Liquid Chlorine Added To Swimming Pools To Combat Algae
The liquid chlorine added to swimming pools to combat algae has a
The problem involves testing whether the addition of Holdlonger to liquid chlorine increases its shelf life. Historically, the mean shelf life of a 5-gallon jug of chlorine is 2,160 hours. A sample of nine jugs with Holdlonger was tested, and their shelf lives were recorded as follows: 2,159, 2,170, 2,180, 2,179, 2,160, 2,167, 2,171, 2,181, and 2,185 hours. The goal is to determine, at the 0.025 significance level, whether Holdlonger has statistically increased the shelf life of the chlorine. Additionally, the analysis involves estimating the p-value for the test.
Paper For Above instruction
The question of whether additives such as Holdlonger can extend the shelf life of liquid chlorine used in swimming pools is an important one in the field of chemical storage and pool management. Chlorine's effectiveness diminishes over time, primarily due to chemical degradation, which impacts its germicidal efficacy. An extension of this shelf life could lead to significant economic benefits and improved pool maintenance practices. The investigation requires a statistical hypothesis test comparing the sample mean with the known population mean to assess whether the additive truly has an effect.
Introduction
The addition of chemical stabilizers or additives to pool chlorine is intended to enhance its longevity, thereby maintaining effective sanitation for longer periods. To evaluate the effectiveness of the additive Holdlonger, a hypothesis test comparing the mean shelf life of treated chlorine with the established mean of 2,160 hours is performed. This analysis relies on data gathered from a small sample, necessitating cautious interpretation, especially regarding the assumptions about the underlying distribution. The null hypothesis assumes that the true mean shelf life remains unchanged by the treatment, while the alternative suggests an increase.
Methodology
The primary statistical tool employed is the one-sample t-test, suitable due to the small sample size and unknown population variance. The null hypothesis (H₀) states that the mean shelf life μ equals 2,160 hours (H₀: μ = 2,160). The alternative hypothesis (H₁) posits that μ is greater than 2,160 hours (H₁: μ > 2,160), indicating a positive effect from the additive. The significance level is set at α = 0.025, aligning with the problem's parameters. The sample data are used to compute the sample mean and standard deviation, which then inform the t-statistic. Using the t-distribution and degrees of freedom (n - 1 = 8), the critical value for the test is determined, along with the p-value estimate.
Results
Calculating the sample mean:
- Sample data: 2,159; 2,170; 2,180; 2,179; 2,160; 2,167; 2,171; 2,181; 2,185
- Sum of observations = 2,159 + 2,170 + 2,180 + 2,179 + 2,160 + 2,167 + 2,171 + 2,181 + 2,185 = 19,452
- Sample mean (\(\bar{x}\)) = 19,452 / 9 ≈ 2,161.33 hours
Calculating the sample standard deviation (s):
- Compute each deviation from the mean, square it, sum these squared deviations, then divide by (n - 1 = 8), and take the square root.
- Deviations squared sum ≈ 15.33
- Variance = 15.33 / 8 ≈ 1.91625
- Standard deviation s ≈ √1.91625 ≈ 1.384 hours
The t-statistic is computed as:
\[
t = \frac{\bar{x} - \mu_0}{s / \sqrt{n}} = \frac{2,161.33 - 2,160}{1.384 / \sqrt{9}} \approx \frac{1.33}{1.384 / 3} \approx \frac{1.33}{0.461} \approx 2.89
\]
With 8 degrees of freedom, the critical t-value at the 0.025 significance level for a one-tailed test is approximately 2.306.
Since our calculated t (≈ 2.89) exceeds 2.306, we reject the null hypothesis. This suggests there is statistically significant evidence that Holdlonger increases the shelf life of the chlorine.
Estimating the p-value: Using t-distribution tables or software, the p-value corresponding to t ≈ 2.89 with 8 df is approximately 0.009. The p-value is less than α = 0.025, confirming the significance of the results.
Discussion
The analysis indicates that the addition of Holdlonger statistically significantly increases the shelf life of liquid pool chlorine at the 2.5% significance level. The estimated p-value (≈ 0.009) supports this conclusion, falling well below the alpha threshold. This finding has practical implications for pool maintenance, suggesting that treatments involving Holdlonger could reduce the frequency of chlorine replacement and improve cost efficiency. However, further larger-scale studies and chemical analyses are recommended to validate the laboratory findings and explore interaction effects.
Conclusion
Based on the sample data and hypothesis testing, the evidence supports that Holdlonger extends the shelf life of liquid chlorine used in swimming pools. The statistically significant increase in mean shelf life affirms the additive’s potential benefits, although additional research is warranted to confirm and generalize these results across different storage conditions and product batches.
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