Reflecting on the Density of Gold

What can we learn from Nancy's measurements of the density of a gold chain?

A) Nancy's data is precise, but probably not accurate.

B) Nancy's data is both precise and accurate.

C) Nancy's data is neither precise nor accurate.

D) Nancy's data is accurate, but probably not precise.

Final answer:

Nancy's measurements are precise because they are very close to each other, but not accurate since they differ significantly from the accepted density of gold, 19.32 g/cm³.

When we analyze Nancy's measurements of the density of a gold chain, we find that her data is precise but not accurate. Let's delve into the details to understand why.

Nancy measured the densities of the three links in a gold chain to be 25.91 g/cm³, 25.92 g/cm³, and 25.93 g/cm³. The accepted density of gold is 19.32 g/cm³. Based on this information, we can see that Nancy's measurements are very close to each other, indicating precision.

However, precision does not necessarily mean accuracy. Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the true or accepted value. In this case, Nancy's measured densities for the gold chain links are significantly higher than the known density of gold. This discrepancy suggests a systematic error in her measurement process or an incorrect assumption about the material being pure gold.

Therefore, the correct assessment of Nancy's data is that it is precise due to the close agreement among the measurements, but it is not accurate because the values are significantly different from the accepted density of gold. This highlights the importance of considering both precision and accuracy in scientific measurements to ensure reliable results.