Significant figures and Measurements

Front

What are significant figures?

Back

Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. This includes all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal portion.

Front

How do you determine the number of significant figures in a measurement?

Back

Count all non-zero digits, any zeros between them, and trailing zeros in a decimal number. Leading zeros are not counted.

Front

What is the significance of significant figures in measurements?

Back

Significant figures indicate the precision of a measurement and help communicate the uncertainty in the data.

Front

How do you round a number to a specific number of significant figures?

Back

Identify the last significant figure you want to keep, look at the next digit to the right, and round up if it's 5 or more, or leave it if it's less than 5.

Front

What is the volume of liquid in a graduated cylinder marked at 43.0 mL?

Back

The volume is 43.0 mL, which indicates that the measurement is precise to one decimal place.

Front

Round 0.010229 to four significant figures.

Back

0.01023.

Front

What is the volume of liquid in a graduated cylinder marked at 63.5 mL?

Back

The volume is 63.5 mL, indicating precision to one decimal place.

Front

Round 1047.78 to three significant figures.

Back

1050.

Front

When adding measurements, how do you determine the correct number of significant figures in the result?

Back

The result should be rounded to the least number of decimal places of any number in the sum.

Front

Calculate 12.34 + 1.234 + 0.1234 and give your answer with the correct number of significant figures.

Back

The answer is 13.70.