Understanding and controlling errors is a fundamental principle of pharmaceutical analysis. For B.Pharm students, knowledge of the different types of errors—systematic, random, and gross—along with the concepts of accuracy and precision, is essential for generating reliable analytical data. This quiz will test your understanding of how to identify, minimize, and account for errors, a critical skill for ensuring the quality and safety of medicines.
- The difference between the measured value and the true value is known as:
- Precision
- Accuracy
- Error
- Deviation
- An error that can be traced to a specific cause and is often reproducible is called a(n):
- Random error
- Systematic error
- Gross error
- Indeterminate error
- The closeness of a measurement to the true value is defined as:
- Precision
- Accuracy
- Standard deviation
- Variance
- Which type of error is caused by unpredictable fluctuations in experimental conditions?
- Systematic error
- Methodic error
- Personal error
- Random error
- The measure of the reproducibility of a series of measurements is called:
- Accuracy
- Bias
- Error
- Precision
- An error resulting from a faulty instrument or uncalibrated glassware is a type of:
- Personal error
- Random error
- Instrumental error
- Methodic error
- Which of the following is an example of a gross error?
- An analyst consistently reading a burette from a high angle.
- Spilling a portion of the sample during transfer.
- Fluctuation in the power supply to an instrument.
- Using an indicator that changes color slightly after the equivalence point.
- How can systematic errors be minimized?
- By repeating the measurement multiple times and averaging.
- By calibrating instruments and using standard reference materials.
- By using statistical analysis on the data.
- By changing the analyst performing the experiment.
- A set of results that is precise but not accurate indicates the presence of:
- Only random errors
- Only gross errors
- Systematic errors
- No errors
- The number of significant figures in the measurement 10.050 g is:
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- Random errors are also known as:
- Determinate errors
- Indeterminate errors
- Biased errors
- Proportional errors
- An error that is constant and does not depend on the amount of substance being analyzed is a(n):
- Proportional error
- Constant error
- Random error
- Personal error
- Errors caused by the physical limitations or biases of the analyst are known as:
- Methodic errors
- Instrumental errors
- Personal errors
- Random errors
- When adding or subtracting measurements, the result should be reported to the same number of decimal places as the measurement with the:
- Fewest decimal places
- Most decimal places
- Fewest significant figures
- Most significant figures
- A source of systematic error would be:
- Forgetting to zero the balance.
- Electronic noise in an instrument.
- Reading a measurement scale between divisions.
- Spilling the analyte.
- Which of the following describes a methodic error?
- An improperly calibrated pH meter.
- An analyst’s color blindness in an endpoint detection.
- An incomplete reaction in a titration.
- A mistake in recording a reading.
- If a series of measurements are all very close to each other, they are said to have high:
- Accuracy
- Precision
- Validity
- Significance
- The number of significant figures in 0.0025 kg is:
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- Systematic errors are also known as:
- Indeterminate errors
- Determinate errors
- Accidental errors
- Unpredictable errors
- Running a “blank” determination helps to correct for:
- Personal errors
- Random errors
- Errors due to impurities in the reagents
- Gross errors
- A titration result is consistently 0.10 mL higher than the true value. This is an example of:
- A random error
- A systematic error
- A gross error
- High precision
- The use of an independent method of analysis on the same sample is a way to check for:
- Random errors
- Methodic errors
- Personal errors
- Gross errors
- In the number 5.83 x 10^4, how many significant figures are there?
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- Which type of error affects precision?
- Systematic error
- Random error
- Constant error
- Methodic error
- An error that changes in magnitude depending on the size of the sample is a(n):
- Constant error
- Proportional error
- Gross error
- Personal error
- Which of the following can be both accurate and precise?
- A set of measurements clustered closely together but far from the true value.
- A set of measurements scattered widely around the true value.
- A set of measurements clustered closely around the true value.
- A single measurement that equals the true value.
- When multiplying or dividing measurements, the result should have the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the:
- Fewest significant figures
- Most significant figures
- Fewest decimal places
- Most decimal places
- An example of a personal error is:
- A contaminated reagent
- An uncalibrated pipette
- Parallax error in reading a scale
- Power line voltage fluctuations
- Which type of error can be evaluated by statistical methods?
- Systematic error
- Random error
- Gross error
- Instrumental error
- Rounding the number 24.55 to three significant figures gives:
- 24.5
- 24.6
- 25.0
- 24.0
- Which statement is always true?
- A precise measurement is always accurate.
- An accurate measurement is always precise.
- An accurate measurement must be close to the true value.
- A gross error affects precision but not accuracy.
- All of the following are sources of systematic error EXCEPT:
- Reagent contamination
- Instrumental defects
- Method deficiencies
- Uncontrolled temperature variations
- Calculating the average of multiple readings helps to reduce:
- Systematic errors
- Methodic errors
- The effect of random errors
- Gross errors
- How many significant figures are in the number 2500?
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Ambiguous
- The total error in an analysis is a combination of:
- Personal and methodic errors
- Instrumental and random errors
- Systematic and random errors
- Gross and systematic errors
- An analyst uses a miscalibrated balance for every weighing. This will introduce a(n):
- Random error
- Gross error
- Personal error
- Systematic error
- Which type of error cannot be eliminated?
- Systematic error
- Personal error
- Methodic error
- Random error
- The expression of a result should always reflect the:
- Accuracy of the measurement
- Precision of the measurement
- Number of trials performed
- Experience of the analyst
- Which of the following is a determinate error?
- Misreading a burette volume.
- Incorrectly calibrated pH meter.
- Fluctuation in ambient temperature.
- Electrical noise from the instrument.
- The correct way to express the result of (5.25 + 0.1) is:
- 5.35
- 5.4
- 5.3
- 5
- Gross errors are typically:
- Small and reproducible
- Large and non-reproducible
- Small and unpredictable
- Large and constant
- If an analytical method consistently gives results that are 5% too low, the method has a:
- Random error
- Negative systematic error
- Positive systematic error
- High degree of precision
- The last retained digit in a result is considered the:
- Certain digit
- Insignificant digit
- Uncertain digit
- Rounded digit
- Which of the following is an indeterminate error?
- Using an incorrect formula.
- A side reaction occurring during analysis.
- Variations in reading a burette.
- Using an impure standard.
- Which of the following best describes the sources of error?
- They can be related to the method, the analyst, or the instruments.
- They are always caused by the analyst.
- They are only related to the instruments used.
- They are always random and cannot be identified.
- What is the first step in minimizing errors in an analysis?
- Statistical analysis of data.
- Careful experimental design and technique.
- Repeating the experiment.
- Using a different analyst.
- When 2.45 is multiplied by 3.1, the correctly rounded answer is:
- 7.595
- 7.60
- 7.6
- 8
- An error that can be avoided with proper care and technique is a(n):
- Random error
- Systematic error
- Gross error
- Indeterminate error
- A high degree of precision with a low degree of accuracy indicates:
- The absence of errors.
- The presence of significant random errors.
- The presence of a significant systematic error.
- The presence of significant gross errors.
- The concept of significant figures is important in analytical chemistry to:
- Make calculations easier.
- Honestly represent the uncertainty in a measurement.
- Ensure all results are accurate.
- Eliminate systematic errors.
I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
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