PDF Significant figures "sig figs"

Significant figures "sig figs"

Measurement accuracy & Precision

Accuracy ? How close your measurement is to the true value.

Accuracy is limited by errors in the method of measuring.

Precision ? Repeatability. Precision depends on the limitations of the

measuring device. Example: one cannot measure

more precisely than one mm using a ruler.

Significant figures

Sig figs determines how precise a measurement can be made.

More the # of sig figs, more precise the measurement is.

Example: The # of sig figs in the following numbers are;

(1) 2 ? One (2) 2.0 ? Two (3) 2.00 - Three

Rules for determining Significant figures

1) All non-zero numbers are significant.

2) Zeros between other nonzero digits are significant.

3) Zeros in front of nonzero digits are not significant.

4) Zeros that are at the end of a number and also to the right of the decimal are significant.

5) Zeros at the end of a whole number are not significant unless they have been measured.

6) Counting & well defined relations have infinite sig figs.

Significant figures

Examples: The # of sig figs in the following numbers are;

(1) 123.4 ? Four (rule #1). (2) 10.045 ? Five (rule #2). (3) 0.0098 ? Two (rule #3). (4) 12.00 ? Four (rule #4). (5) 1200 ? Two (rule #5). (6) 1200 + 10 ? Three (rule #5). (7) 3 dozen apples = 36 apples Infinite (rule #6)

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