Modern Experimental Biochemistry (3rd Edition) Edit edition

This problem has been solved:

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In this problem, we are asked to define the following eight terms:

a) OSHA

b) MSDS

c) Flowchart

d) Pasteur pipet

e) Purified water

f) Error

g) Standard deviation

h) Molarity

a)

OSHA is an acronym for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They oversee US regulations for safety in the workplace.

b)

MSDS is an abbreviation for Material Safety Data Sheet. By law, the manufacturers of chemicals must provide an MSDS for each chemical they produce and distribute detailing a variety of information about the properties, hazards, and handling of that chemical; the sheet also details proper safety equipment and steps to take in the event of a release or exposure.

c)

A flowchart is used in experimental explanations to describe the experimental procedure in a visual, step-by-step manner, breaking down the work in flow paths that lead to final result.

d)

A Pasteur pipet is a non-graduated pipet that can be used to transfer liquids using a rubber or latex suction bulb. When pouring is not safe or efficient, the exact volume isn’t important, and a small amount of solution loss is acceptable (about 5%), then a Pasteur pipet would be useful.

e)

Purified water is water that has been prepared by one of five basic processes – distillation, ion-exchange resin (DI), carbon adsorption, reverse osmosis (RO), or membrane filtration. More than one process can be used in tandem, creating ultrapure water, sometimes called Water for Injection (WFI), which is used for very sensitive operations. For most laboratory processes, DI, RO, or distilled water is used.

f)

An error is a measurement taken in a experiment that deviates from the actual value; an error can be either determinate (within the control of the operator) or indeterminate (outside of experimental or equipment control).

g)

Standard deviation is a term from statistics; it is a measure of the variation of data around the mean of a sample or population.

h)

Molarity is a concentration of a chemical in a solution, defined as the number of moles of that chemical dissolved in one liter of the solution.