Question

Would the following procedural errors result in a incorrectly high or low calculated percent NaOCl in the commercial bleaching solution?

a.A student used a graduated cylinder to transfer the commercial bleaching solution to the volumetric flask

Answer 1

Both the graduated cylinder and the volumetric flasks are generally used for measuring the volume of liquids. But compared to the graduated cylinders, volumetric flasks are more accurate and precise. Hence, for precise dilutions and for preparing standard solutions only volumetric flasks are used.

Here, it was given that a student used a graduated cylinder to transfer the commercial bleaching solution to the volumetric flask and the question is that whether it would result an error in the calculated percent of the NaOCl in the commercial bleaching solution?

The answer is "Yes". It will definitely result an error in the percent of NaOCl in the bleaching solution, if someone wants to make a standard bleaching solution. If the graduated cylinder has less volume than the volumetric flask then it will lead to high percent of NaOCl in the commercial bleaching solution (i.e. concentrated solution). If the graduated cylinder has more volume than the volumetric flask then it will lead to less percent of NaOCl in the bleaching solution (i.e. diluted solution).