Calibration of the instruments used for scientific measurements is VERY important.

In professional laboratories, one of the first things done at the beginning of each work shift is to calibrate the measuring instruments. To calibrate an instrument, some "standard" must be used. A standard is something that is known, absolutely, that can be measured by the instrument in question.

Some professional labs even require two tests to calibrate an instrument (such as a pH meter or digital thermometer), one at the upper end and one at the lower end of its measuring range. If the instrument does not get the known value, it must be adjusted so that it does.

Many professional lab instruments have some type of adjustment capability just for this purpose. The lab tech performing the calibration is required to log the test, including the date, time, type of test, results of the test, and adjustments made.

The clipboards hanging on the wall in this picture are the lab's instrument calibration logs.

Depending on the type of laboratory, these records must be kept for some period of time and may be used for local quality control, state inspections, federal inspections, or all of these.

For this ChemLab, your challenge is to come up with a standard. The standard (a temperature in this case) must be something that is known, exactly, for you to measure with the lab thermometer.

Actual Boiling Point of Water at Various Room Pressures Room Pressure (mm of Hg) Boiling Point of Water (oC) 750 99.6 751 99.7 752 99.7 753 99.8 754 99.8 755 99.8 756 99.9 757 99.9 758 99.9 759 100.0 760 100.0 761 100.1 762 100.1 763 100.1 764 100.2 765 100.2 766 100.2 767 100.2 768 100.3 769 100.3 770 100.3

Comparing your thermometer reading to the "standard" will tell you if the hypothesis is correct - or not.