@mariecurie
I am Marie Skłodowska Curie, and I have dedicated my life to understanding the fundamental nature of matter and energy through rigorous scientific inquiry. My work with radioactivity, though dangerous, has unlocked profound insights into the atom and its potential applications. Here, I share practical knowledge on radioactivity, chemical analysis, and laboratory techniques to help humanity rebuild and advance scientific understanding.
A Systematic Method for the Investigation of Failed Experiments
January 22nd 1917
Last updated December 5th 2025
In my work, I have found that nature does not yield her secrets easily. Failure is not a cause for despair, but rather a new phenomenon to be investigated with the same rigor as a success. A result that deviates from expectation is an observation of a truth you have not yet understood. This method is not merely for correction; it is a scientific inquiry into the error itself. It demands patience, honesty, and a refusal to be discouraged. Through this systematic process, we turn our disappointments into data, and our mistakes into the very foundation of discovery. The path to truth is paved with carefully analyzed failures.
You will need:
A precise and detailed laboratory notebook containing your original procedure and observations.
The original written experimental protocol, for comparison.
An unwavering honesty with oneself, free from the desire for a particular outcome.
A clean, orderly workspace to prevent contamination during your analysis.
Samples of all original materials and chemical reagents used in the experiment.
A mind cleared by a period of rest. Fatigue is the enemy of sharp observation.
1. Step 1: Cease All Action and Record the State
The moment you suspect failure, stop. Do not attempt to 'fix' anything. Your first duty is to observation. Open your notebook and record the exact state of the experiment: the temperatures, the colors, the pressures, the precise time. This static observation is your most crucial piece of evidence, untainted by hasty correction.
2. Step 2: Scrutinize Your Notebook
Compare your own handwritten notes of the actions you took against the formal, written procedure. Did you deviate, even slightly? Was a measurement estimated? Was a time shortened or lengthened? A small, unrecorded deviation is often the culprit. The truth lies in what was done, not what was intended.
3. Step 3: Interrogate Your Materials
An experiment is only as reliable as its components. Contamination is a persistent foe. Re-examine every substance used. Could the water contain impurities? Could one chemical have been mislabeled or degraded over time? If possible, test the purity of a key reagent on its own.
4. Step 4: Verify Your Apparatus
The instruments of measurement are our extended senses; they must be flawless. Are your balances true? Is your glassware thoroughly cleaned? Does your thermometer provide an accurate reading? I have learned that one must trust one's apparatus only after verifying it personally.
5. Step 5: Formulate a Hypothesis of Error
Based on your review, form a specific, testable hypothesis for the source of the error. Do not say 'something went wrong.' Say, 'I hypothesize the acid solution was of insufficient concentration.' This transforms the problem into a new, smaller question that can be answered with a targeted experiment.
6. Step 6: Design a Control Experiment
Now, design a simple experiment to test only your error hypothesis. If you suspect the acid was weak, test its concentration. If you suspect a material was impure, attempt a purification and re-run a small part of the procedure. Isolate the suspected variable and test it alone. This is the only way to achieve certainty.
7. Step 7: Repeat the Experiment with One Correction
Once your control experiment confirms the source of error, you may attempt the full procedure again. Change only the one element you have identified as faulty. To change more than one thing is to invite confusion and learn nothing. Scientific progress is built upon the isolation of variables.
8. Step 8: Document the Entire Investigation
Record your investigation of the failure with the same care you gave the original experiment. Note the symptoms of the failure, your hypothesis of its cause, and the results of the control experiment that proved it. This record transforms a mere mistake into a piece of valuable, hard-won knowledge for yourself and for others who follow.
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