SymMath Application

Introduction to the Propagation of Error©

Peter J. Hansen
Department of Chemistry
Northwestern College
101 7th Street SW
Orange City, IA 51041
United States
mail to: pjhansen@nwciowa.edu

Abstract

In this document the author presents a systematic development of the basic principles of propagation of error. The lesson starts with an examination of the error in computing the area of a rectangle given the uncertainties in the length and width of the rectangle. Next a step by step development of the concept is applied to the computation of the density of a substance. Students are expected to follow the authors instructions and repeat them with a simple function of their own. This gives the required hands-on experience that fosters learning. This document would dispel the typical fear that students have of partial differentials when they are starting their first semester of physical chemistry. As no advanced Mathcad functions are used in this document, it would be a very good choice for use at the beginning of the semester in the laboratory segment of the course. The document may also be useful in analytical chemistry courses. Development of this document was made possible by the NSF supported 1997 "Workshop for Integration of Numerical Methods into the Undergraduate Physical Chemistry Curriculum Using the Mathcad Software" at the University of South Alabama, Mobile Alabama. An Introduction to Mathcad is a suitable companion for this document.

Keywords

Audiences:	Upper-Division Undergraduate
Pedagogies:	Computer-Based Learning
Domains:	Analytical Chemistry, Laboratory Instruction, Physical Chemistry
Topics:	Chemometrics, Mathematics / Symbolic Mathematics

Documents

File Name	Description	Software Type	Software Version
Err6prop.mcd	Instructional and Computational Mathcad Document	Mathcad
Err6prop.pdf	Read-Only Document

Comments to: Peter J. Hansen at pjhansen@nwciowa.edu