GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1

Accuracy and Precision

Accuracy
is the closeness of a measurement to the true
value of the quantity being measured
deals with the true value of objects or any
subject that is measured
Precision
is the closeness of agreement of two or more
measurements of the same quantity
 Table 2 Measurements of students A and B showing accuracy and precision

Student A Student B
Trial 1 15.50 𝑐𝑚 15.54 𝑐𝑚
Trial 2 15.49 𝑐𝑚 15.50 𝑐𝑚
Trial 3 15.50 𝑐𝑚 15.54 𝑐𝑚
Average 15.497 𝑐𝑚 15.53 𝑐𝑚
Significant Figures in
Calculations
Significant Figures
are the number of digits that are certain (can be
measured) and the first uncertain digit
The rules in deciding the number of significant
figures in a measured quantity are as follows:
1. All nonzero digits are significant
2. Zeroes between nonzero digits are significant
3. Leading zeros to the left of the first nonzero digits are not significant; such zeros
merely indicate the position of the decimal point
4. Trailing zeroes that are also to the right of a decimal point in a number are
significant
5. When a number ends in zeroes that are not to the right of a decimal point, the
zeroes are not necessarily significant
• 
1. All nonzero digits are significant
 has 4 significant figures

 has 2 significant figures

• 
2. Zeroes between nonzero digits are
significant
 has 4 significant figures

 has 3 significant figures

•   Leading zeros to the left of the first nonzero digits are not
3.
significant; such zeros merely indicate the position of the
decimal point

 has only 1 significant figure

 has two significant figures

• 
4. Trailing zeroes that are also to the right
of a decimal point in a number are
significant
 has 3 significant figures

 has 2 significant figures

•5. 
When a number ends in zeroes that are not to
the right of a decimal point, the zeroes are not
necessarily significant

 may be 2 or 3 significant figures

 may be 3, 4, or 5 significant figures

• 
The potential ambiguity in the last rule can be avoided
using standard exponential, or scientific notation. For
example, depending on whether the number of
significant figures is 3, 4, or 5, we would write as:
(3 significant figures)
(4 significant figures)
(5 significant figures)