ABSTRACT
When addressing the sampling of particulate solids, discussion of the physical act of
sampling is often missing. Specific guidance for consistent sampling techniques is needed
to increase the likelihood of obtaining unbiased and more consistent results. In contrast,
the statistical principle of random sampling is well known and is applied without diffi-
culty. It works well when individual units of the population or lot can be identified, and it
gives us confidence that the sampling process is fair and unbiased. The method of
identifying individual units breaks down, however, when sampling particulates. Imagine
trying to distinguish separate powder particles to apply this classical statistical technique!
