Which of the following is the recommended order of measurements to report the most accurate melting point possible in a laboratory experiment?

• A. Take multiple measurements and report the average value.
• B. Use the highest melting point observed among all trials.
• C. Record the melting point during the first trial only.
• D. Report the lowest melting point observed among all trials.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that melting point determination is subject to experimental variability due to factors like sample purity, heating rate, and instrument calibration.
2. Recognize that taking multiple measurements helps to minimize random errors and provides a more reliable estimate of the true melting point.
3. Perform several trials of melting point measurements under consistent conditions to gather a set of data points.
4. Calculate the average (mean) of the multiple melting point values obtained to represent the most accurate melting point.
5. Avoid reporting only the highest, lowest, or a single measurement, as these do not account for variability and may misrepresent the true melting point.