Lab: Determining Aluminum Foil Thickness

Worry not friends! The aluminum foil will always protect us from aliens, no matter the thickness!

In this lab we apply the formulas learned last post into 'real life situations.' I mean, who doesn't worry about the possible threat of mind control and mind-reading when the thickness of their aluminum foil is --?

For this lab let's say that we do not have a micrometer available, and only a centigram balance, a ruler and 3 pieces of aluminum foil (of relatively the same size) at our disposal. 

So skeptical tin -foil hat wearing reader? How DO we find the protection level of your hat?

Let's start off with information that can possibly given to you:

• the density of aluminum foil is 2.70g/cm^3
• you have a ruler and 3 pieces of aluminum foil

Do not be so pensive, readers! 

Measuring the length and width of your aluminum foil, you can now start to feel much safer!

Remember volume can be found by:

• length x width x height (but in this situation, it is thickness)

OR 

• by mass/density ( which is given to you 2.70 g/cm^3)

And as a concerned citizen of mankind, I feel it is my duty to guide you to a feeling of safety and assurance with your tin foil hats.

You can now find the thickness of your protective headgear with simple math! As you now have:

• mass
• density
• volume
• width and length

Remember, as a proper citizen of mankind, we must always use the proper amount of significant figures when speaking about our tin foil hat thickness.

Also as a hint to my brothers, the accepted value of aluminum foil thickness is 1.55 cm.

Ah! But wait, you ask about errors within your experiment?

Well my troubled reader, worry not! You can find your experimental error with this simple formula:

experimental error = average measurement - accepted value x 100

                       accepted value

With all this information, I believe that I can safely assume my tin foil wearing, fellow humans will live on and prosper!

and for those who lack proper protection from the supernatural, i give you this! a magical link that will not allow me to read your mind!


-JY (I am sad to say, I can no longer read the minds of my readers)