Number Correct ______/out of 20 Parent Signature ______

(no credit if not graded and signed)___________________________________________________

Mrs. Brannon Name_________________
Physical Science _period Due:
Accuracy and Precision –questions
Use the document titled “Ch. 3B Uncertainty in Measurements” found in FACTs
documents to complete this assignment. Read each of the following sections and answer
the following questions. You do not need to complete the “Uncertainty in Measurement”
worksheet, just the questions in this document.
Why measurements are uncertain:
1. Measurement, which is a comparison, always involves some ________________.
2. When measuring, you should read between the scale divisions marks and estimate the
measurement to the _______________________________________________________.
3. What is the correct measurement of the beetle’s body? ____________
4. Which number in a measurement is estimated?
Circle one choice: first number OR last number
5. What is the correct length measurement of the steel pellet for each ruler?
Left ruler ____________________ Right ruler ________________________
Writing trailing zeros:
6. What is the measurement of liquid in the graduated cylinders?
Middle _______________ right _____________________
Exact Numbers:
7. What 2 groups of numbers have no uncertainty?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. Which of the quantities listed could be classified as an exact number?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What are significant digits?
9. Which numbers in a measurement are considered significant digits?
________________________________________________________________________
10. How many significant digits does the measured volume of 23.01 ml have? ______
11. Which of the digits in the measurement is uncertain (estimated)? _________
Counting Significant Figures:
12. How many significant digits do each of the following have?
a. ______________ 0.000341 kg = 0.341 g = 341 mg
b. ______________ 173 g = 0.0000173 g = 0.0000000173 kg
c. ______________ 0.01099 Mg = 10.99 kg = 10990 g
A Procedure for Counting Significant Digits:
13. How many significant digits do each of the following have?
a. ______________ 0.010010 g
b. ______________ 11.0000 g
c. ______________ 10010 g
When are zeros significant?:
14. When are zeros always significant? ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
15. When are zeros never significant? _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
16. When can zeros not be assumed to be significant? ____________________________
________________________________________________________________________
17. How many significant digits do each of the following have?
a. ______________ 1010.010 g
b. ______________ 0.00104000 g
c. ______________ 606000 g
d. ______________ 99010.0 g
e. ______________ 1900 g
f. ______________ 0.011030 g
Rounding Off: 18. When do you round up? ____________________________________
19. When do you round down? ______________________________________________
20. What is the rounded value of each of the following?
a. ______________ 2.43479 rounded to 5 figures (significant digits)
b. ______________ 3.9751098 rounded to 3 figures (significant digits)
c. ______________ 6.6942011 rounded to 4 figures (significant digits)
d. ______________ 12.886191 rounded to 5 figures (significant digits)
e. ______________ 8.789910 rounded to 4 figures (significant digits)
For more practice: http://science.widener.edu/svb/tutorial/sigfigures.html