TOPIC 11 MEASUREMENT AND DATA PROCESSING

11.1 UNCERTAINTIES AND ERRORS IN MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS

Qualitative vs. Quantitative measurements/observations
1. What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative observations? (Your answers
should reveal an understanding of the definitions for qualitative and quantitative.)

2. Write an example of a quantitative observation that you may make at home or at school.
3. Why are instruments such as rulers, scales (balances), thermometers, etc. necessary?
Units
4. How many milligrams are there in one kilogram?
5. How many meters are in 21.5 km?
6. What is the difference between a Mm and a mm? Which is larger one Mm or one mm?

Accuracy and Precision

7. What is the difference between accuracy and precision? (Assume the accepted value of the
mass of a sugar cube to be 1.0 g, use it to explain the difference between accuracy and
precision)

Significant Figures
1. How many significant figures are in each of the following numbers?
_____ a) 0.000015045

_____ b) 4,600,000

_____ c) 2406

_____ d) 0.000005

_____ e) 0.0300001

_____ f) 12,000

2. How many significant figures are there in each of the following numbers?
_____ a) 0.000201000

_____ b) 23,001,000

_____ c) 0.0300

_____ d) 24,000,410

_____ e) 2400.100

_____ f) 0.000021

3. Round the following numbers so that they contain 3 significant figures.

a) 173,792

b) 0.0025021

c) 0.0003192

d) 30

_________

___________

__________

__________

4. Round the following numbers so that they contain 4 significant figures.

a) 249,441

b) 0.00250122

c) 12,049,002

d) 0.00200210

__________

___________

____________

_____________

5. Solve the following problems. Make sure your answers are in the correct number of
significant figures.
a) (12.470)(270) = _______________

b) 36,000/1245 = ______________

c) (310.0)(12) = _________________

d) 129.6/3 = __________________

e) (125)(1.4452) = _______________

f) 6000/2.53 = ________________

6. Round the following numbers to the tens place.

a) 134,123,018 = _______________

b) 23,190.109 = _________________

c) 439.1931 = _________________

d) 2948.2 = _____________________

7. a) 24.28 + 12.5 = _________________

b) 120,000 + 420 = __________________

c) 140,100 1422 = _______________

d) 2.24 0.4101 = ___________________

e) 12,470 + 2200.44 = _____________

f) 450 12.8 = ______________________

8. The following are problems involving multiplication, dividing, adding, and subtracting.
Be careful of the different rules you need to follow!
a) 245.4/120 = ___________________

b) 12,310 + 23.5 = ___________________

c) (31,900)(4) = __________________

d) (320.0)(145,712) = _________________

e) 1420 34 = ___________________

f) 4129 + 200 = ______________________

Scientific Notation

1. Two of the following six numbers are written incorrectly. Circle the two that are incorrect.
a) 3.57 x 10-8 b) 4.23 x 10-2 c) 75.3 x 102

d) 2.92 x 109

e) 0.000354 x 104 f) 9.1 x 104

What do you think is wrong about the two numbers you circled?

2. Write the following numbers in scientific notation:

a) 25,310,000,000,000,000 = _______________

b) 0.000000003018 = _______________

3. Write the following scientific numbers in regular notation:

a) 8.41 x 10-7 = ________________
4. Solve the following problems.
a) (4.6x1034)(7.9x10-21) =
b) (1.24x1012)(3.31x1020) =
5. Solve the following problems.
8.4 x10 5

17
a) 4.1x10
5.4 x10 32

14
7
.
3
x
10
b)
6. Solve the following problems.
a) 4.25x1013 + 2.10x1014 =
b) 6.4x10-18 3x10-19 =
c) 3.1x10-34 + 2.2x10-33 =

Density

b) 3.215 x 108 = _____________________

1. Which of the following equations correctly show the relationship(s) between mass (M),
volume (V) and density (D)? There may be more than one answer.
D
M
M
V
V
V
D
M
M
D
V
D
V
D
M A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

F) V = DM

G) M = DV

H) D = MV

2. What are the units for density if the mass of an object was measured in kilograms and the
volume in liters?
3. In your own words, define density.
4. Calculate the density of an object that has a mass of 45.0 kg and a volume of 20.0 L. Include
units.