GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1

MEASUREMENTS
OBJECTIVES:

1. To describe the need for measurement

2. To carry out simple measurements of
length, volume, and mass; and
3. To differentiate the accuracy and the
precision of a measurement
MEASUREMENTS
The study of matter requires a certain degree
of measurements, a process of determining
the extent of the dimensions, quantity, or
extent of something.

Questions such as “How much….?” ,“How

long…?” and “How many…?” simple cannot
be answered without resorting to
measurement.
 UNITS OF MEASUREMENTS

The most convenient system of

units is the International System of
Units (SI).

This system is the modern

versions of metric system.
 UNCERTAINTY OF MEASUREMENTS

A measured quantity contains some digits that are exactly

known and one digit that is estimated. The estimated digit
produces uncertainty in measurements.
 RANDOM ERROR AND SYSTEMATIC ERROR

RANDOM ERROR (indeterminate error) is the uncertainty that

arises from a scale reading which results from the uncontrolled
variables in the measurement.
• It causes one measurement to differ slightly from the next. It
comes from unpredictable changes during an experiment.

Examples:
a. When weighing yourself on a scale, you position yourself slightly different each time.
b. Measuring your height is affected by minor posture changes.
SYSTEMATIC ERROR (determinate error) is the uncertainty that
may come from a flaw in the equipment used or design of an
experiment. These error are usually caused by measuring
instruments that are incorrect calibrated or are used incorrect. •

Examples:
a. A worn out instrument
b. An incorrectly calibrated or tared instrument
c. A person consistently take an incorrect measurements
 PRECISION AND ACCURACY

Precision is the consistency

of a result. If you measure a
quantity several times and
the values agrees closely
with one another, then your
measurement is precise.;
however, if the values
varied widely, then it is
imprecise.
Accuracy is determined
when a certain
quantitative value is
relatively close to the
“true value”
Activity 1:
Activity 2:
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION

• It is a simple way to write or keep track of very large or

very small numbers without having to deal with a lot of
zeros. • It provides a convenient way of recording results
and doing calculations.
1. 0.012345698632 2. 1 230 945 3. 87 576 788 432 234 543 4.
0.O6OO789653 5. 11 987
Activity 3: Write the scientific notation of the following
set of numbers.

1. 0.012345698632
2. 1 230 945
3. 87 576 788 432 234 543
4. 0.O6OO789653
5. 5. 11 987
 SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

Significant figures are the digits in any measurement that are

known certainty with an additional one digit which is uncertain.
 NUMBER OF
RULES MEASURED SIGNIFICANT
NUMBERS FIGURES
1. All nonzero digits are significant. 247 3
2. Zeroes between nonzero digits are significant. 20303 5
3. Zeroes to the left of the first nonzero digits are NOT 0.0200 3
significant
4. If the number is less than 1, then only the zeros at the end 0.003560 4
of the number and the zero between nonzero digits are
significant.
5. If the number is greater than 1, then all the zeros written to 35600.00 7
the right of the decimal point are significant.
Activity 4: Give the number of significant figures for
each of the following measurements.

1. 365 mm 6.0.476 kg
2. 309 cm 7. 89.7808 ft
3. 5.030 g/mL 8. 0.430 mg
4. 0.0670 g 9. 60.0 min
5. 3.60 x 10-4 10. 1 x 107
 RULES FOR SIGNIFICANT FIGURES IN
FUNDAMENTAL OPERATIONS

• In addition and subtraction, the answer must have the

same number of decimal places as the measured number
with the least number of decimal places.

• In multiplication and division, the answer must have the

same number of significant figures as the measured number
with the lowest number of significant figures.
RULES IN ROUNDING OFF

Oftentimes, the answers to

computations contain too many
insignificant digits. Hence it
becomes necessary to round off
numbers to attain the insignificant
figures. Rounding off, therefore, is
the process of removing,
insignificant digits from calculated
number
The following rules should be applied to round off values to the
correct number of digits.

1. For a series of calculations, carry extra digits through to the

final result, then round off.
2. If the first digit to be deleted is…. a. 5 or greater, the last
retained figure is increased by one b. 4 or less, the last
retained figure is retained.
 CONVERSION OF UNITS
(DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS)

Dimensional Analysis is a process in which a conversion factor

written in a form of ratio is used to change units given in the data to
the units desired.

The following are steps to be followed in doing dimensional analysis.

a. Write the unknown quantity that is sought, including the units.
b. Write all known conversion factors needed
c. Begin with what is known and then multiply it by the identified conversion
factor, cancelling similar units to get the unknown units.
 METRIC AND ENGLISH CONVERSIONS

MASS

LENGTH

VOLUME
Activity 5: Sample Problems

1.The lemon juice drink contains 500.0 mg of vitamin C.

Express the vitamin C content in grams.
2. A fitness drink measures 0.300 L. Express the volume in L
3. Calculate the number of centimeters in 53.5 inches.
DENSITY MEASUREMENT

Density measurement is one of the common

measurements done in the laboratory. It involves getting
Mass, Volume and Temperature of an Object.

A. Mass is the quantity of matter in the object. It is

determined by weighing the object, using balance. The
SI basic unit of mass is the Kilogram, but the gram is
more convenient to use
B. Volume is the amount of space occupied by a substance. In
liquids, the volume can be determined using a graduated
cylinder, while solids, the volume can be determined by two
methods.
1. For regularly shaped-solids, the volume formula for the
particular shaped is used. Some formula that may be used
are the following:
Rectangular solid = L x W x H Cylindrical Solid = πr2h
Cubic solid = S x S x S Spherical solid = 4/3πr3
2. For irregularly-shaped solids, the water displacement method
is used.

C. Temperature tells how hot or cold an object is. It is commonly

marked either by oC (Celsius) or oF (Fahrenheit); although the SI
basic unit for temperature is the K (Kelvin). To convert oC or oF to
K, the following are used.
• K = oC + 273.15
• K = (oF + 459.67) x 5/9
DENSITY

DENSITY is the ratio of the mass of

an object to the volume it
occupies.
Activity 6: Sample Problems

1.A sample amount of sugar has a mass of 250.0 g and a

volume of 157.3 cm3. What is its density in grams per cubic
centimeter?

2. Gold metal has a density of 19.3 g/cm3 . What is the

volume in cubic centimeter of a 500.0 g bar of gold metal?
THANK YOU!