axialpac Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Ok, I'm kind of freaking out right now. For our chemistry lab, my lab partner messed up our lab. She was all like "I'm gonna do the titration" while I did another part of the lab. Anyways, it turned out she completely messed up the titration results--they don't make any sense what so ever. From the titration we are supposed to find the percent purity of aspirin, and for the commercial tablets I get a percent purity of 22% which isn't correct obviously (and the calculations are correct). The lab report is due tomorrow. What can I do about this??? I messaged the lab coordinator if I can redo the lab myself? Should I do the lab report anyways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehumanmacbook Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 You should do it and state "human error" as the reason why your results are deviated. On a footnote you can describe in eloquence what exactly happened for her to "mess up your lab". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylamonkey Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Ok, I'm kind of freaking out right now. For our chemistry lab, this ****ing b***h messed up our lab. She was all like "I'm gonna do the titration" while I did another part of the lab. Anyways, it turned out she completely messed up the titration results--they don't make any sense what so ever. From the titration we are supposed to find the percent purity of aspirin, and for the commercial tablets I get a percent purity of 22% which isn't correct obviously (and the calculations are correct). The lab report is due tomorrow. What can I do about this??? I messaged the lab coordinator if I can redo the lab myself? Should I do the lab report anyways? I have no idea if this is right, but aren't most commercial tablets in a starch base or something? edited to add: Nonmedicinal ingredients include carnauba wax, corn starch, croscarmellose sodium, dextrose, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Blue #2, hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, methacrylic acid copolymer, microcrystalline cellulose, polysorbate 80, powdered cellulose, propylene glycol, shellac, sodium lauryl sulphate, titanium dioxide, and triacetin. FROM: http://www.aspirin81.ca/en/product/facts/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axialpac Posted January 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 You should do it and state "human error" as the reason why your results are deviated. On a footnote you can describe in eloquence what exactly happened for her to "mess up your lab". Our chem labs are so strict, we can't alter our data sheets. And the trial results were supposed to be within 3%!!! We can't use human errors as a source of error either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axialpac Posted January 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I have no idea if this is right, but aren't most commercial tablets in a starch base or something? edited to add: In our lab manual it says "Aspirin contains 75%-90% ASA by mass plus an inert starch binder. The purity of the ASA used in these tablets is generally high" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Second Daniel Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 You should do it and state "human error" as the reason why your results are deviated. On a footnote you can describe in eloquence what exactly happened for her to "mess up your lab". First rule of report writing is to NOT describe errors as human error, even if it did occur (it always happens). Mention the legitimate errors that could have happened and their magnitude of effect, ending it off with standard errors not being able to deviate results that much and that some serious mistake was made somewhere along the lines of the experiment. In effect, the experiment was not successful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehumanmacbook Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 First rule of report writing is to NOT describe errors as human error, even if it did occur (it always happens). Mention the legitimate errors that could have happened and their magnitude of effect, ending it off with standard errors not being able to deviate results that much and that some serious mistake was made somewhere along the lines of the experiment. In effect, the experiment was not successful... This is a much better tip. Sorry, I was going off my first year experiences @ mac, the TA told us to put it down as human error...we stil got the marks luckily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clever Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 First rule of report writing is to NOT describe errors as human error, even if it did occur (it always happens). Mention the legitimate errors that could have happened and their magnitude of effect, ending it off with standard errors not being able to deviate results that much and that some serious mistake was made somewhere along the lines of the experiment. In effect, the experiment was not successful... This is very true. Because you need to be able to describe the specific error, and I'm pretty sure your lab partner doesn't know what they did wrong. It's going to be tough explaining such a big error by discussing little things like impurities, so you have to say that the experiment is not successful because it does not support theoretical data. This is probably a first year chemistry course, right? So you shouldn't be penalized very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatonekid Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 First rule of report writing is to NOT describe errors as human error, even if it did occur (it always happens). Mention the legitimate errors that could have happened and their magnitude of effect, ending it off with standard errors not being able to deviate results that much and that some serious mistake was made somewhere along the lines of the experiment. In effect, the experiment was not successful...Good advice. Unfortunately, there's not much to be done in a situation like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axialpac Posted January 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Thanks everyone. I'll just do that. Yes, this is a first year chemistry course and it's honestly ridiculous how tough they mark these reports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlaw Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Ok, I'm kind of freaking out right now. For our chemistry lab, this ****ing b***h messed up our lab. She was all like "I'm gonna do the titration" while I did another part of the lab. Anyways, it turned out she completely messed up the titration results--they don't make any sense what so ever. From the titration we are supposed to find the percent purity of aspirin, and for the commercial tablets I get a percent purity of 22% which isn't correct obviously (and the calculations are correct). The lab report is due tomorrow. What can I do about this??? I messaged the lab coordinator if I can redo the lab myself? Should I do the lab report anyways? I had the same lab a couple years ago. Just do all of the correct calculations (even if the numbers are way off) and explain what should have happened. The marking for the 1310 labs are usually pretty lenient. A word of caution, you will be partnered up for most of the labs so make sure you oversee everything your partner does to avoid similar problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Thanks everyone. I'll just do that. Yes, this is a first year chemistry course and it's honestly ridiculous how tough they mark these reports. group labs are often annoying that way - I had a partner who destroyed the experiment in organic chem once 1/2 way through in a very tight timeline experiment. We managed to barely get it done a second time - I don't think I ever moved that fast before in my life Hang in there! Often most of the marks are still process and format rather than results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I don't think you'll get destroyed for this. Just make sure any raw data matches your lab partner's and work from there. Your final- inital volume is off so the volume delivered isn't accurate. Don't use the words "human error" but rather talk about the other stuff that may have contributed to inaccurate results. Google the indicator used and see what its range is- if it has a range of more than 2 units (unlikely but possible) then use that as leverage. Look for practical errors beyond your control and try to use those to justify your results. Your should still do fine, you don't typically get massively penalized for inaccurate results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skymall88 Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 OP, I would not include a note placing blame on your lab partner. Its very petty and will not look good on you from the marker's perspective. **** happens, deal with it. On your future labs, work collaboratively instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 OP, I would not include a note placing blame on your lab partner. Its very petty and will not look good on you from the marker's perspective. **** happens, deal with it. On your future labs, work collaboratively instead. I would also really strongly advise you not to do this. I've had people do this when I was TAing labs, and it looks really bad to blame it all on your lab partner (even if it was entirely their fault). I was always much more inclined to give people better marks when stuff went horribly wrong if they took responsibility for it (and taking responsibility is not the same thing as saying that it was your fault). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronjw Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Alright, thanks everyone. I'm almost finished the lab report, and I'm more calm now. Everything except for the titration results are accurate and expected. I will attach a note to let the marker know that were some mistakes that my partner committed and that my results for the titration were out of my control but I attempted to interpret them within the context of the experiment and within the context of the other results. Hopefully I luck out and he/she won't take marks off. THANKS AGAIN Wow, big mistake there. Talk about being a back stabber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psqu Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 @OP I feel you are too worried about marks docked for inaccurate results. Honestly, it will be ~10-15% of your lab mark at most. It would be delusional to think that such a thing would crush your medical school dreams. People make mistakes, don't go burning bridges for no reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Super and you handled the situation well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megi Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Did u multiply amount amount of naoh moles u calc. by 4 cause u only used 1/4(25ml) of the solution u made but ur weighed asa is for 100 ml of the solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axialpac Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Did u multiply amount amount of naoh moles u calc. by 4 cause u only used 1/4 of the solution u made so u have 4x the moles of ur weighed mass of asa that u out in the solution? No? Lol, was I supposed to? I thought you do that for back titrations only, but that would make sense actually if I had multiplied it by four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megi Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 well i had the same as you roughly like 21% and 19% then some1 told me this and it made complete sense, had to retype half the discussion at like 2am last night lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megi Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Hate the u of m chem labs, they mark them so harsly, i lost like 5 marks once cause i wrote the calculations in pencil:eek: and it says if the asa is pure the moles of naoh is equal to moles of asa so u can find how much percent of pure asa is in the substance based on how much naoh u used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axialpac Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Hate the u of m chem labs, they mark them so harsly, i lost like 5 marks once cause i wrote the calculations in pencil:eek: and it says if the asa is pure the moles of naoh is equal to moles of asa so u can find how much percent of pure asa is in the substance based on how much naoh u used My brother gave me old chem 1310 labs and man they were RIDICULOUSLY easy. Yeah, I did say that moles of ASA are equal to moles of NaOH but I didn't multiply by 4 ... I guess I'm looking at 6 marks taken off. That's how many they took off in chem 1300 for lab #4 with the back titration vodka experiment. I don't understand why they are so strict about these lab reports. Do you have Xidos? He was going on about how we need lab report writing skills for medicine haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megi Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 ya i do! i know lol biggest bs ever. By the end of the class i always wanna fall asleep lol but hes a rly nice guy haha better than krystina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axialpac Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 ya i do! i know lol biggest bs ever. By the end of the class i always wanna fall asleep lol but hes a rly nice guy haha better than krystina I had Krystyna last semester as well and I really enjoyed her class, especially all of the fun explosions/experiments she did. She was hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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