1. Using Scientific Measurements
Section 2.3

2. Accuracy vs. Precision
Accuracy: the closeness of measurements to the correct or accepted value of the quantity measured
Precision: the closeness of a set of measurements of the same quantity made in the same way

3. Accuracy vs. Precision Accurate and precise Precise, not accurate
Accurate, not precise
Not accurate nor precise

4. Percent Error
Percent error is calculated to help determine the validity of your data
Percent error
Sometimes the value is positive, sometimes negative, so usually the absolute value is used

5. Error in Measurement There is error or uncertainty in any measurement
The measuring instruments themselves place limitations on precision
There are set rules to using measuring instruments

6. Reading Instruments
For a non-digital device, the rule is to estimate one more digit past the printed scale on the device
For a digital device, the rule is to report the exact number of digits displayed

7. Measuring Rules

8. Digital Device
You can report all the digits displayed which is g.

9. Significant Figures
Sig fig: any digit in a measurement that is known with certainty
This includes any estimated digit from a non-digital scale
There is a system for determining the number of sig figs you are given a measured quantity

10. Use the Map and the Rules

11. Rule 1
If a decimal is present in the measured quantity, start from the Pacific Ocean side of the number
Move across the number until you get to the first nonzero digit
Count it and all the rest
Example: m has 3 sig figs

12. Rule 2
If a decimal is absent, start from the Atlantic Ocean side of the number
Move across the number until you get to the first nonzero digit
Count it and all the rest
Example: 55,240 g has 4 sig figs

13. Alternate Method There is a set of rules on page 47 in your book
You can use either method and get the same results

14. Rounding Rules
Sometimes you will have to round your calculated value to the correct number of sig figs
If the digit following the last digit to be kept is 5 or greater, then increase the last digit by 1
If the digit is less than 5, the the last digit should remain the same
You may have to use zeros as place-holders

15. Practice: How many sig figs?
3440. cm
910 m L kg 3 4 2 4 5

16. Operations and Sig Figs
When multiplying or dividing:
Your result can only be as accurate as the measured value with the least number of significant figures (round to reflect this)
When adding or subtracting:
Your result can only have as many decimal places reported as the measured value with the least number of decimal places

17. Exceptions
Conversion factors or other constants are not considered for significant figure calculations
Exact counted numbers are not considered for significant figure calculations

18. Scientific Notation
Numbers are written in the form of M x 10n where 1 ≤ M >10 and n is a whole number
Scientific notation is used to exactly show the number of sig figs
It is also used to easily calculate very large or very small numbers

19. Rules for Scientific Notation
Determine M by moving the decimal point in the original number to the left or right so that only one nonzero digit remains to the left of the decimal point
Determine n by counting the number of places you moved the decimal point
If you moved it to the left, n is positive; to the right, n is negative

20. Direct Proportions
Two quantities are directly proportional to each other if dividing one by the other gives a constant value or
See the next page for a graph showing this type of relationship

21. Graph of Direct Proportionality

22. Inverse Proportions
Two quantities are inversely proportional to each other if their product is constant
k = xy
See the graph on the next page

23. Graph of Inverse Proportionality

24. Use of a Comparison of Graphs