Solution Exercise 2
The model scenario involves four noble gases and three unknown parameters, which means there is one degree of freedom (4 [latex]- \ 3 = 1)[/latex]. Chi‑squared calculations are provided in a spreadsheet that can be download from the web page for this book↗, yielding a chi‑squared value of 2.67. Based on the provided chi‑squared table, a value of 2.67 corresponds to p = 0.10, or a 10 percent chance that the chi‑squared value results from random measurement error. Given this result, we would have confidence that the noble gas model yielded reasonable and useful results.