Unit 1 lec 3: Significant Figures What is the difference between the values of 3, 3.0, and 3.00
Significant Figures Instruments are only so precise. The number of digits reported are considered significant figures. There are rules for determining the number of significant figures.
RULE # 1 SIG FIG 2 SIG FIGS 3 SIG FIGS 4 SIG FIGS 5 SIG FIG 1 6 17 183 34.25 12,375 2 3 4
Rules for Significant Figures 1. Non-zero numbers are always significant. Ex. 72.3 has 3 significant figures.
RULE # 1 SIG FIG 2 SIG FIGS 3 SIG FIGS 4 SIG FIGS 5 SIG FIG 1 6 17 183 34.25 12,375 2 10 1500 103 5001 12,305 3 4
Rules for Significant Figures 1. Non-zero numbers are always significant. Ex. 72.3 has 3 significant figures. 2. Zeros between non-zero numbers are always significant. Ex. 60.5 has 3 significant figures.
RULE # 1 SIG FIG 2 SIG FIGS 3 SIG FIGS 4 SIG FIGS 5 SIG FIG 1 6 17 183 34.25 12,375 2 10 1500 103 5001 12,305 3 50 50. 125,000 12.00 12.000 4
Rules for Significant Figures 1. Non-zero numbers are always significant. Ex. 72.3 has 3 significant figures. 2. Zeros between non-zero numbers are always significant. Ex. 60.5 has 3 significant figures. 3.Zeros before (to the left of) non-zero numbers are not significant. Ex. 0.0253 has 3 significant figures
RULE # 1 SIG FIG 2 SIG FIGS 3 SIG FIGS 4 SIG FIGS 5 SIG FIG 1 6 17 183 34.25 12,375 2 10 1500 103 5001 12,305 3 50 50. 125,000 12.00 12.000 4 0.000001 0.0068 502 502.0 502,340,000
4. All Zeros after (to the right of) non-zero numbers are significant IF there is a decimal point in the number. Ex. 123.00 5 significant figures (decimal) Ex. 12,000 2 significant figures (no decimal) Ex. 120.0 4 significant figures (decimal) Ex. 12,000. 5 significant figures (decimal)
Let’s try some together…. How many significant digits are in these numbers? 35 g 3.57 m 3.507 km 0.0035 kg 2406 L .0004 m 240.00 g 20.04080 g
How did you do? 35g 2 3.57m 3 3.507km 4 0.0035kg 2 2406 L 4 .0004m 1 240.00 g 5 20.04080 g 7
Rounding Numbers Often times your calculator will give you more digits than necessary. In these cases you will round. Let try a few. 1. Round 3.515014 to 5 significant figures. = 3.5150 2. Round 3.5150 to 3 significant figures = 3.52 3. Round 3.52 to 1 significant figure = 4 4. Round 3430 to 2 significant figures = 3400
Round all of the numbers to four significant figures a. 84791 kg b. 38.5432 g c. 256.75 cm d. 4.9356 m e. 0.00054818 g f. 136,758 kg g. 308,659,000 mm h. 2.0142 ml
Round all of the numbers to four significant figures a. 84791 kg = 84790 kg b. 38.5432 g = 38.54 g c. 256.75 cm = 256.8 cm d. 4.9356 m = 4.936 m e. 0.00054818 g = 0.00005482 g or 5.482 x 10-5g f. 136,758 kg = 136,800 kg or 1.368 x 105 kg g. 308,659,000 mm = 308,700,000mm or 3.087 x 108mm h. 2.0142 ml = 2.014 ml
Calculations with significant figures 1. For addition and subtraction, the answers should be rounded off to the same number of decimal points as the measurement with the fewest decimal places. Ex. 2.56 + 2.1 = 4.66 4.7 Ex. 34.232 + 22.4 = 56.632 56.6 2. For multiplication and division, the answers should be rounded off to the same number of significant figures in the measurement with the fewest significant figures Ex. 3.01 x 2.0 = 6.02 6.0 Ex. 45 / 9.00 = 5.00 5.0
Practice: 4.5 + 2.34 = _____________________ 2) 4.5 – 5 = ________________________ 3) 6.00 + 3.411 = _____________________ 4) 3.4 x 2.32 = _______________________ 5) 7.77 / 2.3 = ______________________ 6) 3.890 / 121 = ______________________
7) 1200 x 23. 4 = ______________________ 8) 120 x 0 7) 1200 x 23.4 = ______________________ 8) 120 x 0.0002 = _____________________ 9) 78.5 + 0.0021 + 0.0099 = ___________ 10) (3.4 x 8.90) x (2.3 + 9.002) = _________ 11) (2.31 x 103) / (3.1 x 102) = ___________ 12) 0.0023 + 65 = __________________