibreTexts)

    NOTE: Throughout the semester we will color code the sheets, and all cells with a color are connected to your grader's workbook, and so you need to place something in them for full credit.

    For data entry remember that the values should be what was actually recorded in the lab. Remember to use the sig figs to the precision of your instrument.

    Sig Figs

    Google sheets assumes the number of decimal places to display. However we want to use the more precise method of significant figures to decide where to round our numbers. To make google sheets display the right number of sig figs you will need to increase or decrease the decimal places shown. clipboard_e3794cd5aef19212b34082fc7a01d2d62.png

    Scientific Notation

    Scientific notation is an incredibly useful way to deal with large or small numbers. Computers and calculators however can't always display exponents so they use the letter E as "times ten raised to the power of." (Note that some older calculators use lower case e, however google sheets and most modern calculators use this as euler's number for natural logs)

    Normal Notation: \(2.0*10^{-3}\) E Notation: 2.0E-3

    You may see some people express scientific notation as 2.0*10^(-3), however if you do this in google sheets it will be treated as text not a number, so any calculations or graphs will not work

    If you already have a number in google sheets and you want to change it to scientific notation you can go to Format>Number>Scientific

    Units

    A note on units, if any text is included in the cell google sheet (besides E) will treat the numbers as text instead of a number. This means it cannot be used in calculations or in a graph. To avoid this units are either labeled in a separate column called units. Usually data for graphs will have the units labeled in the header.

    Graph Sheet

    In this sheet you will insert a chart with a graph of the solubility (g salt/100 g H2O) as a function of temperature. 

    You can paste your values from the data page by selecting the data you want to use, copying it (Ctrl+C) then where you want to put the data right click the first cell and select paste special>transposed.

    The units are already labled in the header so you do not need a cell for unit label

    Once the graph is complete you will copy it to the cover page.  Do not fit a trend line to the graph, but use the smooth line chart, as indicated in figure \(\PageIndex{3}\)

    clipboard_e0c021114e22dd1646274e3a47de80b95.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): In the Chart editor choose "Smooth line chart", you do not need a trendline (CC-BY 4.0; Robert Belford via LibreTexts)

     


    2.4: Data Analysis is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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