A student calculates the density of iron as 6.8 g/cm3 using lab data for mass and volume. A handbook reveals that the correct value is 7.39 g/cm3. What is the percent error?

7.983761 %

Explanation:

Step 1: What is percent error?

⇒Percent error is calculated using the following formula:

⇒% error = | Experimental value-theoretical value/theoretical value | x 100%

⇔ this can be written as well as : error = (| Experimental value / theoretical value | - | Theoretical value / Theoretical value |) * 100%

⇒ which, after simplifying, will become:

%error = (| Experimental value - theoretical value - 1 |) x 100%

For this case, this means:

%error = (|6.8 g/cm³ - 7.39g/cm³ - 1 |) x100%

%error = | 0.92016238 - 1 | x100%

%error = |-0.07983761 | x100%

%error = 0.07983761 x100%

%error = 7.983761 %

The %error is 7.983761 %