UNCERTAINTY AND SIGNIFICANT

FIGURES

SIG FIGS

H O N O R S C H E M I S T RY

Cartoon courtesy of Lab-initio.com

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UNCERTAINTY IN MEASUREMENT WHY IS THERE UNCERTAINTY?

v Measurements are performed with instruments
v No instrument can read to an infinite number of
decimal places
• A digit that must be estimated is
called uncertain. A measurement Which of these balances has the greatest uncertainty in measurement?

always has some degree of

uncertainty.

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PRECISION AND ACCURACY

TYPES OF ERROR
• Accuracy refers to the agreement of a particular value with the
true value. • Random Error (Indeterminate Error) -
• Precision refers to the degree of agreement among several measurement has an equal probability of being high
measurements made in the same manner.
or low.

• Systematic Error (Determinate Error) - Occurs

in the same direction each time (high or low), often
resulting from poor technique or incorrect
calibration.
Neither Precise but not Precise AND
accurate nor accurate accurate
precise

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 RULES FOR COUNTING RULES FOR COUNTING
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES - DETAILS SIGNIFICANT FIGURES - DETAILS
• Nonzero integers always count as • Zeros
significant figures. • Leading zeros do not count as
significant figures.
• 3456 has
• 0.0486 has
• 4 significant figures
• 3 significant figures

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RULES FOR COUNTING RULES FOR COUNTING

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES - DETAILS SIGNIFICANT FIGURES - DETAILS
• Zeros • Zeros
• Captive zeros always count as • Trailing zeros are significant only if the
significant figures. number contains a decimal point.

• 16.07 has • 9.300 has

• 4 significant figures • 4 significant figures

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RULES FOR COUNTING SIG FIG PRACTICE #1

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES - DETAILS How many significant figures in each of the following?
1.0070 m à 5 sig figs
• Exact numbers have an infinite number of
significant figures. 17.10 kg à 4 sig figs

100,890 L à 5 sig figs

• 1 inch = 2.54 cm, exactly 3.29 x 103 s à 3 sig figs

0.0054 cm à 2 sig figs

3,200,000 à 2 sig figs

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 RULES FOR SIGNIFICANT FIGURES IN
MATHEMATICAL OPERATIONS SIG FIG PRACTICE #2
Calculation Calculator says: Answer
• Multiplication and Division: # sig figs in the 22.68 m2
3.24 m x 7.0 m 23 m2
result equals the number in the least precise
measurement used in the calculation. 100.0 g ÷ 23.7 cm3 4.219409283 g/cm3 4.22 g/cm3

0.02 cm x 2.371 cm 0.04742 cm2 0.05 cm2

• 6.38 x 2.0 =
710 m ÷ 3.0 s 236.6666667 m/s 240 m/s
• 12.76 à 13 (2 sig figs)
1818.2 lb x 3.23 ft 5872.786 lb·ft 5870 lb·ft

1.030 g ÷ 2.87 mL 2.9561 g/mL 2.96 g/mL

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RULES FOR SIGNIFICANT FIGURES SIG FIG PRACTICE #3

IN MATHEMATICAL OPERATIONS Calculation Calculator says: Answer

• Addition and Subtraction: The number of 3.24 m + 7.0 m 10.24 m 10.2 m

decimal places in the result equals the number of
100.0 g - 23.73 g 76.27 g 76.3 g
decimal places in the least precise measurement.
0.02 cm + 2.371 cm 2.391 cm 2.39 cm
• 6.8 + 11.934 =
713.1 L - 3.872 L 709.228 L 709.2 L
• 18.734 à 18.7 (3 sig figs)
1818.2 lb + 3.37 lb 1821.57 lb 1821.6 lb

2.030 mL - 1.870 mL 0.16 mL 0.160 mL

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PROBLEM #1
METRIC
CONVERSION Convert 400 mL to Liters
PRACTICE 400 mL 1 L
= .400 L
1 000 mL
= 0.4 L
= 4x10-1 L

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PROBLEM #2 PROBLEM #3
Convert 10 meters to mm Convert 73 grams to kg

10 m 1 000 mm 73 g 1 kg
= 10 000 mm = 0.073 kg
1 m 1 000 g
= 1x104 mm
= 7.3x10-2 kg

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PROBLEM #4 PROBLEM #5
Convert 0.02 kilometers to m Convert 20 centimeters to m

0.02 km 1 000 m 20 cm 1 m
= 20 m = 0.20 m
1 km 100 cm
= 2x101 m = 2x10-1 m

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PROBLEM #6 PROBLEM #7
Convert 450 milliliters to dL Convert 10 kilograms to grams

450 mL 1 dL 10 kg 1 000 g
= 4.5 dL = 10 000 g
100 mL 1 kg
= 1x104 g

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PROBLEM #8 PROBLEM #9
Convert 935 mg to cg Convert 5.2 kg to mg

935 mg 1 cg 5.2 kg 1 000 000 mg

= 93.5 cg = mg
10 mg 1 kg
= 9.35x101 cg = 5 200 000 mg

= 5.2x106 mg

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PROBLEM #10
Convert 175 mL to cm3

175 mL 1 cm3
= 175 cm3
1 mL

= 1.75x102 cm3

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