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SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
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Significant Figures When a scientist makes a measurement, he or she is allowed to estimate one digit. Consequently, the last digit of any measurement is always considered to be uncertain since it has been estimated.
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Significant Figures Significant digits (figures) include all measured (certain) digits plus one estimated (uncertain) digit.
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Significant Figures The precision of measurement is an important part of experimentation. Precision refers to the degree of exactness with which a measurement is made and stated. This precision is indicated by the number of significant digits in the measurement.
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Significant Figures accepted (actual) - experimental
Accuracy is not the same thing as precision. Accuracy refers to how close to the accepted value a measurement is. We often show the accuracy of a measurement or calculation with % error. accepted (actual) - experimental % error = x 100 accepted (actual)
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Significant Figures How do you determine the number of significant digits in a measurement??? All nonzero digits are significant.
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Significant Figures How do you determine the number of significant digits in a measurement??? 2. A zero is significant if It is the last digit to the right of a decimal. It has a bar over it. It is “sandwiched” between significant digits.
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Significant Figures If a zero doesn’t fit into one of these 3 categories, it is merely a place-holder and hasn’t been measured or estimated so it isn’t significant.
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