Significant Figures (digits) = reliable figures obtained by measurement = all digits known with certainty plus one estimated digit

Taking the measurement Is always some uncertainty Because of the limits of the instrument you are using

EXAMPLE: mm ruler Is the length of the line between 4 and 5 cm? Yes, definitely. Is the length between 4.0 and 4.5 cm? Yes, it looks that way. But is the length 4.3 cm? Is it 4.4 cm? Let’s say we are certain that it is 4.3 cm or 43mm, but not at long as 4.4cm. So – we need to add one more digit to ensure the measurement is more accurate. Since we’ve decided that it’s closer to 4.3 than 4.4 it may be recorded at 4.33 cm.

It is important to be honest when reporting a measurement, so that it does not appear to be more accurate than the equipment used to make the measurement allows. We can achieve this by controlling the number of digits, or significant figures, used to report the measurement.

As we improve the sensitivity of the equipment used to make a measurement, the number of significant figures increases. Postage Scale 3 g 1 g 1 significant figure Two-pan balance 2.53 g 0.01 g 3 significant figures Analytical balance 2.531 g 0.001g 4 significant figures

Which numbers are Significant? 5,551,213 55.00 mm Which numbers are Significant? How to count them! 9000 L 0.003g

Non-Zero integers Always count as significant figures 1235 has 4 significant digits

Zeros – there are 3 types Leading zeros (place holders) The first significant figure in a measurement is the first digit other than zero counting from left to right 0.0045g (4 is the 1st sig. fig.) “0.00” are place holders. The zeros are not significant

Captive zeros Zeros within a number at always significant – 30.0809 g All digits are significant

Trailing zeros – at the end of numbers but to the right of the decimal point 2.00 g - has 3 sig. digits (what this means is that the measuring instrument can measure exactly to two decimal places. 100 m has 1 sig. digit Zeros are significant if a number contains decimals

Exact Numbers Are numbers that are not obtained by measuring Referred to as counting numbers EX : 12 apples, 100 people

Exact Numbers Also arise by definition 1” = 2.54 cm or 12 in. = 1 foot Are referred to as conversion factors that allow for the expression of a value using two different units

Significant Figures Rules for sig figs.: Count the number of digits in a measurement from left to right: Start with the first nonzero digit Do not count place-holder zeros. The rules for significant digits apply only to measurements and not to exact numbers Sig figs is short for significant figures.

Determining Significant Figures State the number of significant figures in the following measurements: 2005 cm 4 0.050 cm 2 25,000 g 2 0.0280 g 3 25.0 ml 3 50.00 ml 4 0.25 s 2 1000 s 1 0.00250 mol 3 1000. mol 4

Rounding Numbers To express answer in correctly Only use the first number to the right of the last significant digit

Rounding Always carry the extra digits through to the final result Then round EX: Answer is 1.331 rounds to 1.3 OR 1.356 rounds to 1.4

Rounding off sig figs (significant figures): Rule 1: If the first non-sig fig is less than 5, drop all non-sig fig. Rule 2: If the first sig fig is 5, or greater that 5, increase the last sig fig by 1 and drop all non-sig figs. Round off each of the following to 3 significant figures: 12.514748 12.5 0.6015261 0.602 14652.832 14,700 192.49032 192

Math Problems w/Sig Figs When combining measurements with different degrees of accuracy and precision, the accuracy of the final answer can be no greater than the least accurate measurement.

least number of sig figs. Significant Figures Multiplication and division of sig figs - your answer must be limited to the measurement with the least number of sig figs. 5.15 X 2.3 11.845 3 sig figs 2 sig figs only allowed 2 sig figs so 11.845 is rounded to 12 5 sig fig 2 sig figs

Multiplication and Division Answer will be rounded to the same number of significant figures as the component with the fewest number of significant figures. 4.56 cm x 1.4 cm = 6.38 cm2 = 6.4 cm2

28.0 inches 2.54 cm 1 inch Computed measurement is 71.12 cm Answer is 71.1 cm x = 71.12 cm