Option 2

Dr Smith: ‘Emma, although, not relevant here this is another frequent mistake—submerging the pipette tip too deeply into the liquid. This can lead to an increase in pressure or even capillary action, inadvertently drawing extra liquid into the pipette, skewing precision.’

To remedy this, try immersing the tip just slightly below the liquid’s surface, about 1 to 2 ml is generally sufficient. This minor adjustment can help minimize excess uptake and improve the accuracy of your measurements. 

Go to:

Option 1: Emma is likely releasing the plunger too quickly during aspiration, which can cause air bubbles to form in the tip and lead to inconsistent volume uptake (e.g 1050 μL). 

Option 3: Emma is holding the pipette at an incorrect angle (rather than vertically) while aspirating or dispensing can lead to incorrect volume measurements.