Section 2.

3
Using Scientific Measurements
Accuracy & Precision
Accuracy
Refers to the closeness of measurements to the correct
or accepted value of the quantity measured
Closeness to the correct value

Example:
Data Collected: Actual length= 5.1 cm
5.2 cm
5.1 cm
5.0 cm
5.1 cm
Accuracy & Precision
Precision
Refers to the closeness of a set of measurements of the
same quantity made in the same way
Closeness of values to each other

Example:
Data Collected: Actual length= 5.1 cm
4.2 cm
4.1 cm
4.0 cm
4.1 cm


Accuracy & Precision
Percentage Error
Percentage Error Formula:
Used to determine the accuracy of a value by comparing
it quantitatively to the correct or accepted value

% Error= Value
experimental
Value
accepted
x100
Value
accepted

Percentage Error Formula:
Used to determine the accuracy of a value by comparing
it quantitatively to the correct or accepted value

Percentage Error
% Error= Value
experimental
Value
accepted
x100
Value
accepted

Example:
What is the percentage error for a mass measurement of
17.7 g, given that the correct value is 21.2 g?

Percentage Error
% Error= Value
experimental
Value
accepted
x100
Value
accepted

Example:
A volume is measured experimentally as 4.26 mL. What
is the percentage error, given that the correct value is
4.15 mL?

Uncertainty in Measurements
Uncertainty always exists in any measurement

What affects the precision and/or accuracy of a
measurement?
Skill of measurer (human error correct it!)
Conditions of measurement
Instruments


Uncertainty in Measurements
What is the length of the nail?
Definitely between 2.8 and 2.9 cm

Value is about halfway between 2.8 and 2.9 cm
Hundredths place is somewhat uncertain

Uncertainty in Measurements
When measuring record all certain
numbers and one uncertain (estimated)
number.
Length of Nail = 2.85 Estimated Number

Measurement with a
Graduated Cylinder

Measurement with a
Graduated Cylinder

Measurement with an
Electronic Balance

Significant Figures
Significant Figures are all of the numbers recorded in a
measurement, including all the certain numbers plus the first
estimated number

Why are significant figures important when taking data in the
laboratory?
Significant figures indicate the precision of the measured value to
someone looking at the data.
Example:
Mass= 1100 grams (mass has been rounded to the nearest hundred
grams)
Mass= 1100.0 grams (mass has been rounded to the nearest tenth of a
gram)


Rules for Determining
Significant Figures
1. Zeros appearing between nonzero digits are significant.
Examples: 40.7 L 3 sig figs
87 009 km 5 sig figs

2. Zeros appearing in front of all nonzero digits are not
significant.
Examples: 0.095 897 m 5 sig figs
0.0009 kg 1 sig fig

3. Zeros at the end of a number and to the right of a decimal
point are significant.
Examples: 85.00 g 4 sig figs
9.000 000 000 mm 10 sig figs
Rules for Determining
Significant Figures
4. Zeros at the end of a number but to the left of a decimal point
may or may not be significant.
If a zero has not been measured or estimated but is just a
placeholder it is not significant. (no decimal point)
Examples: 2000 m 1 sig fig
29 310 cg 4 sig figs

A decimal point placed after zeros indicates that they are
significant.
Examples: 2000. m 4 sig figs
29310. cg 5 sig figs
Determining the Number of
Significant Figures
5. All numbers in the coefficient of a number expressed in scientific notation
are significant, including zeros.

Example: 7.3021 x 10
-4
5 sig figs

6. Counting numbers and defined conversion factors within the same system
of measurement are exact and have an infinite number of significant figures.

Example: 2 students infinite sig figs


Determining the Number of
Significant Figures
Pretend that the number you are evaluating is sitting on a map of the
United States

If a decimal point is present in the number, you are going towards the
Pacific Ocean. Start counting from the right and stop when you reach
the last non-zero digit.

Example: 1.20 ________ significant figures
190.113 ________ significant figures

Determining the Number of
Significant Figures
If a decimal point is absent in the number, you are
going towards the Atlantic Ocean. Start counting from the left and
stop when you reach the last non-zero digit.

Examples: 250 ________ significant figures
601,820 ________ significant figures


Practice 1: How many significant figures
are in each of the following numbers?

1. 92
2. 78.04
3. 405.34
4. 0.23
5. 23.40
6. 15.40
7. 1.2 x 10
3

8. 210
9. 0.00120
10. 801.5

11. 0.0478
12. 230
13. 230.
14. 54.00
15. 0.00610
16. 0.0102
17. 1,000
18. 9.010 x 10
-6

19. 101.0100
20. 2,370.0


Practice 1: How many significant figures
are in each of the following numbers?
21. Why are significant figures important when taking data in
the laboratory?


22. Why are significant figures NOT important when solving
problems in math class?


23. Using two different instruments, a student measured the
length of their foot to be 27 cm and 27.00 cm. Explain the
difference between these two measurements.


Practice 2: Rounding Using
Significant Figures
Value
# of significant
figures
Rounded
Value
24 4.31589 3
25 83,692.1 2
26 0.00574800 3
27 2,591.7742 5
28 0.0219983 4
Practice 2: Rounding Using
Significant Figures
Value
# of significant
figures
Rounded
Value
29 0.000123 2
30 23.842 4
31 7,563,874.5748 9
32 32.847 3
33 0.291 1
Practice 2: Rounding Using
Significant Figures
Value
# of significant
figures
Rounded
Value
34 0.00473 2
35 382,739.47362 6
36 83.75 3
Rounding using Significant
Figures
Decide how many significant figures are needed
Round to that many digits, counting from the left (start counting
from the first nonzero digit)
Examine the number to the right of the last significant figure
-If the digit is less than 5 Leave the last significant figure
alone
-If the digit is 5 or greater Round the last significant figure
up by 1

Change the remaining digits to zeros if the number is greater than 1
or- eliminate the digits if the number is less than 1
Significant Figures in
Calculations
A calculated answer cannot be more
precise than the measuring tool so a
calculated answer must match the least
precise measurement.

Significant Figures in Addition
and Subtraction
In addition and subtraction problems,
the answer must have the same
number of figures to the right of the
decimal point as there are in the
measurement having the fewest
figures to the right of the decimal
point.

Significant Figures in Addition
and Subtraction
Use the following problem to answer the questions below.
12.52 g + 349.0 g + 8.24 g

What is the rule for rounding the answer to a calculation involving
addition and subtraction of measurements?

Identify the place value (tens, ones, tenths, hundredths) of the last
significant digit in each measurement.
12.52 g ________ 349.0 g ________ 8.24 g ________

To what place value should the answer to this calculation be rounded?

Calculated answer without rounding:

Final answer with the appropriate number of significant figures:

Practice 3: Complete the following
calculations and round to the appropriate number of
significant figures.
37. 12.52 g + 349.0 g + 8.24 g

38. 1.327 mg + 9.45 mg + 103.38 mg

39. 56.1 cm - 2.001 cm 3.11 cm

40. 101.004 g + 45.0 g 75.34 g

41. 8 g + 2.981 g + 8.217 g

42. 114.21 g + 3041.2 g + 0.042 g + 349.5 g

43. 78.43 g + 21.019 g + 83 g

44. 90.023 cm 5.90 cm
Significant Figures in
Multiplication and Division
In multiplication and division problems,
the answer cannot have more significant
figures than the measurement in the
problem with the fewest significant
figures.


Significant Figures in
Multiplication and Division
Use the following problem to answer the questions below.
8.913 m x 20.005 m
What is the rule for rounding the answer to a calculation involving
multiplication and division of measurements?

8.913 m ____ sig figs 20.005 ____ sig figs

How many significant figures should the answer to this calculation
have?

Calculated answer without rounding

Final answer with the appropriate number of significant figures:

45. 3.11 m x 56.1 m x 2.001 m

46. 904 L 83.41 L

47. 9.345 dg 7.2 dg 320 dg

48. 410 mm x 178.8 mm x 321 mm

49. 56.3 g x 1.7346 g 100.2 g

50. 8.3 hL x 2.27 hL

51. 2.56 cm x 4.652 cm x 8.70 cm

52. 0.81 mg 450 mg

Practice 3: Complete the following
calculations and round to the appropriate number
of significant figures.
Scientific Notation
Used to express very large or very small numbers

Written as a coefficient between 1 and 10 (not including
10) multiplied by 10 raised to an exponent.

General Format: M x 10
n
M= coefficient 1< M <10
n= exponent

Scientific Notation
When converting between real numbers and scientific notation:

Positive Exponent = Large Real #
(greater than 10)
Negative Exponent = Small Real #
(smaller than 1)

*If the exponent is 0 dont move the decimal

Real Number to Scientific
Notation
When converting from a real number to scientific notation
a) move the decimal so that one number is to the left
b) count the number of times the decimal place was
moved to get the value of the exponent
c) if the real number is large than exponent is +
if the real number is small than exponent is -
Example 1:
93,000,000
Example 2:
0.000167
Practice: Convert the following real
numbers to scientific notation.
1) length of a football field, 91.4 meters


2) diameter of a carbon atom, 0.000 000 000 154 meter


3) radius of Earth, 6 378 888 meters


4) the diameter of a human hair, 0.000 008 meter

Scientific Notation to Real
Numbers
When converting from scientific notation to a real number
a) if the exponent is + make the number large
if the exponent is make the number smaller
b) number of times the decimal is moved = exponent
c) add zeros in the empty spaces

Example 1:
2.11 x 10
-9

Example 2:
7.3418 x 10
2

Convert the following from scientific
notation to real numbers.
1) average distance between the center of the sun and the center of
Earth, 1.496 x 10
11
meters


2) mass of a fly, 3.27 x 10
-1
gram


3) the number of atoms of hydrogen in a gram, 6.02 x 10
23
atoms


4) the number of stars in a galaxy, 1.1 x 10
10
stars

Addition & Subtraction Using
Scientific Notation
These operations can be performed only if the values have the
same exponent (n factor)
Make sure the answer is in correct scientific notation format

Example:
4.2 X 10
4
kg + 7.9 x 10
3
kg
Multiplication Using Scientific
Notation
M factors are multiplied and the exponents are added
algebraically

Example: 5.23 x 10
6
m x 7.1 x 10
-2
m
Division Using Scientific
Notation
M factors are divided and the exponent of the denominators is
subtracted from that of the numerator

Example:
5.44 x 10
7
g


8.1 x 10
4
mol