The Direct Determination of the Number of Convex Particles Per Unit Volume and the Moments of Their Size Distribution by an Intercept Analysis on a Section

Abstract

Several analyses are available for determining the size distribution of particles in an opaque material from measurements on a section. The analyses differ from one another in the property measured on the section and the procedures used for the numerical solution of the integral equation relating the property to the particle-size distribution. However, all the analyses have the serious disadvantage that it is extremely difficult to determine how the statistical sampling error is propagated into the observed particle-size distribution curve. The stereologist thus has no means of knowing the reliability of his result and, what is equally important, he is unable to determine how many measurements he should make in order to get a result of the required accuracy.